Wedding in a cave

J

JRAnderson

Well-known member
So here's the Challenge d'Jour:

I'm filming a wedding in Austin in a few weeks that will be held in a cave. The good news is that it's a touristy-type cave that has poured floors and power outlets. Also, a critical factor, it's not a "living cave" so there's not a lot humidity. On the bad side, the obvious: no light. Well, not exactly, there is a bit but it's very low wattage. Plus there will be several hundred candles.

My thought is to rent a pair of spotlights...one for the bride, the one for the groom. I think I can position them failry close. I'd appreciate any input on what specifically I'd need and/or any other suggestions.

I'm shooting with two DVXs.
 
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Well, the good news is that DVXes are the right camera.
the bummer with spotlights is that they will kill the mood. Completely.

I'd ask the couple if they have objections to chinaballs... you could light the events at the "front" with a six to a dozen or so, and they won't kill the ambience like giant spotlights would. They will be much kinder on the eyes, and more flattering to the subjects as well. If wattage is a problem you can use CFLs, but otherwise I'd use 300w tungsten bulbs.

Also consider having the wedding party carry flashlights!

If you want some allies for the chinaball idea, talk with their photog first. Nobody wants to try to focus in the dark.
 
he he he he, good luck with the sound !!!!

china balls is a brilliant idea at weddings! if I'm unclucky enough to have to do one, I'm gonna give that a try, could easily blend into the decor!

- Derrick
 
China balls is a fantastic idea... unfortunately, I won't be able to hang anything. I can set up some discrete light stands, but no hanging.
 
very cool - sounds like a challenge, but i'm sure you'll pull it off. i'd love to see still or footage of what you end up with.

good luck!
 
Greenscreen. Grab the Bride, Groom, and Minister/Priest/Justice of the Peace and do the whole thing in a studio. Grab a still of the cave and your done...

OK, seriously: Just talk them out of it. Who gets married in a cave anyway? Batman? Miners? Boogens? It's got to be bad luck in some mainstream religion somewhere...

OK, OK, seriously: Take a few long stands and run various shaped chinaballs right up the stands in funky columns. Make sure to top them off with cones so they look like stalagmites. Illuminate it with as many high CRI CFLs as the circuits will hold, cause the light will dissipate quickly.

http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/42w_power_compact_bulb_412_prd1.htm

Bob
 
I understand everything that all the posted have commented, but have often is the Videographer call upon to be the Wedding Planner. Maybe it is my style but I use a DVX-100A with no light at all except ambient. I want to capture the event as it happens, not add my personal touches ( bright spotlights or china balls ). If they seem cool then ask, but otherwise just shoot their wedding as they planned it. If you can get if ahead of time it might help with settings.

I did a Jewish wedding in a Planetarium once that only had 2 purple up lights on the chuppah, oh yeah and stars on the ceiling. The guest were given LED lights to read the program. What was the end result after tweaking the hell out of my scene settings and all other settings. A darkly lit ceremony. A well composed, brilliantly shot, darkly lit wedding. Guess what, the ceremony was planned dark. The up side was the reception was in a giant room with 70ft ceilings and light everywhere, so it was my darkest wedding and brightest reception ever on the same day.

I had no advanced notice to where in the building the ceremony was going to be and I don't think it would have helped. They wanted a planetarium wedding and made it dark. I don't think they would have batted an eye, while saying no, at me asking for chinaballs. Besides everyone knows Chinaballs are way to small you would need at least Germanballs if not American.
 
I'd at least give the clients a warning before shooting a $2000 project in the dark. The bonus is that on this particular project, you can come out looking like the hero to everyone, impressing the audience with beautiful light.

Remember the movie "Big Fish"? Can you use string/wire/net between two or more 10 or 12 ft stands?

big-fish.jpg


Three or four 12-ft stands, some rope/wire, chinaballs, and patience, could make this ceremony beautiful enough for anyone's reel.
 
Thanks guys for the feedback. KgiMedia, generally I agree with you completely: Lights shouldn't typically have any place at a wedding ceremony. But I also don't want it to be a wasted effort for the B&G. If I can suggest something that doesn't detract -- or better yet, adds to -- the mood they are trying to create than all the better. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.
 
I say, front light all the stalagmites and backlight all the stalagtights(sp?)..That's just how I roll.
 
Well if it looks that good, you wouldn't need to bring your own lights! It looks like there's dozens of fixtures in those pics.
 
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