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My first lighting kit is shipping to me… tips?
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One quick point: Cost.
The latest Panasonic monitor costs $5,000.
How much does a video village cost?
Light meter…$200.Bang for your buck, a light meter is a great tool. Especially for people who have recently purchased their first light kit.
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Just a personal observation about how I typically work…
Light meters were of course a necessity when shooting film, and back when we were cranking out countless feet of 35mm every week I was never without a light meter.
We primarily shoot HD now, and our film cameras rarely see much use anymore.
However, I still never ever travel without two light meters. I’ll also add that I never ever even take them out of their cases. I literally can’t even remember the last time I used one of them, just don’t seem to need them… but I’m still glad to have them around (force of habit, I guess).
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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You guys should petition to have Creativecow shut down this forum. Your attitude about not being able to learn anything from an internet forum unless you pay a stranger $500 doesn’t really seem to suit this place. Why post here if your craft is so exclusive and the possibilities of shared information on Creativecow is so futile?
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That’s a good point, Sam.
But in defense of the point, which I only partly agree with, is working with lights that have lots of electricity running through them is not the same as working with, say, an After Effects plug in. There are legitimate safety issues. Just recently, for example, I had a photo flood bulb explode. Thankfully no one was hurt because it was a bare bulb, and it was before any actors were on set, but had it been in a china lantern or someone standing near it…whoa. (Note: I also had $1,000,000 insurance liability policy.)
When it exploded, there was literally a 6″ white hot flame shooting down, which lasted easily 5 seconds. The pieces of the bulb were burned into the carpet and scattered in literally in infinite directions. I was hit by a small shard that burned my arm.
What caused this? I think it was a dirty bulb and the finger prints and dust on it heated it up and it exploded.
Having said that I too am a annoyed with the “hire a local gaffer if you want to learn” approach to lighting. However it was their tip, an answer to your question, and it’s essential nature is about safety.
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I ain’t so bad at judging EI with my eyes. Actually, I use my hand. I can tell ’round about the EI based on what my hand looks like. I got good at this trick shooting film stills, with that little button on the side where you can preview.
The light meter is for “measuring” light, especially when designing contrast ratios in a scene/frame.
For example, the past weekend I installed baseboards. Yeah, I can eyeball it to about three feet, but I need a tape measure to get 36-1/8″, or even better, I need the board itself and a pencil to tick it off. And then what happens? I cut it long, walk to the saw, shave a bit and test till the board fits.
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Sam, the people on this forum generously give their time to questions posted here. You seem to expect each of us to hold your hand tightly through thick and thin without lifting any of your own fingers to help your self. Everyone here has learned his or her craft and art through a combination of doing and mentorship. You seem unwilling to do that. You have been given tons of great advice. Don’t want to accept it? Fine. Stop whining. Go out and do your job. Learn by trial and error. It’s a great teacher, at every level. Otherwise, find a good film school, and take some beginning classes. This forum cannot be a complete school. But it is a place of learning, for those who are willing to hear even what they don’t want to hear.
Rick Wise
director of photography
and custom lighting design
Oakland, CA
https://www.RickWiseDP.com
https://www.recessionvideo.net
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwise
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Wow… I was holding my own tongue waiting to hear what others’ reaction was to that, as I was too dumbfounded to type.
Well said, Rick, very very well said.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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Yeah, I have to second what Terry says. Very tactfully put. The skill to that and not get ruffled makes for a great DP or LD.
JS
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I wanted to address this but haven’t found the time this week. NAB I glad Rick did
Very well put. -
[john sharaf] “The skill to that and not get ruffled makes for a great DP or LD. “
right on. The hotter the lights the cooler the DP/LD.
(metaphorically speaking, in the LED age)
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