Dennis Size
Forum Replies Created
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MATTHEW: Perhaps you should purchase this BASIC book on lighting for video. It will help guide you through what to do with 3 lights.
It’s not exactly the “best” book on lighting for television, and it’s certainly not an “up-to-the-minute” text, but at your level you’ll find it simplifies the process and it’s easy to understand.
EnjoyBasics of Video Lighting, Second Edition
2 ed.
By Des Lyver and GRAHAM SWAINSONISBN: 9780240515595
Publication Date: June 15, 1999
Price: $35.95Format: Book – Paperback
Pages: 149Buy BookAmazon.com BN.com Borders.com Elsevier
Description
Now fully updated by Des Lyver to reflect the latest advances, the second edition of Basics of Video Lighting is a primer for anyone wishing to learn about lighting a video production. It describes the principles and processes involved in obtaining professional results in educational, training and corporate environments.Assuming little prior knowledge, this book covers everything from the different types of lights and their control, to basic studio and location settings. It features:
� the latest technology, including the use of location and grip gear and changes in lamp and reflector technology
� coverage of studio and location work
� descriptions of the role of each crew member
� full explanations of technical terms
� health and safety precautions
� practical advice on the equipment available and how to use it -
Yep…. you probably missed earlier posts when I’ve noted that I actually use 26 degree Source 4 lekos (full sized) as “eyelights”! You can’t get better control.
As a sidenote …I also was the lighting designer for the WORLD NEWS TONIGHT studio you were at.
DS
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MARK….. It’s way toooooo easy.
I will not take the bait! I just hope Ross has sent you a leather LOWEL jacket (or several great swag gifts) for your fine publicity work.MELISSA ….. Mark has presented you with a very viable way to light your project.
Another way — easier and requiring less skill and experience — would be to ring the front of your area with four or five 4′-0″ x 4 lamp Kino Flo fluorescent fixtures on heavy duty 12′-0″ stands.
The hardest thing you’ll have to deal with are the sandbags.DS
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What Bill is saying Melissa, is that your “kit” will consist of SEVERAL dozen lighting fixtures — of a variety of sizes shapes and purposes — that will require several EXPERIENCED people to hang/cable/focus and program each and every time you make a change.
The type of “kit” you’re referring to doesn’t exist, and would need to be designed specifically for your all-purpose requirements. The package would also require a large truck to store/transport.DS
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DAVID…..That was a great post …very informative, and easy to understand. I also am very impressed you studied with Millerson, a favorite L.D. of mine, who wrote the “bible” for television lighting — albeit from a very British sensibility (that is sometimes confusing for many American technicians).
Regarding your explanation of templates, or patterns, (more words describing “gobos”) I would tend to agree with John and Todd however.
I find that semantics often becomes counterproductive, and useless, if the gaffers/grips hanging my shows don’t understand what I’m asking for. I work all over the world and everyone has a different way of asking for their carmel colored soda water (usually Coke). Normally, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, I try to find out what a particular studio’s crew calls the tools they work with and that’s the terminoloigy I’ll adapt myself to using.
As for the LTM Pepper with the ellipsoidal lens attachment, it’s output is often not enough intensity (especially compared to a Source 4.) IF the Source 4 is too big, but you still need more intensity, go with the Dedo light and it’s lens accessory. It’s got more “bang” for it’s expensive buck.By the way, I shall be anxious to hear your impressions about the lighting for GOOD MORNING AMERICA. My company designed that two-floored studio facility in Times square, and I designed the show’s lighting (several times).
Dennis
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Hang 3 or 4 scoops (or 2kw zip softlights) with Rosco 105 diffusion at 8′-0″ (or mount them on stands) in an arch in front of your talent as a soft wash.
Put a 650w fresnel with Lee 188 diffusion 20″ or so above your camera as a key light.
Hang a 150w or 300w fresnel (or cheap PAR) or two as shoulder lights perhaps with Rosco #02 color …..point camera, shoot (hopefully after you’ve balanced your camera).DS
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“I remember years ago on a location shoot scrambling to an AutoZone store to grab a couple of those silver pop-up windshield sunscreens to use as reflectors in an pinch. People looked at me like I was nuts, but they worked like a charm.”
BINGO TERRY. It’s important to recognize what’s needed to solve a problem and then create the solution based on what’s available. Even when working for major companies it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll give you what is really needed.
A few years ago I was hired by one of the “BIG 5” Networks to light their anchor booth skyboxes for the Democratic and Republican Conventions. I’ve been doing Presidential Conventions for 30 years. Back “in the day”, money didn’t seem to be an object — currently it’s the driving force. At Mile High Stadium in Denver we had no budget allocated, no manpower, and no time. The skyboxes had minimal power and we weren’t able to do the major rigging that used to be done. These skyboxes, incidentally, have 6′-6″ ceilings. Since the booth was going to be active 15 hours a day, with several anchors coming and going, I needed to also make sure the heat issues were considered. Ultimately I ended up sticking aluminum foil to the half the ceiling and walls of the booth and putting several inexpensive Kino Flos on stands behind the 3 cameras at various angles to bounce the light around them from above and the the sides onto the talent. It actually created quite a lovely soft wash of light on the anchors. When you looked up to the booth from the convention floor and podium it was the oddest looking thing and people keep asking me what was going on. I just winked and said we were dealing with an RF interference problem!
DS
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Although it may appear like the lighting is relatively simple our company designed both of those studios for CNN and MSNBC — and the shows within them. There are no fluorescent fixtures used and there are far more lights (many hard sources such as lekos and fresnels) than you would guess. Cooper’s show is lit with about 75 instruments!
For what you’re doing however, as a parody, you should study the approach taken by shows such as “Saturday Night Live” … who have mastered the art of stripping the look of other shows down to the bare essentials when they create their skits.DS
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…..or just say the “hell with the turkey”, and spend the whole Thanksgiving day off cutting gobos out of all the broiler tins! 🙂
It’s no fun if you can’t ‘bastardize’ the fixtures.
The head of the lighting division of ARRI once asked me “Can’t you ever just use a light the way we made it?” 🙂 😉DS
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Good for you Steve! Congratulations.
The adapter you’ve purchased is also called a TVMP adapter.DS