Sun "Screen"

[Guest]

I'm going to be shooting a short in a high-glare sun situation soon, and I've been told that a large screen can be used to cut the sun directly on the actors, while leaving the appearance of being in the direct sunlight, and the background will still appear bright and hot (which is what I want).

What is this tool called? And where can i get one?

[filmmaker58]

There are a number of tools for this. *The pro's use big frames (up to 20'x20') with a silk (a 12'x12' is more common...also called a butterfly) over the actors, and then they are lit with HMI's or reflectors. *They also make single, and double net, grid cloth, light grid, & grifflons (big refflective cloths) for these frames. *For closeups on one or two people, I often use a 4x or 6x frame with opal diffusion, or light grid cloth on it. *All of these require some expensive professional gear like high roller stands or combo stands with lollypops, to hold up the frames. *I'm not sure if there are any low budget solutions for this besides shooting in the shade of a tree or something. *You could get solar screen material, which is probably a little stronger than a double net, but you still need a frame to hold it, and a stand to mount it overhead. *I like the opal diffusion, or light grid, because a silk cuts out too much light and blows out the background, and a net doesnt soften the light much.

[Barry_Green]

Yeah, there's not a whole lot of no-budget ways to do this. You could get a PhotoFlex 5-in-1 reflector disc and use the translucent portion of it, and bring along an assistant to hold it, but that's about it...

If you face your subject the right way (i.e., sun at their back, or 3/4) and then use a bounce card to bounce sunlight onto them, it could give you some of the look you're looking for.

[Terry_Lasater]

Of course if you live in Oklahoma (where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain) or anywhwere wind is a constant... your overheads and butterflies will turn into sails. :'(

[J.R. Hudson]

I have had some interesting results with a super cheap 'Painters Plastic'. It was by accident that I dsicovered the DIFFUSION effect it causes in DIRECT sunlight.

Although I would go with the above comments (butterfly, china silks)

[Terry_Lasater]

John,

Are you talking about clear visqueen? If so, I'll bet wind noise would wreak havoc with that setup.

Sorry to be hung up on wind and sound issues but its a challenge I face everyday.

TL

[J.R. Hudson]

Oh I agree and that is a well thought point to bring up! I am more or less talking about visqueen and similar products. I was 'shooting around' during some work we were doing at my house for my wifes company and stumbled across the SUN shooting through the 'painters plastic' and was actually pleased with the results; I even bounced some light into the area (my nephew is the scapegoat on this one) and it worked.

Total guerilla obviously. But other apps could include screening the windows as the natural hard sunlight comes through, over a cars windows while shooting a C.U. Interior or even outside with major consideration to the wind/lack of wind.

I am so bound by budgets at times I am constantly looking at alternatives! :P

But, yes... NOISE IS A HUGE CONCERN!

[bcheong]

You can also build your own frames out of conduit piping (my favourite stuff!). Pipe comes in 10 foot lengths and they make 90 degree joiners so you can make a large variety of sized frames. Use some maffer clamps and rig up just about anywhere. The only issue I can see is the weight. Using PVC might be another idea.

[DVX100Shooter]

Just so I understand this "Butterfly" sun screen is held above the actors out of the shot of course? I know I have seen some network News crews use them on a light stand to cut down the brightness of the sun.

[Barry_Green]

It's basically a giant "softbox" for the sun. A big sheet of white translucent material (depending on budget it could be an actual silk or it could be a bedsheet). Stretch it out and put it between the sun and your actors, so that the sun strikes the butterfly (or bedsheet) and glows through it. The result is turning the sun into a great big soft source.