15 minute Film School

[vaderdust]

What kind of lights did Robert Rodriguez use for filming "El Mariachi"? I remember him showing the camera what looked like normal Home Depot work lights? Can real independent moviemakers use these? What wattages? I've mainly worked with Super 8mm, but now have a K3 with 1 roll of Plus X and 4 rolls of Ektachrome reversal and want to jump right in and start to use them. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Luis Caffesse]

I think they were simply 150 (or 250) watt photofloods.
He used aluminum reflectors with a ceramic base.

Nothing fancy.

 

[Scott_Spears]

Also, pick up some china lanterns. They're a great, cheap softlight for film and video.

I have a video tutorial on my sight about them.
http://www.scottspears.net/filmmakpg3.html

Scott

 

[Jay Rodriguez]

scott awesome site!

 

[frank]

Yes Scott, Thanks for making those little tutorial movies on Lighting. I enjoyed looking at them.

 

[Shawn Murphy]

yeah, that's a great site! looks like there's new stuff since the last time I was there.

 

[petelms]

Nice stuff, Scott! Yeah! Thanks! :beer:

 

[saturnin]

scotty is da man.. his site is so informative its no funny....good job man!

 

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

hey scott

I didn't know you were on here.

here's a link to my variation on your kit:
http://live-theater.org/slightlypoormanslightkit.htm
(I credit you and link to your article BTW)

click the link in my signature to see what I did with it -- thanks for your article!

 

[oneinfiniteloop]

In a lot of the scenes in El Mariachi, Robert just put the photofloods into the existing outlets available in the room, like the jail scene. Go get his book, Rebel Without a Crew, it documents what he did to make that movie, and you'd be suprised at how he spent his money. I think out of the $7k budget, he spent $6500 on film and processing and the rest on lights and props. Pretty amazing stuff.