Lighting a Red Carpet

M

mikemiho

New member
Has anyone ever lit a red carpet media wall (sometimes called a "step and repeat")? We're holding a red carpet-esque event this weekend and I need to light it for press.

Has anyone done this before?
What types of lights do people usually use?
Any tips that would be helpful are greatly appreciated.

I'm not too concerned with managing power just yet, I just am hunting for the right lights.

Thanks so much in advance.
 
Most of the stuff I see (if I'm thinking of the correct shot) is pretty flatly blasted out as you would expect from press/news style camerawork. Lots of big key sources on either side of the camera would probably work. Hard sources maybe for backlights, but I would keep the keys fairly soft, maybe a bank of Image80s or a bucket of Chimeras, depending on how wide the shot is. I guess one way of looking at it would be to light it as if it were a greenscreen. Keep it all even, a nice 1:1 ratio.

To mimic press cameras flashing, just grab a strobe light on a DMX controller, or get actual camera flashers, depending on the budget of course.
 
Sean,
Thanks for the reply. I'm actually lighting a REAL red-carpet... haha. Sounded like you had tips as if I was shooting it for a film, which oddly I would feel more comfortable. But alas, being the filmmaker, I get asked to do everything that involves a camera, lights, or microphones. That being said, i just want to light this so that it looks like like all the others. We have E! coming and TV GUIDE blah blah blah so I need it to look good on their sdx/beta/whatever they use. I figured I'd go pretty flat and soft. Maybe even a hair-light... who knows.

If anyone else has any ideas, I'm all ears.
Thanks again.
 
sorry I should have read your post more thoroughly.

The flood everything with light idea still stands. Chimeras lining each side of the carpet or lining up against a wall if you're doing those on-the-side interview type deals would work. Also, a few totas or omni could do the trick, but you might be stuck with multiple shadows if you use point sources like that.

Lighting it for film and video are roughly equivalent. The real thing just needs to be a bit more dynamic, so have everything on lightweight stands, etc.

As I've already revealed, I'm a much more film oriented person, but I would think the real deal just means having more lights in more locations covering more areas. I'm sure news cameramen cruise this site and they could give more details, but I don't think it would be too terribly different.

Just tuck your cables up niceley and keep the fixtures out of reach of small children and dumb adults.
 
You didn't mention if this was daytime or nighttime and if it's interior or exterior. These are you're main considerations.

I do this frequently, and depending on the event, may actually see you there since I shoot for both of those broadcasters.

Typically it's all arri 650's or 1k's. Fresnels and barn doors only, no chimeras. You have to think about fall off here. You want your lamps to throw light as far and broad as possible.

You don't typically have back lights as you don't want to flare everyone's lenses but the backgrounds are usually white which helps with the fill ratio.

I'd estimate one lamp every 8 to 10 feet, 8 to 10 feet high and about 7 feet from the carpet.
 
Bill,
Thank you so much! That is EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. I will be exterior at night. I spent the better part of this evening driving around Westwood and Hollywood looking for any type of promotional party / premiere that I could peak at. While everyone else was looking at the celebrities, I was looking for wattage and adding amps in my head, haha!
Thanks again!
 
I have covered quite a few red carpets and movie premiers. Lots of HMIs and or lots of Kinos, see both on a regular basis. Bright and flat is what you are going for. That's what the news guys will expect.

Dan
 
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