The Raw Power of Light
The PAR Can, short for Parabolic Aluminized Reflector Can, is a lighting fixture celebrated for its simplicity, low cost, and ability to produce a powerful, punchy beam of light. Originating from the world of rock and roll concert lighting, its distinct aesthetic and raw intensity have made it a valuable tool in filmmaking, particularly for creating dramatic and stylized effects. Unlike the highly controllable Fresnel, the PAR Can is a blunt instrument, designed for maximum light output in a fixed beam.
Anatomy of a PAR Can
The fixture is famously simple, consisting of two main parts:
- The Can: A cylindrical metal housing, typically made of steel or aluminum, that holds the lamp and has a slot for inserting colored gels or diffusion material.
- The PAR Lamp: The heart of the fixture. The lamp is a self-contained, sealed-beam unit that includes the filament, a parabolic reflector, and a lens molded into a single piece of glass. This is very similar in concept to an old-fashioned car headlight.
The beam produced by a PAR lamp is not round but distinctly oval-shaped, a result of its filament design. The lamp can be rotated within the can to change the orientation of this oval, allowing a lighting technician to shape the light to fit a specific area, like an actor’s body or a long hallway.
Types and Beam Spreads
PAR Cans are most commonly identified by the diameter of the lamp they hold, measured in eighths of an inch. The industry standard for decades has been the PAR 64, which holds a lamp that is 8 inches in diameter (64 x 1/8 inch).
The PAR lamps themselves are manufactured with different types of lenses, which produce different fixed beam spreads. There is no way to focus a PAR Can; to change the beam size, you must physically change the lamp. The standard lamp types are:
- Very Narrow Spot (VNSP): Produces a tight, almost parallel beam of intense light, like a laser beam.
- Narrow Spot (NSP): A slightly wider, still very intense beam.
- Medium Flood (MFL): A useful, general-purpose beam that covers a larger area.
- Wide Flood (WFL): Produces a very wide, soft wash of light with the least intensity.
Use in Filmmaking
While a Fresnel provides soft, controllable light ideal for subtle portraiture, a PAR Can is used when a director or cinematographer wants a more aggressive or noticeable lighting effect. Its common applications include:
- Simulating Hard Sunlight: A bank of PAR Cans can be used to create a powerful, hard-edged shaft of light pouring through a window.
- Creating ‘God Beams’: When used with atmospheric haze or smoke, the intense, parallel rays of a PAR Can create visible beams of light, a highly dramatic effect.
- Headlights and Searchlights: Their sealed-beam nature makes them perfect for simulating car headlights or the sweeping beam of a searchlight.
- Music Videos and Concert Scenes: Drawing from their rock-and-roll heritage, PAR Cans are the go-to fixture for creating the high-energy, flashy lighting seen in concert films and music videos.