From The Horse's Mouth

Need a High End pattern? Contact us! Apollo has the rights to produce High End Systems’ library of Lithopatterns®. We have developed a PDF catalog of High End patterns to help this process. Click here to view.

Stumbled upon this video … and it is starring Apollo gobos MS-3150 Breakup Hearts.

While at LDI, ControlBooth interviewed Keith, Apollo Dealer Manager, on our clean laser technology.  Check out what Keith had to say about the many benefits of switching to clean laser technology for making steel and glass gobos.

* If you are not a ControlBooth member, you will not be able to view the images discussed in the article. Please view below.

Here’s what the camera saw through the Jewler’s Loupe.     

Here’s a closeup of the text Kelite describes in the video below.

The 7,700 word gobo

Photos Courtesy of the ControlBooth lighting forum.

 A recent event in my life brought in emails from folks in my past. Many of those were from past students of mine when I taught lighting at Arizona State University. It was so rewarding to hear that they are teaching or designing their own lights these days. It got me thinking that had I not had this event, I would have never heard that what I taught them had any impact on their lives. I thought about teachers that contributed a lot in my life not only in the subject they taught but also as an inspiration in my life. It may have been an art teacher that encouraged me in my drawing style that eventually affected my gobo designs or my science teacher that allowed me to gang 10-6 volt batteries to create a mini cutting welder and learn about electricity. With the internet, I have been trying to locate these inspirations to drop them an email to say thanks. Yes, they are retired by now but it is heartwarming to hear someone say thanks for their efforts. Think about a great teacher in your past and say thanks, it really brightens a person’s life.

With teachers in mind, Apollo has several products that help you lighting teachers out there.
Swatchbooks-We will send out swatchbooks for your students upon your request.
Gobo Catalogs- same as above. We are happy to send out catalogs for your students.
Designer Gel Books- We offer a 6.25” x 6.25” designer swatchbook for color testing at $150.00 each
Apollo Apprentice Gel Kit- 3 sheets of 25 common lighting colors with an educational DVD that explains when and why to use each color in the kit. It retails for $285.00 per kit.
Apollo Gobo Tool Kit- 24 steel and 1 glass pattern with a pattern holder and educational DVD that explains when and where to use each gobo. It also shows each pattern in and out of focus. It sells for $225.00 per kit.
Apollo also has YouTube videos that were made for students ranging from how to load a gel string to how to load a gobo into a light. Take a look at what is available.

Deck your customers’ holiday parties out with gobos from Apollo. Project good ol’ Saint Nick or create a winter wonderland with delicate snowflakes. To view our holiday season gobos please click here!

Apollo is introducing 100 new patterns for 2011.  You can view all of these patterns now before the catalog is available!  Click here  to check out the new creative designs we have to offer.

Halloween is almost here! Even if it is for just one day, we like to show up at work in costumes of what we possibly would like to be in some alternate reality, and then take our kids out to get bags full of candy we spend weeks trying to control the consumption of. It is a day like no other and a lot of fun.  

Halloween parties and events are happening everywhere. Special effects are a must! For some ideas check out Apollo’s Creative F/X Guide.  What is the Creative F/X guide?  It is an online tool that has a number of lighting effects that list the Apollo gear, gobos, gel or other design elements and where to place them in the light fixture. 

One example that is a rather simple effect, but scary nonetheless, is the Flaming Skull.  To create this effect you need the enhanced crushed dichroic Phoenix Sunset (DI-CRUSH-2-PSUN)  placed in an Apollo Smart Move Rotator dialed into Effect: 01 and our standard steel Skull and Cross Bones gobo (MS-3062) placed in the static slot of the ellipsoidal. The results are something that resembles the scary Ghost Rider.

Click here and then launch the video to see in action and Happy Halloween!!!!

I recently stumbled onto ETC’s site and their EDLT (Enhanced Definition Lens Tube) page.  Apollo gobos (Uptown View, Circuit, and Stained Glass Windows Morning) look even more stunning when combined with an EDLT versus a standard lens.  ETC’s designed a neat little tool for the comparison.  Check it out for yourself!

The problem with gobos is that they are fairly fragile and we use them in one of the roughest environments where they can get torn, tangled, scratched or shattered. Something that folks always ask me on my travels is how to store them. Apollo ships the steel and glass patterns in fairly robust and protective boxes or sleeves (depending on whether it is steel or glass) but after the beating that they take on the road, you are left with a fragile round steel or glass wafer that doesn’t seem to fit into anything. I always toss my gobos in my briefcase and that is a very abrasive environment full of wrenches, screwdrivers, pens, and the occasional coin. I have used several gobo transportation devices in the past. The most indestructible carrier I have made is a 4″ PVC pipe coupler with craft foam inserts to separate the individual gobos. (continue reading…)

Check out the 2010 Halloween Gobo Flyer featuring a sneak preview of selected 2011 new gobos.  Be the first to have “Spooky Entrance” or “Crazy Witch”! To view the flyer click here!  Have a spooktacular Halloween!