Floodlights typically produce a wide and diffused beam. They usually have a simple
optical system
with a rectangular concave mirror, which is sometimes mottled in order to enhance diffusion. Often a wire mesh or plate of glass is placed in front of the luminaire to protect the filter from heat and as a safety measure. The glass cover sometimes operates a microswitch as a safety measure which ensures that the electrical current will be automatically
cut
off when the glass is opened.
A 1000w floodlight by Kupo
Simple floodlights used to have spherical reflectors and use large filament ES base lamp. More sophisticated floodlights, like scoops, have a
parabolic reflector
or an
ellipsoidal reflector
which produce an uneven
pattern
of
light distribution
consisting of two superimposed light beams: the
beam
of the
light source
itself and the reflected beam. Typical modern floodlights use a linear
lamp
with a mottled reflector. Floodlights are used for color washes and for blending the area lighting, and are also useful for lighting backings and entrances.
A quartz 16" scoop by Altman.
Cyclorama floodlights (cyc lights) have asymmetric parabolic reflectors and use linear lamps. The geometry of these reflectors is a combination of two parabolas, usually with a roughly diffused surface . Cyc lights are used to illuminate large backdrops evenly from awkward lighting positions. The use of floodlights with linear lamps and asymmetric reflectors as footlights has the advantage of reducing the visual obstruction of the units, which are placed at the edge of the
stage
apron. Cyc floodlights are available in a multi circuit configuration where a few units, consisting of three of four floodlights each, are connected in three or four circuits, enabling the combination of color washes.
A 1000w asymetric floodlight by teatro
Asymetric floodlights hung on a bar close to the backdrop or cyc, which illuminate the entire height of the drop evenly.
Striplights, known as battens in the U.K. and as
X-rays
in the USA, consist of a row of small simple floodlights with either GS or R lamps. They are usually wired in three or four circuits to enable the use of several color washes. Striplights are usually hung above the
stage
and can also be used as footlights.
Striplight creating a backlight wash
Softlights are used mainly in television lighting. Softlights have large diffusion reflectors in order to attain soft shadows, and sometimes have several linear lamps in a row.
Softlights by Desisti.
Also popular in television are focus floodlights which can vary their
light distribution
quality from soft to hard. This is achieved by moving the
lamp
in relation to the
reflector
.
lanebeam by Strand.
Modern theatre lighting practice shows a distinct preference for employing parcans for floodlighting. Small wide-angle MR lamps are sometimes used as footlights to obtain a strong, directional wash .
