Sound & Motion class 7
Contents
LIGHTING
Lighting is creating shadows that define form
Safety first –
Protect yourself – wear heavy, non-flammable gloves when touching the lights
Watch out for shock hazard
Check out the circuits – try to put one light on each, so as not to blow a fuse/break a circuit
W=V*A
250W (what one of the small lights is rated at)=110*?
Or another way of thinking about it:
110v*15A (typical household circuit)=1650 or you could plug 3 500W lights in (if nothing else is on that circuit)
Be kind to the lights:
-Like any instrument, if it doesn’t do what you want right away, DON’T FORCE IT, figure it out
-Make sure you have an extra bulb before leaving checkout
- if you have to replace a bulb, look at the directions
-don’t handle the bulb with your bare skin (body oils can shorten the life of a bulb or even cause it to explode)
- when putting up the instrument supports, make sure all the controls are finger-tight, don’t over or under tighten
- put the light on the pole, and before taking your hand away completely, make sure the pole doesn’t collapse. That would probably shatter the bulb.
- if there is extra cable, coil it at the base of the light stand.
- don’t ever run cables so that they hang in mid air – someone will come along and trip, taking the light down with them.
- if you have sand bags, use them to weight down the base of the stand, especially if you have to put the light up over 5' in height.
- don’t move the light while it’s hot. This can cause the bulb to explode or burn out. Wait until it cools down before touching or moving it.
Practical things:
- Turn the lights off when not shooting
- -Have someone sit in for the initial placement (not the talent/subject)
- do a test recording and play it back to see how it looks in the viewfinder/monitor
- use barn doors to control spill
- white balance especially if there is a mix of lights
- use practicals if not harsh or ugly
- don’t shoot against a very bright BG like a window or white wall.
Key to fill ratio:
Dynamic range of the system Video: 2:1, 3:1 (limited dynamic range) Measured with a light meter
Contrast Ratio [[1]]
Eyes 1000:1
Film 500:1
Video 30:1
Computer/monitor
Positioning Lights
Key, Fill, Back Sometimes Background
Key: Hard, specular, main defining light
Fill: soft, diffuse, fills in shadows created by key
Back: separates subject from BG, positioned 180 degrees from the key
Height of lights
Above the eye level of the subject – 45 degrees
Light seems more natural if coming from above
Keeps it out of peoples’ eyes
TELL PEOPLE TO LOOK AWAY WHEN TURNING A LIGHT ON
examples
Sin City - high key lighting [[2]]
German Expressionist Film [[3]]
low key lighting [[4]]
lighting in hollywood film [[5]]
high key lighting [[6]]