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Need versatile and mobile lighting for interview shots
Hi: I’m pretty new to the lighting world and need some suggestions to purchase my first lighting kit.
I’m doing mainly interviews at this point, although I may need to shoot some small action shots (ie, dancing for a music video). I would also need something that is pretty mobile and easy to set up as it’s pretty well myself doing the shooting. I’m not sure if there’s anything else I need to add….
I’d love to hear some suggestions on reasonably priced lighting kits. thanks so much.
Lillian Fidler
Jillian Productions
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Canada -
9 Replies
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Interview lighting is going to be different from action/dance lighting.
Buy a kit for the action lighting, and then add some soft boxes to one or two of those lights to turn them into “interview” lighting.
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Thanks so much. I know where I can get soft boxes, but do you have any recommendations on where to get the action lighting kit?
Lillian Fidler
Jillian Productions
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Canada -
Try Arri and Lowell on ebay or craigslist. Also search variations on DIY video lighting.
Softboxes without the front diffuser offer lots of (hard) light for larger areas.-> Ralph
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I wonder if you could have a quick look at the links below that I found:
Lillian Fidler
Jillian Productions
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Canada -
The middle one has only 2 lights, so scratch that one. The last one, the D-head kit, is ancient but pretty good, especially with some extra goodies like either a soft box or an umbrella. But those are 1000 watts each, so you run into issues of overloading the circuit. It’s also a very heavy kit (I had one back when the dinosaurs were just going extinct.) And those units are old and student used so likely rather beat up. The Adorama one looks to me to be the most useful. You can buy it directly from Adorama, or through eBay.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
I agree with Rick, but I wish that 3-light kit was 3 Omnis and not just One Omni and two Totas.
The Totas will work okay with an umbrella as a soft light, you might also figure out a speed ring and Chimera to attach it to; the light would be nicer and more controllable. Totas are also good to just bounce off a big white wall or ceiling to raise the general light level up without being direct. But the Omnis are what I use just about every day. Very versatile. Totas will certainly light up a wide area, but they lack a lot of control. Sometimes the key issue is where you *don’t* put any light. The Omnis I feel can do 80-90 percent of what a good Arri Fresnel can do, at a fraction of the weight and cost. Be sure they come with barn doors and a gel frame.
Be sure if you get Totas, to get the protective snap-on screens for them, and a barn-door attachment would be a help. The screens for sure, for safety.
Finally,a 3-light kit is only the beginning of your collection, not the end. Keep shopping for the odd instrument and pieces of grip gear here and there and build up a kit that’s customized for YOUR needs. Me, I might buy the two omni’s for myself, then go looking for a used Lowel Rifa elsewhere. And a Source Four Junior.
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ok, excellent, so much appreciated. I’ll be looking into those extra options as well!
Lillian Fidler
Jillian Productions
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Canada -
I have for years used this set up packed ( tightly ) In a Portercase.
2X Lowel Omni with bardoors & Full scrim
2X Lowel V-Light
1X inky with Barndoors
Cables + extra bulbs and Gaffer’s tape.
I use umbrellas with my V-Lights (One main one fill) or bounce them off walls or foamcore panels or other reflectors
I use the Omnis at a further distance for hairlighting or to blast the background.
I use the inky as a rimlight if my Omnis are otherwise indisposed.Lately, I’ve used a lot of LED’s DIY and flashlights as well my oddballs from other domains ( like adapted bike lights )
I use vintage PIC lightstands or equivilants since they are very compact. for bigger setups… bigger stands.
I’m also having a blast with converted HID handheld lights.
I NEVER pay more than $55 for a used Lowel light and if they come in scorched, I repaint them with BBQ heat resistant paint
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[Mark Suszko] “ot just One Omni and two Totas.”
For traveling light, no pun intended, Totas in Chimeras are very good instruments. And outside the Chimera, as Mark says, they can be useful to light up a broad area. Definitely need the screens, even inside the Chimera.
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