Hello all. I just finished writing a script to a short movie I want to make. The 1st couple of scenes involve a man breaking into someones apartment in the night time so obviously the apartment is dark. Any tips or ideas on how I go about lighting these scenes? This will be my 1st (home made) short short movie so Im new to all of this. I have a DVX-100a and will be using regular house lamps with 65watt and 100watt light bulbs. Should I put something in front of the lamps? Should I get light bulbs with lower watts? I know its not going to come out professional but Im trying to do the best I can do with what I have. Any help is greatly appreciated
Light a scene thats suppose to be dark
- Thread starter tq248
- Start date
Joshua Provost
Veteran
You can use some light, even a lot of light perhaps, but it has to be motivated. There has to be a "source" that makes sense, even if you are faking it. So, figure out what might be giving off light in any given scene, and build on that. It's got to look like it's coming from the right direction, have the right hard/soft quality, and the right color temperature.
filmguy123
Veteran
I am also trying to do something very similar, but need some more specific help than the posts here mention. I'm sure the OP would appreciate it as well... for example:
- When using lights, how should I deal with the shadows it casts?
- Can I overlight the scene and then darken in post? I mean, I know I *CAN* but will the scene then just look well-lit and darkened, or is there a specific way to make parts of the background or room darker, a way to light the actors faces, a way to cast shadows, etc. etc.?
- What do you mean by the right hard/soft quality? And color temperature?
- When using lights, how should I deal with the shadows it casts?
- Can I overlight the scene and then darken in post? I mean, I know I *CAN* but will the scene then just look well-lit and darkened, or is there a specific way to make parts of the background or room darker, a way to light the actors faces, a way to cast shadows, etc. etc.?
- What do you mean by the right hard/soft quality? And color temperature?
Joshua Provost
Veteran
filmguy123 said:
Real lights cast real shadows all the time, including the sun. So, shadows are not problems in and of themselves and can be used to good effect.
However, generally you don't want hard shadows in your shot indicating exactly where a light is coming from, that is understandable. The answer to this is that most lights are positioned above the actors somewhat, angled down. Now, if your camera is level with the talent, then the shadows will be lower, not in the frame.
You can overlight the scene to a certain extent, but you don't need to wait until post to darken it. Just close down the iris on the camera until you get the look you like, and that way you can make sure it does look believable.
Yes, generally it's good not to light too much. Start with darkness or with low light and just light what's important. Lights that have barn doors are important for this, to control the light on your talent from "spilling" onto everything else. You don't need barndoors, you can use other things to block light, too. You talent should really jump off the screen this way. Sometimes it's more about turning lights off than turning them on, depending on the genre.
Any search on these subjects will turn up tons of info.
siniarch
Veteran
tq,
did you check out this post yet?
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=94268
Just thought it might help as far as what can be done in post.
did you check out this post yet?
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=94268
Just thought it might help as far as what can be done in post.
Stas_Tagios
Well-known member
There are different approaches to lighting for night, depending on the effect you're going for. Traditional "Hollywood" night often involves bluish moonlight, hard shadows and high contrast, whereas a more realistic look would be like "Panic Room's" soft, underexposed light (for interiors).
To achieve either look, it really helps to have complete control of your light, whether with barndoors, flags, scrims, or black wrap. Unless you're using your house lamps as practicals that are actually on and visible in your shots, it'll be harder (though not impossible) to control where your light falls than it would were you using fresnels with barndoors and a full complement of grip equipment.
Even if you're going for a blue moonlight look, I would recommend not gelling your lights, and creating the blue look in post. Gelling your lights will just minimize their limited output.
For a low-cost soft-light look, pick up some China balls from Ikea or Home Depot. They'll give you a nice, soft, even light that should look good if slightly underexposed or darkened in post. The trick with China balls is keeping the light from falling where you don't want it. To prevent unwanted spill you can black wrap or spray paint half the China ball black.
Here's an old thread with some grabs from a short I'm currently in post on, where we went for a stylized, high-contrast, low-key look:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=2687
Hope this helps.
To achieve either look, it really helps to have complete control of your light, whether with barndoors, flags, scrims, or black wrap. Unless you're using your house lamps as practicals that are actually on and visible in your shots, it'll be harder (though not impossible) to control where your light falls than it would were you using fresnels with barndoors and a full complement of grip equipment.
Even if you're going for a blue moonlight look, I would recommend not gelling your lights, and creating the blue look in post. Gelling your lights will just minimize their limited output.
For a low-cost soft-light look, pick up some China balls from Ikea or Home Depot. They'll give you a nice, soft, even light that should look good if slightly underexposed or darkened in post. The trick with China balls is keeping the light from falling where you don't want it. To prevent unwanted spill you can black wrap or spray paint half the China ball black.
Here's an old thread with some grabs from a short I'm currently in post on, where we went for a stylized, high-contrast, low-key look:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=2687
Hope this helps.
Thanks alot guys. Im going to home depot tomorrow or friday and Ill pick up those china balls and maybe some other lights. What Im going to do is shoot a test shot of how I want the 1st scene of my short script to look. I'll post it and you can tell me whats wrong with it which I assure you, there will be many things wrong. But this should be more helpful. Once again thanks!
Test Clip
Test Clip
Heres the test clip I said I would upload. I only used one lamp. I just wanted to see how it would look. Heres the link:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BQHYUSDW
In the third shot theres seems to be too much light everywhere( the shot where im walking towards and open the drawer ), I guess thats what they call "spilling". Remember Im new to all this even though Ive wanted to do this for a while. And in the last shot ( the close up of the drawer opening ) there seems to be not enough light
Test Clip
Heres the test clip I said I would upload. I only used one lamp. I just wanted to see how it would look. Heres the link:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BQHYUSDW
In the third shot theres seems to be too much light everywhere( the shot where im walking towards and open the drawer ), I guess thats what they call "spilling". Remember Im new to all this even though Ive wanted to do this for a while. And in the last shot ( the close up of the drawer opening ) there seems to be not enough light
Joshua Provost
Veteran
Looks pretty good. The first shot, the window is so gunky, it's catching a lot of light and sort of revealing your light source to literally. If the window was squeaky clean, it would like better.
Overall, looks really good for a literal dark look, without adding a blue filter or anything to simualte moonlight. If the idea is that it is a streetlamp, you might even add a magenta or yellow filter to simulate a crappy streetlamp, if you want to go in that direction.
Interior looks good. Very nice deep shadows. If you wanted more detail, you might add just a little bit of soft light coming from the interiors, to give some fill information. But if you are going for total mystery, just leave it nice and high contrast like it is.
Overall, looks really good for a literal dark look, without adding a blue filter or anything to simualte moonlight. If the idea is that it is a streetlamp, you might even add a magenta or yellow filter to simulate a crappy streetlamp, if you want to go in that direction.
Interior looks good. Very nice deep shadows. If you wanted more detail, you might add just a little bit of soft light coming from the interiors, to give some fill information. But if you are going for total mystery, just leave it nice and high contrast like it is.
siniarch
Veteran
hey tq248,
I'm also very new to this whole thing, but if I can make some suggestions, I'd bring the light outside the window a little higher so its out of the frame, you can see that the source ir right above the maroon curtain. (if you want you can keep it at the same angle by bringing it back and up. but it might be a little less intense because its further away)
I just noticed that you seem to be on a second floor? and that light might actually be a lightpost? is that right. if so, disregard the previous.
I do think you need more soft soft light inside, you can always bring up the contrast in post if you want.
I'd probably turn on the white hanging lights above the counter and dimm the hell out of them, just to give you good motivation and brighten that scene up a little. then when you cut to the knife cu you can shine a light on it (not necessarily that white light. you can use some black aluminum foil and make a cone to really mask the light so it only hits the drawer) so the light reflects on the knife. This way that scene can be a little brighter than what you have it and you can emphasize the knife.
Just my 2 cents
I'm also very new to this whole thing, but if I can make some suggestions, I'd bring the light outside the window a little higher so its out of the frame, you can see that the source ir right above the maroon curtain. (if you want you can keep it at the same angle by bringing it back and up. but it might be a little less intense because its further away)
I just noticed that you seem to be on a second floor? and that light might actually be a lightpost? is that right. if so, disregard the previous.
I do think you need more soft soft light inside, you can always bring up the contrast in post if you want.
I'd probably turn on the white hanging lights above the counter and dimm the hell out of them, just to give you good motivation and brighten that scene up a little. then when you cut to the knife cu you can shine a light on it (not necessarily that white light. you can use some black aluminum foil and make a cone to really mask the light so it only hits the drawer) so the light reflects on the knife. This way that scene can be a little brighter than what you have it and you can emphasize the knife.
Just my 2 cents