interview infront of a window

[Dennis Size]

What floor is your window on …. of how tall a building?

[Morten Raarup]

I just did a shot like that whit a Dedolight 575 W HMI as keylight, a Kinoflo barfly 400 as fill and Barfly 200 as backlight. I was shooting whit a sonny see as background. The windows was a toned down a bit ( as many office buildings) and it balanced out just fine. Is was a very bright sonny day. But it is important to get the Kinoflos close to subject.

Morten Raarup
On Off Line
Copenhagen, Denmark

PDW-F800, AVID Symphony Nitris, FCP 7

[Fernando Mol]

Shooting the subject a little underexposed and letting the window blow could help to create a nice luma matte.

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[Craig Alan]

You might want to observe how much light is coming through the window at different times of the day and plan your shoot accordingly. Which direction is the window facing?

You might also show your client the difficulty of shooting into a light source. I’m sure the view they have in mind is the one they see, not the overexposed one that would result in proper exposure of your subject’s face.

Ask them if they are willing to spring for the rental of HMIs. Give them a real quote. You look professional and they understand what is involved in getting the look they want.

You might talk them into getting a shot(s) of the view, maybe even a P.O.V. shot(s) and then using the window light as a key or fill for much of the interview.

If the view is really so important to the message, then the audio of the interview might be used as a V.O. for parts of it. You could start the shot with the client silhouetted against a nicely exposed view out the window and then track the camera around to face the client so the window light acts as a fill or key.

I remember another thread here in which after posting jpegs of a room and windows, the pros here gave more specific advice.

My guess is the folks in charge of the building don’t want any damage to the wall or window. But gel won’t leave any. Particularly if you clean it up afterwards with some cleaner and a soft rag.

OSX 10.5.7; MAC Book PRO (EARLY 2008); Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30, Sony vx2000/PD170, Canon xl2; Pana, Sony, and Canon consumer cams; FCP certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.