My best work! Awesome lighting!

Hey Lucky,

Great stuff. Looks like you did a whole lot with very little. The only one I really dont like is #3 - hot face on guy on the left and it looks like birthday party camcord footage. Other than that, I really like it. The darker stuff is very nice - I like the contrast and the mood created by the lighting.

I really like #2, though. That is some brilliant use of avaialable light. Close your character in on at least two sides forcing the resulting ambient to become a directional key. You have that great key coming from above and slightly right of camera, but then combined with the shadows created by using the trash bin camera left to block light and then thebright sun above/behind the actor creating the great rim/kicker.

Good job. I wish more people had the ability to see great available light as opposed to just blasting a couple work lights at the scene.

I cant wait to see more.

As for the self praise... easy, buddy. I can tell you're excited, and you do have reason to be, it's just others cant always see past that and at the good work.


-GageFX


Oh, one other thing. I'd like to see your CC/WB a little more consistant. I see three different "stories" (only looking at stills so I dont know what's in the vid). #1 Moody knife guy, #2 Fighting house couple, and #3 Stoner boy. I dont know where the bottle fits in or if moody knife guy is still moody knife guy when the chick is there. Anyway, when stoner boy gets his headache, I'd like to see the WB match his toking. Unless that's an obviously different time of day story-wise - toking at noon, headache at sunset. As I mentioned, I dont like #3, needs work, but then #7, if that is in the same sequence as the rest of moddy nife guy, the CC doesnt match. Just a few things I noticed and I'd like your opinion on them. I might just be missing something. Again, good work.

-GFX
 
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LighthouseMedia said:
geez...
So at least we know what you think of your own work. How about letting someone else comment on your work rather than posting and telling us how awesome you are. Personally not impressed...
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well said...
 
LuckyProducer said:
Hey guys. I directed and shot a music video to the song "Meant to Live" by Switchfoot. I didn't film the band, it's sort of a message video for the song. This is by far my best work, my best directing, my best lighting/cinematography. Here are some grabs. I still need to make some final touches on the video itself. We planned this out in like two hours and casted in about 5 minutes. We shot everything in one day. I edited it in about 2 days. I have some great behind the scenes footage as well showing step by step of every scene. Let me know what you guys think.


1. This is one of my favorites. That's me by the way.
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2. Smoking paper is NOT fun.
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3. Great scene!
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4. Hey look, it's me in my bathroom. Love this lighting.
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5. One of my most favorite shots.
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6. Sweet!
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7. This shot looks very filmic as well. Especially in moving picture.
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8. Some DOF.
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9. Sunny days can give you headaches...nice DOF.
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Hey,

I really like the imagery and the girl in the who screen grab looks good. What type of project is this?

Chris
 
Alright, here’s my critique:

1 – nice shadow of the guy. I think a harder key light could have made it more defined and given it some more contrast which I feel could have complimented the dark tone (I think) you were going for.

2 – I have trouble looking at this grab without laughing because of the content…in particular, the thing he is smoking. I like the colors and the cold blue/white theme you have.

3 – Ok, this one is pretty bad. It just screams “amateur” because of lack of lighting (if any) that you used; a consequence of using ambient light. All fill and no key light makes a flat and uninteresting image. An edge/kicker definitely would have helped a lot too. Also, I feel the brightness of the refrigerator undermines the visual importance of the girl; traditionally the important characters in a scene need to be separated from the background.

4 – Lighting in this is alright. The golden light is a nice touch and helps separate you from the background. However, the background could be a little darker to make the scene more moody. I like the composition too. If you can’t dutch it…**** it.

5 – This shot is too dark for my taste. Very muddy, probably because you relied on too much ambient light. An edge light, or even a hard key could have given the knife more definition.

6 – This shot is better, nice focusing on such shallow DOF.

7 – Nice lighting in this one, but the composition is too imbalanced, a lot of dead space on the right side of frame.

8 – I like the DOF on this. The cool colors give it a nice look.

9 – Good DOF, but a pretty uninteresting grab. I haven’t seen the video you put together so I can’t fairly judge this one as boring.

Overall you still have a lot to learn about lighting, but you’re on the right track. Don’t let the ambient light control you, you must control it if you want interesting and professional looking images. Good luck!
 
Ok, well, let me start off with this.

I figured many of the people that would respond would be people that have seen my other work. This is actually my first work with lighting with the DVX. I am not a cinematographer or a DP. I don't know anything about lighting and I don't have the money to buy lights. All the outside shots I just used the natural sunlight. The inside lights, I just used one worklight. From what I've done before, this is why I got so excited. To see that I did a decent job with one worklight. I had a lot of fun filming this and directing it.

This is just a project I wanted to do. The song has a good message and I wanted to show this message to everyone watching it.

Many of these shots were moving shots, so the composition may not be as appealing. It is better on video. Like on #7, yeh I know, a bit off...well I wasn't filming...my second camera man was filming cause I was acting at the time...but in the video, it turned out cool...it made it have an unbalanced type feel...it's hard to explain. Well...I still need to make some little changes to the video. I will try to post it ASAP. Maybe tonight even.

Sorry if I made people look down at me for "bragging." I just got so happy and this motivated me to do more videos. I never actually used the DVX for something like this. I only used it for weddings and events. I am actually going to shoot another music video to "Youth of the Nation" by P.O.D. I am gonna do the planning tomorrow and shoot Tuesday.

I will post all of my behind the scenes footage as well so you guys can see all the light set ups and see how simple lighting can go far. That's why I was excited. Then I would appreciate it, if you can help me by giving me tips on how I can light better but with a low budget. I have a work light and a flood light. That's basically all I use...oh yeh and two white poster boards...hehe. Let me know. I will try to edit these stuff ASAP so you guys can check them out ok? Peace!
 
don't look amazing, but keep at it man. Just keeping plugging em out.

Maybe try boosting the contrast on some of those shots. It could give it a more filmic look
 
We planned this out in like two hours and casted in about 5 minutes
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How do you cast something in 5 minutes? Unless you just used some friends that were kicking around.. that isn't really "casting".

the images were.. bleh... a few looked ok, most looked flat and boring.

also.. don't concentrate on making it look "filmic"... concentrate on a story worth telling..
 
#4 is your best.

Compositionally and in terms of lighting. It over exposed in the "right" way. I dont EVER want to hear a person say "i cant afford Lights". These cameras are so sensitive you only need a few hundred watts to get an image. I mean i can make a whole lighting kit with 5 hours and less than 40$, Get 3 light bulb fixtures you know the clip on ones that come with a metal scoop, they are like 4-5$, a length of lighting Wire, a plug and a fixture, and a paper Ball lantern, and GE Reveal bulbs. ( which BTW are damn near 3200K, so you can mix it with Real tungsten ligths with minimal color temprature problems)

Lighting is EASY. It takes a bit of spatial thinkin' but basically it breaks down like this.

(listen up noobs)

Lets say you make One of these, and buy 2 ready made 5$ clip lights. Thats a lighting kit buddy.

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Heres a SIMPLE diagram. THis is the Starting point from here is where the creativity comes in and the image forms.



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This is less than 25$ and if you buy 150Watt or 200 Watt bulbs, or even some 250's, you can easily get 1000 watts out of a set up like this. Jus double up on certian lights. Jack DAniel Stanley and i shot an interview with a set up similar to this. And it looked great. The kit was 200$ or so and it came wit hthree lights, an umbrella reflector, stands and a top light boom. Plus bulbs, and a bag. ITs the basics. But for an amateur filmmker its more than enough.

Also, your back light should be about 1/2-3/4 the power of the key. of if you only have 2 of the same make it twice as far away. if a back light is too strong it can look unnatural. But most importantly PLAY with these suggestions, see what works for you.


But seriously.... Save up for a Real lighting kit. Its what makes the difference.
 
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I think he wasn't bragging, thats actually his best. I mean none of us were born with all "Lucas" skills, i mean he is just learning and i think there's a better way to react than just punching him on the norse with bad remarks. I believe he'll improve and he's actually on the right track.

Just take it or leave it, its HIS BEST, not your best of dvxuser's best. I appreciate TimurCivan, I sure believe he's tought some braging lol how cheap stuff works.
 
SenorStefan said:
I mean none of us were born with all "Lucas" skills, i mean he is just learning and i think there's a better way to react than just punching him on the norse with bad remarks. I believe he'll improve and he's actually on the right track.
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Absolutely.

Timur said:
Also, your back light should be about 1/2-3/4 the power of the key.
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While you can certainly use whatever you want, this isnt the general rule. In general, the starting point in photography is that the rim/kicker/hair light be at least even with the key light, but usually 1x - 1.5x the intensity of the key.

Here is but one quote regarding the intensity. There are more all over - pretty much every lighting instruction out there - but I post this one quote to save myself and readers time. (Certainly investigate for yourself.)

Steve Bedell said:
The intensity of the kicker light is not usually critical. I'd recommend about one stop more than the main, but it depends on the effect you are going for and if you need detail in the area. Even at the same intensity as the main light it will have a dramatic effect since the source is hard and at this angle the reflected light is bouncing directly at the lens.
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But that is just a guideline and of course we are all free to set our lights to our liking.

-GageFX
 
GageFX said:
Absolutely.



While you can certainly use whatever you want, this isnt the general rule. In general, the starting point in photography is that the rim/kicker/hair light be at least even with the key light, but usually 1x - 1.5x the intensity of the key.

Here is but one quote regarding the intensity. There are more all over - pretty much every lighting instruction out there - but I post this one quote to save myself and readers time. (Certainly investigate for yourself.)



But that is just a guideline and of course we are all free to set our lights to our liking.

-GageFX
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That quote is for Photogrpahy, Not Video. Its a whole different appraoch. If the kicker is too strong, it can over expose the edge of the shoulder and hair. This is why i am recoomending a weaker back light.

On film, absolutly, a stronger back light is key, because it can resolve the highlight. But Video cannot.
 
LOL,,,hell even Lucas wasnt born with Lucas skills. He only developed them over time. Dont get put of my friend keep at it. You will get better very soon.
 
The strength of the kicker is about it's effectiveness, not about the medium. Sure if the kicker is too strong it will overexpose. If the KEY, or FILL are too strong they will over expose. Aint no kicker if you cant see it.

Light is light and exposure is exposure. The difference between film and digital is only keeping it in your dynamic range. And "video" is photography, it just moves.

I shoot stills fulltime and I shoot digital and I have to live within my dynamic range. That doesnt mean my lighting ratios change from shooting film, just exposure and intensity.

-GageFX
 
Living within the Dynamic range is exactly what im talkign about. WEre saying the same thing, in different words.

A lighting set upfor a Digital still, or Film shoot Moving or not, may be to much contrast for a low latitude Video camera. What im saying is adjust your lighting accordingly. Youre saying the same thing. We agree.
 
TimurCivan said:
Jack DAniel Stanley and i shot an interview with a set up similar to this. And it looked great. The kit was 200$ or so and it came wit hthree lights, an umbrella reflector, stands and a top light boom. Plus bulbs, and a bag. ITs the basics. But for an amateur filmmker its more than enough.

But seriously.... Save up for a Real lighting kit. Its what makes the difference.
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Suggestions for noobs as to where one might look for this $200 light kit?
Thanks
 
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