Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light in Theatre, Live Performance, Broadcast, and Entertainment

Chapter 28

The Evolution of Automated Lighting Technology

All evolution in thought and conduct must at first appear as heresy and misconduct.—George Bernard Shaw

Throughout the history of automated lighting, one undeniable trend has held true: year after year, automated lighting has become smaller, lighter, more efficient, and lower in cost. That’s not to say there aren’t bigger, heavier, and more expensive automated lights on the market, because there are. A 1200-watt luminaire is still bigger than a 575-watt light, and there are automated lights available with light sources up to 7K watts and higher. But if you consider the volume-to-output ratio, the weight-to-output ratio, the wattage-to-output ratio, and the cost-to-output ratio, then ...