[Allen White]

Thanks for the suggestions, Dennis. I have a lot to think about now as I look to purchase lights. I hadn’t thought about scoops, but I’m checking them out now, as well as softboxes. I think I’m going to get a mixture of lights, which I will need anyway, and try out a few things. I’m trying to put together a good, versatile basic kit, and think that after long and careful consideration, I should be able to do what I need with what I’m going to buy.

[Allen White]

Indeed, Dennis, I now realize that these sets actually have dozens of lights. As I said, my eye is untrained! So I really appreciate your insider perspective and knowledge. But as my lights will be much closer, I was hoping to get away with fewer. ^_^ So any advice on faking it helps.

Thanks!

[Allen White]

Thanks much for the suggestions, Mark.

What wattage and kind of lights do you suggest for the key and fill? Since you say “alternately” flos, I assume your first idea was to use tungsten, yes?

This lighting is exactly what I’m talking about:

https://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2009/05/Picture_13.png

Looks to me like maybe I could get such an effect like you say, with a soft key on the right, and a soft diffused or dimmed fill on the left (flos or softboxed tungsten), and a hair light.

It probably helps you to know that my studio is a 9×17 room, that the lights will be relatively close to the subject (+/- 8 ft.), and my shot will be framed like the Olbermann pic (slightly wider), with the camera about 10 feet back. Can I get away with lower wattage being so close?

Thanks again!

[Allen White]

Solved the problem by exporting from AE as ProRes, then putting on FCP timeline.

This might be an example of this bug (here affecting the Apple XDCAM codec) in action:

https://forums.adobe.com/message/3020754#3020754

[Allen White]

My version of AE is 10.0.0.458

[Allen White]

Using FCP 6.0.1.

Comp settings:

Preset: HDV
Size: 1440×1080
Frame rate 29.97
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HDV 1080
Resolution: Full

Exporting as HDV 1080i60 (which is the native format), Custom: Best Settings, Quicktime. I have also exported versions at 1920×1080. They look exactly the same in the FCP timeline.