From The Horse's Mouth

What to do with all those gobos you’ve collected over the years? For many lighting designers, lighting directors and end users there always seems to be a growing box of gobos used on previous shows or events. Actually, with a little bit of time, imagination, and color you’d be amazed at some of the combinations you can come up with in order to get more use from them. For example, if you take two Apollo standard B-size metal gobos Dots in Double Circle #2288, add them to an Apollo Smart Move rotator, throw in a dash of color (I like a triple color combination AP#8350, AP#7750, AP#6500) and BINGO! You’ve got a fun “dots in motion” effect. Another possibility is using the  Apollo Smart Move Vertical  for interesting vertical motion effects. Try using a standard metal #2342 Wavy Checks in the Vertical. Then add a B-Size round Wavy Checks to the standard gobo slot. Throw in some split color AP#3250, AP#4650, adjust the focus to your liking and there you go, you have an interesting Kaleidoscope type effect. One of my favorite things is to add an Apollo Crushed Dichroic to a gobo. It seems to bring so much more life to the pattern you are projecting. With some time and patience you’d be amazed at the number of effects you can come up with just using the old gobos you have or buying some new inexpensive metal gobos. So what are you waiting for? Have some fun and give it a try.

The Apollo Smart Move rotator  has onboard motion effects and can create some very exciting environments onstage or at a museum installation. The Smart Move will accommodate both steel patterns and glass patterns. It uses a unique retaining ring that flips to use with either gobo type. One side is flat to use with steel patterns and the other side has a recess on it to allow you to mount glass gobos or “bezeled” products like Textured Glass  or Crushed Dichroics. Apollo also offers a clear glass separator to keep two steel patterns from warping into each other and tearing themselves apart. Some gobo manufacturers use thinner steel and warping can occur.

To install a pattern in the rotator, use needle nose pliers in the half circle grooves on the retainer rings to pinch them together and pull the ring out of rotator, place the B sized gobo into the rotator and depending on whether it is glass or steel, flip the ring over to accommodate the different thickness of the gobo. Use the needle nose pliers to pinch the ring slightly and place it into the rotator.  Check to be sure ring is all of the way in and flat. You can also use the small screwdriver included in the rotator box to place into one of the half circle indentations and gently pull towards the center and away from the rotator to take the ring and gobo out. To replace the ring in the rotator, place one end in the rotator pulled the ring towards the center of the circle and push the ring into place. Once the patterns are in place, you can set the dial switches onboard to assign an effect if constant counter rotation is not needed. The Smart Move can rotate, stop, and reverse, it can “chatter” the patterns, and a variety of different moves which make it more versatile than other rotators on the market.

To see a video on this process go to:

Installing Gobos Into A Gobo Rotator

Smart Moves are very quiet rotators  with infinitely variable cw/cww, 0-21 rpm speed. Check one out at your local Apollo dealer, you’ll be impressed!

Gobos, gobos, gobos. What to do with all those gobos you’ve collected over the years? For many lighting designers, lighting directors and end users there always seems to be a growing box of gobos used on previous shows or events. Actually, with a little bit of time, imagination, and color you’d be amazed at some of the combinations you can come up with in order to get more use from them. For example, if you take two Apollo standard B-size metal gobos Dots in Double Circle #2288, add them to an Apollo Smart Move gobo rotator, throw in a dash of gel color (I like a triple color combination AP#8350, AP#7750, AP#6500) and BINGO! You’ve got a fun “dots in motion” effect. Another possibility is using the Apollo Smart Move Vertical for interesting vertical motion effects. Try using a standard metal #2342 Wavy Checks in the Vertical. Then add a B-Size round Wavy Checks to the standard gobo slot. Throw in some split color AP#3250, AP#4650, adjust the focus to your liking and there you go, you have an (continue reading…)