Pitch black, but can still see a catch light

Gohanto

Gohanto

Veteran
Any guess how to create the effect of an actor almost completely in the darkness, but having the catch lights in their eyes still visible?

I noticed it in Titanic with Rose when she's looking for a key to the handcuffs and the lights start shorting out.
 
Not familiar with that part of Titanic, but how about no light, except an on-camera light. That is what will give them the light in their eyes.

Once you shoot that, you can darken the footage in post to your likings.
 
I really love black rap on a light. For something like what you are doing.. I would take a 150 or 300 watt fresnel.. spot it and then black wrap a nice snoot around it and you'd have a really nice narrow beam.. From there you can scrim the light and add some diffusion or such if you need too... Works great
 
To get a catch light in the eye is easy... just think of the eyes as a mirror from whatever angle your cam is in relation to whatever you want to be the catch light.

If you have a white source of light... even if it's a piece of white paper that's being lit by an off-cam source... then it will provide a catchlight if you're at the right angle.

You don't have to illuminate the actor at all to insert a catchlight... but you also don't necessarily want the catchlight to be the same light that's providing whatever fill you desire. Seperating your light sources and what each of 'em are doing is the first step in getting control over your shots.
 
One quick and dirty way to add a catchlight to an actor's eyes is to have a low wattage light bulb (like 25 watts) on a light stand located somewhere near where it will reflect off their eyes at the angle you want. An inexpensive lamp dimmer ($10 USD) will help you adjust the intensity.

The light bulb does not have to be located anywhere near the actor, as a matter of fact, distance may be an advantage.

One place to find an inexpensive light socket + bullet reflector in the US is Home Depot, Lowes or most any hardware store. Then if you want to limit the light beam use black wrap as needed.

Experiment, test and learn.

Terry Thomas
Atlanta
 
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