Rick Wise
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COW Coin
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Thanks, John. All excellent points. Another source for well-made Arri knock-offs is Cool Lights. They are roughly twice the price of the Limos, but properly grounded and cabled.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
If the semi-circle is tight enough, Todd’s solution is elegant. If they in a sort of arc, then 3 divas around 45 degrees above horizontal with 1/2 grid cloth on each should give you decently flattering key lights. Add the back lights if you can.
Both of these solutions are easy on the participants’ eyes. Unless one or more are super sensitive to light, they won’t squint or complain.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
I look forward to someone shooting a test that proves me right…..
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
As always, Todd’s advice and observations are terrific! I do have a tiny quibble with one issue: shutter speed. I suspect one does NOT need to increase the shutter speed when shooting at a higher frame rate. When we shoot at, say, 48 fps instead of 24, the amount of time each frame is exposed is 1/2 of the 24-rate. That means the image will be far more crisp. To increase the shutter speed from 48 to 96 again crisps the image even further. But too much crispness can be a problem, creating a staccato effect. While it is possible the filmmaker wants such an effect, for “normal” viewing I suspect 1/96th will be excessive. It also cuts in half the amount of light reaching the film/sensor, which is the equivalent of one f/stop. Since you have already lost one f/stop of effective sensitivity by speeding up the camera from 24 fps to 48 fps, you have by doubling the shutter speed now lost the equivalent of two f/stops of sensitivity. Could be that’s no problem, if there’s plenty of light and your ISO is high enough. Or the two-stop loss could in some situations make the shot impossible.
Here too, tests would be good. I have not tried shooting at 48 fps and a shutter speed of 1/48th and then again at 1/96th. Just operating from logic…. I could be wrong.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Yes it is possible. But then you end up with essentially 3 lights of the same softness and intensity. Is that what you want? Given that this is your first attempt, invest in a bit of adventure! Music videos tend to be lit in a pretty wild way. Playing it soft and safe?
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Do you want a hard key, or a soft one? If a hard key, then my preference would be for a Fresnel light. None seem to be listed, but the Arri M8 comes somewhat close. Consider colored gels as well.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
When you set up your diffusion test, did you set up a target spot at which you can exactly place your meter each time you take a reading? And did you first focus the light in spot mode on that target before putting up the diffusion? (It is impossible to correctly focus a light with diffusion in place.)
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
“For the blacked out windows, do you mean make it look like street lighting coming through?”
Yes. Just a slit. For another light source motivation. But it may not fit your scene. Just one of several ideas.
“I was going to put an up lighting in the alcove on the left behind the sofa to lift that a bit. but could use 2/3 dedos to try and break it up a bit?”
Yes. Having hot spots and darker ones usually makes for a more interesting image. As opposed to something lit evenly.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
I’d begin by asking myself, where do I want it to appear the light is coming from? What motivates it? Are the couch potatoes all looking at some TV? Might there be one or two floor lamps in the wider shot, perhaps at each end of the couch? What about the alcove on the left? Possibly 3 or 4 snooted small units pointed nearly straight down?
If they are watching the TV, don’t we need to see it in some establishing shot? What’s playing on it? Action, a talking head? Each would motivate a different flicker from an off-camera bluish light(s).
The floor lamps can be “wrapped” with another small unit to the side that mimics the quality and color but spreads the light farther than the lamp can.
If the alcove is lit up, it motivates back light of a similar color.
Suppose you black out the curtains screen right just down to a slightly visible hot slit, and then on the outside scrim down the light’s intensity so it remains just below clip? That could motivate yet another lighting approach and bring some snap into the image.
Etc.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
The link to your diffuser doesn’t work.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com