Lighting for Live Events reference material

[John Sharaf]

Mike,

When shooting video in a theater, where all the lights are going through dimmers and are often colored with ge4ls in addition, the general practice would be to use the tuingsten preset on the camera. This way the LD’s intentions in creating mood with color are best transferred to the video record.

If however there is multicamera coverage, it is of some concern to “match” the cameras, so that the color effect is similar on all the cameras. In this case, you should consider aiming all the cameras at the same white balance target ( a chip chart is ideal and that which is usually used in an engineering environment) which should be lit by a nominal tungsten unit (that is with no added color gel) and at full line voltage.

JS

[Mike Jeffs]

WE do, do a Multi camera show (usually 6 cameras) so color Matching is what we want. When white balancing would we use the non geld tungsten light even if none of the actual show lights are un-geld

does that make sense.

Mike Jeffs
Video Coordinator
BYU-Idaho

[John Sharaf]

Mike,

Yes, that’s what I’m suggesting. You are essentially setting all the cameras this way to the same “preset” and allowing the color created by dimming and gelling to affect every camera equally. This will assist you in maintaining a consistent look as well as being faithful to what the Lighting Designer intended.

If you were to white balance to a gelled light you would effectively be “removing” the effect of the gel. This is never what you want. In some cases, people white balance to a “warm card” however, which is slightly blue. In this case the white balance will subtract the blue to make white, thus creating a warmer picture, but in the case of a theatrical presentation, the LD has considered all that in his selection of colored gels and amount of dimming, which also contributes to a warming effect.

If you have any doubts about what I’m saying, simply do some tests with a properly adjusted monitor and you’ll “see” the effects I’m talking about. This is often what it takes, rather than being told, it’s best to make these discoveries yourself. This way you’ll become very confident in knowing the effect of the gels and dimming on a properly white balanced or preset setting, and being able to “predict” the result.

JS

[Dennis Size]

Aren’t there any “pricipals” in the event that are being seen on camera close-up?
I’ve never seen an event — live OR televised — in which everyone is in colored light all the time. There always needs to be some “white” light for the lead singer, or the presenter, or guest speaker …. either via a follow spotlight or some conventional lighting fixture (traditionally lekos or PARS).

Once you determine the light source that will be lighting your principals keep it consistent. Conventional instrumentation and follow-spots should be color-balanced (That arc spotlight will kill you, so color correct it to 3,000K, or so).
Put your chip chart on stage lit by your color corrected follow-spots
and balance to that light.
Let the rest of the stage lighting (gelled with the Rosco rainbow) be magical.
DS

[Alan Lloyd]

All top-notch advice.

And when you’re chipping, set the white you’re balancing at 80 IRE, not 100. Don’t want to go up into clipping. 80 is around where the highlights on noses, foreheads, and cheekbones should live on caucasians.

If you can swing it, a quad-split in video control is a fast way to match multiple cameras.

[Mike Jeffs]

Believe it or not we have had a couple of touring dance groups come and preform and no they didn’t use any white light everything was color. Usually though most groups do use some white light.

Mike Jeffs
Video Coordinator
BYU-Idaho

[Dennis Size]

Interesting, and nobody introduces the group or speaks at all?

DS

[Mike Jeffs]

There was a intro before the group but they only used a spotlight. we always have a had a terrible time when we try and white balance to just a spot. After reading these comments I’m guessing,it was as mentioned, and the spots are more in the 5200k range. which now makes sense becasue they always do have a blue cold look.

I will talk to our lighting director about getting some CTO Gels (correct?) to use in the spots when we do video Imag. Also i don’t think that when we white balance to just tunsten lights, any of them are at 100% intensity so we will also give that a try. Our next show is Wednsday and then we have a different show that following saturday. Thanks for all the advise. sometimes when you don’t know where to start all you need is a gentle nudge in the right direction. Thank you ALL for the nudge. 🙂

Mike Jeffs
Video Coordinator
BYU-Idaho