Scoop (theater)

In stage lighting, an ellipsoidal reflector floodlight (sometimes known by the acronym ERF which is often pronounced "erf"), better known as a scoop, is a large, simple lighting fixture with a dome-like reflector, large high-wattage lamp and no lens.

It consists almost entirely of a lamp in the center of a big curved metal (or plastic lined with reflective foil) dome that acts as a reflector.

Scoops can be used to mimic the effect of a striplight to illuminate a cyclorama.

They are easy to set up and take down, are relatively inexpensive, typically have long lamp life.

Scoop lights are also used for flooding a stage with downlight, as this requires the least amount of control of the beam.