Gobo projection rental

What gobo projection is

Gobo projection is a technique in which you cast a pattern, a logo or a monogram as light onto a surface. The heart of the effect is the gobo itself: a small stencil you place in a lighting fixture. The light shines through the openings of that stencil and forms a crisp image of light and shadow on a wall, a floor or a ceiling. So you are not hanging anything physical, you are painting with light, and that makes the effect surprisingly elegant.

Unlike video, with a gobo you cast a fixed image, not moving footage. That fixed character is precisely the strength: a crisply projected logo or monogram looks refined and timeless, and it draws attention without being intrusive. Guests see a brand or a name appear as if by itself on the floor or wall, and that makes an impression because it is not immediately obvious how it was done.

There are standard gobos with, for example, stars, leaves, clouds or geometric patterns, and custom gobos with your logo, name or theme. You use the standard patterns to add atmosphere and texture, and the custom versions to make a brand or an occasion personal. In both cases the quality of the design and the focusing determines how crisp the final result comes across.

Where you use gobo projection

Gobo projection is popular at events where a brand or a name takes centre stage. At a corporate event we project a logo onto the wall behind the stage, at the entrance or on the floor by the door, so guests immediately see which brand they are with. It is a subtler alternative to physical banners and looks more premium, precisely because it is made of light.

At a wedding the monogram is the classic example. The couple’s initials appear on the dance floor or on a wall, which gives a personal accent that comes through in the photos. A romantic pattern, such as a starry sky across the ceiling or leaves across the walls, also suits the atmosphere of the evening well.

At presentations and conferences you use gobos to set the room in the brand identity or to support a theme visually. And at a party or company celebration moving patterns add texture and dynamism to the dance floor and the walls. Beyond that you see gobo projection at product launches, galas, anniversaries and openings, anywhere you want to give a space a recognisable identity without building physical scenery for it.

The technology behind a crisp projection

The stencil and the design

The basis of a good gobo projection is the design of the stencil. Because you work with light and not with ink, not every image translates equally well. A clear logo or a clean monogram comes across crisply, while very fine details or a lot of small text can drop out in the projection. We therefore advise on the design and have the gobo custom-made in a form that suits the desired size and the projection distance.

Focusing and size

The crisp image comes from setting up the projection precisely. The fixture has a lens with which we focus the image at the exact distance to the surface, just as with a projector. The further the fixture stands from the surface, the larger the image, but also the more light you need to keep it bright. We choose the position and the output so the size is right and the projection stays crisp and bright.

Colour and movement

Besides white light we can project a gobo in colour, which suits a brand identity or a theme. With certain fixtures patterns can also rotate or move slowly, making a starry sky twinkle or leaves seem to drift across a wall. A static logo we keep clean and crisp instead. We match these choices to the character of your event, and we control them via DMX together with the rest of the lighting.

The importance of the surface and the space

The final result depends heavily on the surface you project onto. An even, light surface, such as a smooth wall or a plain floor, gives the crispest and brightest image. On a dark or heavily textured surface the material absorbs more light and the projection becomes softer and less contrasty. When designing we therefore look at the available surfaces in advance and choose the spot that carries the image best.

The ambient light also weighs heavily. In a darkened room a gobo projection stands out brightly, while bright work light or daylight flattens the image. We therefore agree on how the light in the space can be dimmed during your event, and choose the projection spot so as little competing light as possible falls on it. That combination of the right surface, the right spot and subdued ambient light determines whether a projection fades away subtly or comes across powerfully.

Setup, testing and operation on site

On the day itself we place the fixture in the chosen position, aim the projection at the surface and focus the image at the right distance. Then we test the result in the space itself, check that the logo or pattern is crisp and straight, and correct the size, the sharpness and the brightness. That test on site is essential, because the actual distance and the surface determine how crisp the projection ultimately looks.

During the event a fixed logo or monogram usually just stays in place, while we control moving or changing patterns together with the rest of the lighting. For larger productions we match the gobos to the video and the broader lighting design, from a single plan.

If you only want to collect a fixture with a standard gobo yourself, individual rental without support is available through SpeakerVerhuur.nl, the webshop of Speaker Verhuur Amsterdam. If you are after a managed result with a custom gobo and a crisply set projection, HuurAV takes the design, the setup, the testing and the operation entirely off your hands. Request a no-obligation quote.