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Home›Guides›Lighting›Butterflies & Overheads
Technical Guide · Light Control

Butterflies
, and overheads

The large light-control surfaces on the set. The principle never changes: a frame stretched with an interchangeable fabric, selected based on its light intensity level. The fabric family determines the effect—diffusing, softening, reflecting, blocking, or embedding—while the adjustment controls the intensity.

Frame
the structure
+
Canvas
the modeler
+
Intensity
full · 1/2 · 1/4
=
Butterfly
ready to film
Table of Contents
01Choosethe frame (size)02Choosethe canvas (the effect)03Thelegs and the hanging mechanism04Whichcanvas for which effect?
Not sure about the wetsuit? We'll get back to you within 2 business hours—including the suit and fabric.
01 — The Structure

Choose the frame

The frame defines the light pattern: the larger it is, the softer and more enveloping the light. Our Avenger Fold Away frames are designed for tool-free, self-assembly.

6×6′
6 × 6 feet
1.80 × 1.80 m
Avenger H2006 Fold Away — frame only
20 €excl. tax / day
Add to Cart
8×8′
8 × 8 feet
2.40 × 2.40 m
Avenger H2008 Fold Away — frame only
40 €excl. tax / day
Add to Cart
12×12′
12 × 12 feet
3.60 × 3.60 m
Avenger H2512 / H2012 Fold Away
45–50 €excl. tax / day
Add to Cart
20×20′
20 × 20 feet
6 × 6 m
Collapsible frame — square sections
€89excl. tax / day
Add to Cart
Golden Rule
The canvas must match the size of the frame: a 12×12 canvas is stretched over a 12×12 frame. The frame is rented without the canvas—you must always reserve the frame and canvas together.
02 — The Modeler

Choosing the Canvas

The same frame can hold dozens of fabrics. Here are our families of Rosco fabrics, categorized by use—and then by intensity level, which determines the strength of the light diffusion.

Neutral distribution
Grid Cloth
Technical, uniform diffusion with no color shift. Reinforced with a mesh. “Silent” noise-reducing versions for direct sound.
Our product specifications (3.60 × 3.60 m)
Full Grid Cloth30 €+ Add to Cart
Grid Cloth 1/230 €+ Add to Cart
Grid Cloth 1/430 €+ Add to Cart
Silent Grid Cloth Full / 1/2 / 1/430 €+ Add to Cart
Full Grid Cloth (2.40 m — 8×8′)30 €+ add to cart
Gentle Diffusion
Silk
Wrap-around diffusion with a slight bounce; the silk subtly "warms" the light. Very organic rendering.
Our References
Silk Full / 1/2 / 1/4 (3.60 m)30 €+ shopping cart
Artificial Silk Full (3.60 m)30 €+ Add to Cart
Silk Full / 1/2 / 1/4 (6 × 6 m — 20×20′)85 €+ Add to Cart
Silk 1/2 , sold by the roll (1.22 × 7.62 m)185 €+ Add to Cart
Signature
Magic Cloth & Cinebounce
The most popular custom textures: Magic Cloth for ultra-soft, natural light; Cinebounce for a soft bounce with a silver or white surface.
Our product specifications (3.60 × 3.60 m)
Magic Cloth32 €+ shopping cart
Cinebounce30 €+ shopping cart
Reflection & Recap
Ultrabounce
Large reflective surface: white on one side, black on the other—bring out the shadows on the white side, create a negative image on the black side.
Our References
Ultrabounce (6 × 6 m — 20 × 20′)85 €+ shopping cart
Ultrabounce B/W (3.60 m)39 €+ Add to Cart
Ultrabounce B/W (2.40 m — 8×8′)30 €+ shopping cart
Negative / cut
Solid Black
Solid black canvas that absorbs light: creates a negative image, deepens contrast, and sculpts forms.
Our product specifications (3.60 × 3.60 m)
Solid Black35 €+ Add to Cart
Classic Textile
Muslin
Traditional textile weaving. When unbleached, it slightly warms the light; when bleached, it remains neutral.
Our product specifications (3.60 × 3.60 m)
Bleached Muslin30 €+ shopping cart
Unbleached Muslin39 €+ Add to Cart
Overlay
Chroma Key
A backdrop stretched over a frame for special effects and compositing, with no wrinkles or seams.
Our product specifications (3.60 × 3.60 m)
Blue Chroma Key Background65 €+ Add to Cart
Also available
Other Sizes & Frames
Keylite, Lastolite Skylite, and Scrim Jim frames, as well as collapsible frames in 6×6, 8×8, 12×12, and 20×20 sizes for creating other combinations.
Examples
Jim Cine 6×6′ (180 cm) Screen20 €+ add to cart
Keylite 8×8′ (2.40 m) Frame35 €+ Add to Cart
Lastolite Skylite (1×1 / 2×2 m)22–25 €+ Add to Cart
02 bis — the intensity level

Full, 1/2, or 1/4?

The type of fabric determines the quality of the light, while the weave determines its strength. Same fabric, same price: it’s the density of the fabric that changes—and with it, the softness you get and the light you lose in the process.

Full
≈ 1 stop loss
The densest veil: maximum diffusion, shadows virtually eliminated, the light source completely submerged in the surface.
Great gentleness · beauty · overcast sky
1/2
≈ 2/3 of a stop
The compromise: the light remains soft but still casts a distinct direction and definition on the face.
The One-Size-Fits-All Setting
1/4
≈ 1/3 of a f-stop
A simple softening: we smooth out the edges of the shadows without losing the contrast or the intensity of the light source.
Defined shadows · low-angle light
Key Takeaways
Intensity applies only to diffusing materials—Grid Cloth and silk. Solid fabrics (Black Solid, Ultrabounce, Chroma Key) have no diffusion factor: they either block or reflect light; they do not diffuse it. When in doubt, start with “Full ”: you can always move the light source farther away, but you can’t add diffusion from a distance.
03 — the medium

The Feet and the Grip

A butterfly stand can't stand on its own. Each frame comes with 2 brackets and 2 D400 ball joints —all you need are the legs, and possibly an arm to extend the surface.

For the 6 × 6′
Avenger U126
Rolling base — medium column
× 2 feet
The rolling stand that goes with a 6 × 6. Tall enough to raise the surface above the subject, compact enough to fit in a tight studio—and it moves without having to be disassembled.
Add to Cart
For the 8 × 8′ and 12 × 12′
Windup on Wheels
Rack-and-pinion leg, base with casters
× 2 feet
As soon as you switch to the 8 × 8, the surface becomes heavy and catches the wind: the rack allows you to raise and adjust the height under load, all by yourself, without straining. Requires ballast.
Add to Cart
casters
casters
× 2 feet — one on each side
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
How to Put It Together
1The base —U126 in 6 × 6, Windup on wheels in 8 × 8 and 12 × 12. Always in pairs, one on each side of the frame.
2The D400 ball joint —included ×2 with the frame. It mounts at the top of the leg and allows for orientation—tilt and rotation—of the surface.
3The Swan Neck F100 —an optional offset arm, positioned between the base and the frame, to shift the surface away from the vertical line of the base.
4The ear — included ×2 with the frame. This is the part that clamps onto the frame tube and attaches to the ball joint.
5The frame and the canvas —the assembled unit, secured on both sides. We weigh down the legs whenever we work outdoors.
Schematic diagram — side view, not to scale
Swan Neck F100
Clever accessory
The Manfrotto Junior F100 Offset Arm: It moves the camera frame away from the centerline of the tripod leg and positions it directly above the subject, without the tripod leg entering the frame. Indispensable whenever you're shooting close-up or overhead above a table. Manufacturer's specifications
Add to Cart
04 — Help with Choosing

Which canvas for which effect?

A quick guide—read this before booking.

Soften without changing the color
→
Grid Cloth — Full for maximum softness, 1/2 to preserve detail, 1/4 to just soften the shadows
Soft, natural light
→
Silk, or "Magic Cloth" for a natural look
Filming with live sound
→
Silent Grid Cloth versions, with no fabric noise
Bringing Shadows to Light
→
Ultrabounce with a white surface, or Cinebounce for a softer bounce
Create negative space and contrast
→
Black Solid, or Ultrabounce with a black surface
Inlay Background
→
Chroma Key fabric stretched over a frame
Ready to stretch your canvas?

We'll set up the "
" frame-and-canvas pack for you

Tell us your size and style, and we'll set aside the matching wetsuit—delivered and picked up in Paris.

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Butterflies & Overheads Guide — Boookable · Estimated prices (excluding tax) per day
The canvas swatches are placeholders—replace them with your photos before publication.
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