How to fake lightning?

Postmaster

Postmaster

Dark Side of the Camera
For my Time Fest film I need some lightning.
What do you guys use?

A handfull of cheap camera flashes? A strobe light?

Thanx, Frank
 
One method is just using a shutter of some kind in front of an HMI. Just open and close it in time to make it look like the flashing effect you want. Sometimes simple can be the best and you can get the bigger and brighter lightning of course with a higher wattage HMI. I'm sure there will be other suggestions.
 
I just schedule my shoots around rain storms...
Seriously, the shutters are the way to go, and Richard is correct, the larger the light source the better.
As the storm in your story tapers off, move the lights further and further away from windows or start to use scrims, and reduce the frequency of the flashes.
Basically , mimic the real thing.... Camera flashes are too brief, but I have used them effectively, if you time them right. Larger studio type flashes with 600+ watts or professional still camera strobes on full manual may work, depending on the size of the room, number of windows-distance to window, and the number of flashes(quantity) that you have to work with.
The shutters will give the most realistic results, but with anything, practise before rolling, and timing can be very important, especially if you need to tie a lightening strike to dialouge...oooohhhh..scary...
 
HMIs with shutters are the best way.

You can diy some shutters with aluminum vent louvers.

If you go the camera flash route, get as many camera flashes as you can and be sure to set the red eye reduction to "on".
 
j said:
You can diy some shutters with aluminum vent louvers.
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Now that´s a nice idea.

I don´t have a strong enough HMI but I think a 2k Fresnell with blue gel and some louvers will do the trick.

Thanx a bunch guys.

Frank
 
Depending on where you are in Germany, you could rent one of those:
http://www.mbf.de/verkauf.html
Steht unter "Licht"...
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Damn, this looks like an advertising now...
It´s just to show the item I was speaking of, don´t give a f*** about the brand though...
 
The thing about photo strobes is, the smaller units have a very brief strobe duration and may or may not even register on tape.

Use the largest units you can get (4,800 watt/seconds), OR, use large flash bulbs if you can get your hands on any.

.
 
It'd be a good idea to shoot anything with strobe lightening effects at 1/24. That'd make sure to get it in frame.

BTW, don't use strobes if you have a CMOS sensor!
 
Nah, it´s a HVX.

The Flicker generator is pretty tempting. But the price s out of my budget in the moment. Hope I can rent one here or find a electronic wizzard who can build me a black box - should not be too dificult.

Thanks guys.

Frank
 
Hehe, yeah that would do it. One thing to note on electronic solutions like dimmers or flicker boxes, they won't work with HMIs. Only with tungsten units. The issue is that you can only dim an HMI if its ballast is dimmable (just like with fluorescent) and an HMI just can't flick on and off fast enough (with hot restart issues) to make a convincing flash. Thats why if you want to use an HMI, shutters are the only way to go. Otherwise, tungsten, gelled with a dimmer might work too if you can get it to react quick enough to give the look you want.
 
Postmaster said:
Nah, it´s a HVX.

The Flicker generator is pretty tempting. But the price s out of my budget in the moment. Hope I can rent one here or find a electronic wizzard who can build me a black box - should not be too dificult.

Thanks guys.

Frank
Click to expand...

Every bigger rental house in Berlin or Munich should have it, MBF near Frankfurt sell it, so I guess they also have one in the rental department...
Alles Gute!
 
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