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Arri lighting kit
Hello everyone!
I’m just starting out. My work is about to purchase for me an XL2 and a lighting kit. We shoot a monthly show that airs internally only (via our intranet). The show is about “behind the scenes” in our IT department. We have about 1000 viewers. What lighting kit do you recommend?Here is a sample of the show:
https://www.digitaldotsmedia.com/media/sitbts3.wmvThere is the typical sit down interview stuff, but we also move with the person, so I need to understand what’s the best light kit to purchase to cover all of that. We are limited on budget (like $2500 for lighting).
Any help would be appreciate it.
I would like to stick to their “kits” because they seem to include everything we need and easier to purchase and carry.
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19 Replies
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I’m using an Arri Soft IV kit (a 1k w/soft box, 1-650 fresnel, 1 300 fresnel and a pair of 150 fresnels)…the only thing I’ve added is a Source Four PAR56 with a Chimera box for a second 1k soft or when I need the 1k fresnel for more directional punch.
This kit is used to produce material for the in-room marketing, human resources training and Jumbotron material for a major Las Vegas Strip resort/casino. Occasionally I augment the kit with a few HMI’s when we’re outdoors (rarely) and I do have other lighting control equipment – cutters, flags, silks and the like as part of our production facility.
I found it to be the most bang for the buck kit…other may have different use/needs..but this kit gets me through commercials, food product shots, retail product shots, marketing shoots, high-key training video and the occasional press conferance set up.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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Is this the one you have?
https://www.samys.com/product.php?ItemNo=ARRI571991Thanks for the feedback.
Would this work on the type of video I shot (the link from my previous posting). Also, we plan on shooting customer testimonials in their home, so I want to use it for that as well (usually 2 people interviews).
Cheers!
Marcelo Lewin
marcelo@thedailyfarce.com
https://www.thedailyfarce.com/ -
Camera type makes little if any difference.
Number of viewers makes no difference.Don’t buy a kit!
You need a soft key, either a Kino 4′ x 4 bank or Mole Richardson Biax 8 or equivalent.
If you like a soft kick, get a Kino Flo Diva. If you buy the 400, you can use it as a key in tight places with a bit of diffusion over the doors.
For the background, you can use a small Fresnel or two, such as a Mole Richardson 300w.
Buy a case and call it a “kit.”
Take any money you have left over and hire an experienced Gaffer to show you how to use the gear.
Good shooting!
Leo
Director/Cinematographer
Southeast USA -
Thank you very much for the information. So are there any great light people that wouldn’t mind spending some time in Samy’s in Santa Ana showing me what I should purchase? I’m new to this and I figured a kit is the easiest to go (and my company is paying for it), however, maybe the no-kit is the way to go to save some money and pay someone to teach me how to use it (light the scene and the people).
Any takers? I work in Southern California (O/C).
Cheers!
Marcelo Lewin
marcelo@thedailyfarce.com
https://www.thedailyfarce.com/ -
Marcelo,
If your company is paying, then I’d suggest you hire me (or some other Lighting Director or Gaffer) for a day to accompany you to Samy’s, buy a proper kit for your purposes and have a quick test shoot. This would be money well spent (and saved).
Regards,
JS
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I suppose if you have a few years of experience and have collected a few years worth of equipment that the “no kit” option would be best. And I’d love to have a Diva or two to replace my 1k Chimeras – but I don’t set my budgets.
But let’s talk what’s in a kit…
Stands, scrims, barndoors, lamp packs, etc. And the lamp heads themselves.
What’s a Diva run now? $800 and shipping…plus stand so you’re up to $1K.
Add say, an Arri fresenel. $350 for the 650 plus 70 bucks for the barn doors, another 40 for the scrims…you’re up to 460…not including shipping. And a stand – that’s another $90.00 – so the light, by itself is just shy of 600.00
Now you’ve spent $1600.00 and you’ve got two lights.
Add in the 300w – with everything say another $500.00. That takes the total for three lights, stands, scrims and barn doors to over $2000.00…and yet there’s more – lamps!
For the Kino, that’s two sets – one tungsten and one daylight – 10 lights (two spare) 250.00. The tungsten fresnels figure @22.00 each so with spares you’re near 100.00 more.
Total is aproaching $2400.00 and we still don’t have stingers or a case. Nor have we added in the time and effort to research, purchase, assemble our “cheaper custom kit”. It’s going to run about 3g’s by the time we’re done…did I mention diffusion and C-47’s and….
You’re not saving anything…especially enough to put towards a “pro” gaffer to come in for a day to show you what to do.
Compare that total with the Arri D-4 kit…which includes a 650 with soft box, a 300w plus a pair of additional 150w lights…pre cased and “good to go”, for about $2200.00, minus the agrevation of a neophyte having to shop around. All that’s left is a few stingers…14-2 25′ ac is about 9.00 bucks each so at most say total final price for it all is $ 2270.00, including shipping.
Buy the kit…as you progress you’ll add and subtract as you need. Trust me, in thirty years you’ll end up with a 5ton grip truck’s worth of gear anyway.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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Hi Frank,
I must respectfully disagree.While I’m sure you can do a masterful job with your kit, it has many disadvantages for the use described, especially for a novice. Perhaps your experience and style compensate, but I don’t think it’s as versatile or practical for most.
First, it’s all tungsten; to match for daylight windows or use in shaded exteriors, you’ve got to put enough blue gel on the lamps to reduce the output severely. There’s no way those small fixtures can balance a daylight window in the shot.
As far as the color balance issue, I almost never use tungsten in my Kino Flo fixtures, unless they’re working in the studio, which is all 3200
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[john sharaf] “I’d suggest you hire me (or some other Lighting Director or Gaffer) for a day”
That would be a great idea, Marcelo. I would amend it this way: if your budget is limited, maybe you would want to consult with an LD to give you a shopping list and don’t waste his time in a store. Then, unpack everything, plug it all in and play with it, and make a couple of mistakes. You’ll understand more by doing at this stage than by listening to an expert.
THEN, when you’ve developed a list of questions, and have some basic familiarity, hire John.
I would love to be in your place and hire a great LD — but I doubt I would have been able to absorb the knowledge when I was totally new to it.
You’re already being saved a world of mistakes by posting your query to this list. Although some of the advice is contradictory, it’s all good, and a lot better than you’d get by walking into a store (I guess).
— BC
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My company is limited on budget. How much would you charge for giving me a list of things I should purchase and then maybe spending 4 hours going through the ropes. I know that is not enough time to teach me everything a professional lighting person knows, but maybe enough to get me started?
Cheers!
Marcelo Lewin
marcelo@thedailyfarce.com
https://www.thedailyfarce.com/ -
Yeah. This forum is a lifesaver! Thanks for the great feedback.
Based on the video I posted above, do you think you can come up with a list that would help me in accomplishing this?
Thanks again for your feedback!
Marcelo Lewin
marcelo@thedailyfarce.com
https://www.thedailyfarce.com/
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