Gobos in Australia & New Zealand

 

Creative Film & Theatre Solutions (CFATS) is the regional hub for Rosco gobos, custom gobo production, and Image Spot® projectors across Australia & New Zealand. We help theatres, councils, venues, designers and event teams turn light into logos, textures, patterns and stories.

This hub introduces what gobos are, where they’re used, and how CFATS can help. From here, you can explore detailed guides, FAQs, case studies and ordering options.

What Is a Gobo?

A gobo is a small template that goes inside a lighting fixture to project an image, pattern, logo, texture or artwork. Gobos are used anywhere you want to “paint with light” instead of building physical scenery or signage.

Common gobo applications

  • Corporate branding & product launches
  • Architectural & façade lighting
  • Public art trails, light festivals & tourism
  • Theatre, musical theatre, opera & dance
  • Museums, galleries & interpretation
  • Weddings & private events
  • Photography, film & studio work
  • Wayfinding, safety and public messaging

See What Gobos Can Do

Rosco gobos and Image Spot projectors are used worldwide to create everything from subtle ambience to bold storytelling in light. Below are examples you can reference when planning projects in Australia or New Zealand.

Poolside Atmosphere & Hospitality

Rosco Image Spot HO gobo projections creating textured light around a resort pool and spa.
Rosco Image Spot HO fixtures projecting textured gobos around a resort pool to create a calm, immersive atmosphere.

In one Rosco project, a resort transformed a standard pool deck into an immersive night-time environment by projecting foliage and texture gobos over water, walls and pathways. A few projectors and the right glass gobos turned flat surfaces into a layered, memorable guest experience.

This is a useful reference for hotels, rooftop bars and event venues who want impact without complex set builds.

View the poolside ambience case study

Parks, Walkways & Public Spaces

Custom full-colour glass gobos of fish projected onto cobblestone pathways in Bad Elster park.
Custom full-colour Rosco glass gobos guiding visitors through historic parks with playful, narrative imagery.

Rosco Image Spot projectors have been used in historic parks in Bad Elster, Germany to enliven pathways, trees and open spaces with patterned light. Designers used custom and standard gobos to create gentle, animated experiences that improve both ambience and perceived safety at night.

Councils and landscape designers in AU/NZ can apply the same approach for light trails, festivals and permanent park lighting.

Historic park gobo lighting
Creating ambience in parks

Building Façades & Architecture

Rosco Image Spot HO gobo projections creating vivid images on a historic city hall façade at night.
Rosco Image Spot HO fixtures projecting vivid, seasonal gobos across a historic city hall façade.

At the Rys och Mys festival in Varberg, Sweden, Rosco Image Spot HO projectors were used to throw bright, detailed gobos across long distances onto building façades. Seasonal artwork, stars and custom imagery were projected sharply even with wide lenses, turning architecture into a storytelling canvas.

This is directly relevant if you are planning city activations, placemaking or seasonal projections on buildings in AU/NZ.

Vivid images on building façades

Cathedrals, Museums & Heritage

Opera staging with a long stained glass style cloak used with Rosco glass gobos to create cathedral imagery.
Rosco glass gobos used to transform an opera set into an epic, cavernous cathedral using projected stained-glass textures.

Designers have used Rosco glass gobos to re-create vast cathedral interiors on stage and to create luminous spiritual journeys inside historic churches and museums. Black & white and full-colour glass gobos provide the depth and complexity needed for stonework, stained glass and architectural details.

This approach suits heritage sites, galleries and interpretive centres that want impactful storytelling without invasive construction.

Cathedral on stage with glass gobos
Spiritual journey inside a cathedral

Storytelling, Culture & Community

Full-colour custom gobos projected onto a Norwegian street showing local stories and artwork.
Full-colour custom glass gobos telling local stories along Skårersletta Street in Lørenskog, Norway.

In several European projects, towns have used Rosco gobos to project poetry, illustrations and historic imagery onto streets and façades, turning everyday routes into narrative experiences. Custom glass gobos made from local artists’ work help residents literally see their own stories illuminated in public space.

This is a strong model for public art commissions, festivals and cultural trails in Australian and New Zealand cities.

Town storytelling with gobos
History with gobos & AR

Photography, Fashion & Studio Work

Avant-garde portrait by Lindsay Adler using Rosco color glass gobos to create colorful light textures on the model.
Avant-garde portrait lighting by Lindsay Adler using Rosco prismatic and colour glass gobos for dramatic light textures.

Photographers like Lindsay Adler regularly use Rosco gobos to create graphic shadows, window patterns and abstract textures on set. Steel and glass gobos offer repeatable, controllable looks that would be difficult to achieve with physical sets alone.

This is ideal for portrait studios, fashion photographers and content creators wanting more depth and production value in small spaces.

Avant-garde photography with gobos

Types of Rosco Gobos

Rosco manufactures one of the world’s largest ranges of standard and custom gobos. Through CFATS, you can specify:

Metal (Stainless Steel)

  • Bold, high-contrast designs
  • Ideal for logos with simple shapes or text
  • Handles high-heat fixtures well
  • Cost-effective for large runs or touring

Black & White Glass

  • Extremely fine detail and sharp edges
  • Perfect for architecture, scenic textures and intricate artwork
  • Used heavily in theatre, museums and heritage projects

Full Colour Glass

  • Accurate reproduction of brand colours and gradients
  • Suited to product artwork, photography and illustration
  • Common in façades, festivals, corporate events and tourism projects

If you’re unsure which material is right for your project, CFATS can recommend options based on your fixture, distance, surface and budget.

Projectors & Fixture Compatibility

Rosco can manufacture gobos for virtually any gobo-capable fixture worldwide. CFATS regularly supplies gobos for:

  • Rosco Image Spot® (Mini, IP40, IP65, DMX, HO)
  • Rosco X-Effects® projectors
  • ETC Source Four and other profile fixtures
  • Elation, Martin, Chauvet, Beamz, Prolights and many others

For more detailed sizing and compatibility information, please refer to our dedicated resources:

How CFATS Supports Your Gobo Project

1. Explore & Plan

Browse this hub, review case studies and talk to us early about surfaces, throw distances, ambient light and mounting options. We can quickly tell you what is realistic on your site.

2. Choose Gobo Type & Projector

We help you select the right gobo material and projector model (Image Spot, theatrical profile, etc.) based on scale, run time and environment (indoor/outdoor).

3. Artwork & Proofs

Send us your artwork in whatever format you have. Rosco’s artwork team can clean it up, and we’ll organise digital proofs for approval before anything is manufactured.

4. Production & Delivery

Once approved, gobos are manufactured by Rosco and shipped via CFATS. We can coordinate with your installer, hire company or venue as needed.

Because CFATS is the exclusive Rosco agent for Australia & New Zealand, you get local advice backed by global experience and a direct line into Rosco’s gobo production team.

Ready to Talk About Gobos?

Whether you’re at concept sketch stage or finalising a tender, CFATS can help you turn ideas into workable gobo solutions.