@Val
Not sure; I’m no expert. But 500 watts is quite powerful, so it’ll need a fixture rated for it.
Edit: Spec sheet confirms it requires a rated fixture.
@Val
The spec sheet also says it requires a ballast.
Maybe a quartz halogen, but keep in mind their lifespan is short—hundreds of hours, not thousands.
This is amazing!
Very cool 
That is amazing!! No advice to add because I think it’s perfect as is.
Trying to think of lamps that wouldn’t need extra electronics. Not sure about the size, but a scoop lamp might look neat, though not exactly subtle. Here’s one option:
Another idea is an HPL lamp, but managing heat could be a challenge.
These mini lamps are used a lot in theater and pack quite a punch for their size:
@Haru
This is super helpful, thanks!
I can definitely build a heat sink if needed. Finding a bright enough bulb with a small filament is the real challenge here.
Hard to say, but I wonder what this would do:
@Davi
It would give about the same brightness I have now, but with a softer focus.
The goal is to create a small, super-bright point source (like a filament or arc) for the shadows to work correctly. I’m using a 100-watt G9 at the moment, but I need something more powerful.
@Val
I get it, but finding something commercial that does all that is tough. Price, heat, and lumens/watt are big factors. It’s a great project… maybe just slightly ahead of what’s out there right now.
@Val
Maybe reach out to the Lighting Research Center at RPI. They might have some ideas:
lrc@rpi.edu