By the early 1980s various people had adapted theatre lights to move by bolting them in to yokes. The first Vari-Lites were just appearing, but were expensive and inaccessible to many.
 
But, thought Peter Wynne Willson, serial inventor and regular creator of special effects for Pink Floyd, why move the whole light? Why not just put a mirror on the front and move that?
 
So he did just that, creating Pancan – a circular device fitted with a  remotely controllable mirror that you could mount onto the front of whichever light you preferred, most commonly – as the name hints at – a Par Can.
 
The original system, shown here, was designed for live movement and effect – you controlled it using joysticks. An Apple-based control system came later. For many, it was their introduction to moving lights. For its creator it was just the start, his later, dual-mirror Coemar NAT overcoming the limitations of the range of coverage of traditional moving mirror lights, a version for video servers, Catalyst, also introducing media servers to the world.

Pancan
Click thumbnail to enlarge

Pancans
Click thumbnail to enlarge

Pancans on Parcans
Click thumbnail to enlarge