$300 lighting kit - is this good value? Needed for interviews

Well, since no one seemed to mention it...

You can get away with doing this on the cheap if you have to. Buy one DECENT light and a stand. Get a couple used C-Stands, and a couple of aluminum work lights. Buy some foamcore, and a couple clamps. Clamp the foamcore to the c-stand. That's your fill. Clamp the work light to the arm of a c-stand behind the talent. That's your hair light. Stick a CFL in there and it'll stay cool and you can gel it if you want. Then use your 1 decent light as your key.

I had to work like this for a while until I get some decent lights. You make do. BUT, you won't find any "kit" lights that allow you to be creative. You have to learn about lighting, and what you can get away with. Half of my lightinng kit comes from the local crafts store. You'd be amazed what you can do with some bleached muslin, some sheer fabric and some time on your hands. I made my own silks and butterflys. Large reflectors, etc. Not that hard to do, and can give a great look.

Bouncing a Lowel Tota off a piece of foamcore gives just as nice a light as a Mole 1k through a piece of tuff spun. Slightly different look, but nice nonetheless.

The OP should be able to pick ip a Lowel Omni and a Lowed DP or Tota in his price range and then get creative with the light modifiers.
 
Well.. I can move them further away from the subject then I suppose! As for the backlight - I can use another one of these, right? I already have a lightstand so can use that to save on costs and get this one - http://www.coollights.biz/clsft1-softbox-5600k-stand-p-105.html

So that is basically my entire kit for around $500! That would be a good, 3 point lighting system?

Thank you so much for your patience answering my questions on this subject
 
Softlight don't make very good backlight.

And Perrone is absolutely spot on. You can do amazing things with cheap equipments if you're creative. I was on set of the Stricken feature shoot and Matt Sconce and company were lighting entirely with homemade Kinos, work lights and handheld LEDs. Their entire setup couldn't have cost more than $200-300 but the result looks like they were working with pro lights.
 
No tungsten fixture is daylight balanced so you're either looking at a HMI fresnel (expensive) or a tungsten fixtured that's gelled with CTB.
 
I have the non-dimming version of that light and it's great. I highly recommended those softlights although dimming vs. non-dimming is not a big deal, I've never wish I've got the dimming version. The portable vs. the studio version is a big difference in term of weight though. Definitely get the portable if you're planning to move around alot.
 
Dude, get a decent light...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lowel-Tota-ligh...66:2|39:1|72:1234|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

You can't break a Tota with a hammer. Simple and cheap. Bounce it off a foam core and you've got a hell of a fill. As you move up, use it for flood fill, or to raise base level in the room. Use some black wrap and make a snoot. It's cheap and works great.

Add one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/lowel-omni-prof...66:2|39:1|72:1234|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

Get a couple stands and a piece of foamcore for fill, and you're golden.

I also think that the idea of 3-point is grossly overrated. I've done some very clean one light interviews and some 2-light interviews. Put a soft source at 5 o 'clock and a harder source at 10 o'clock and shoot.
 
Thank you PerroneFord! The biggest problem I have been having is finding the exact lights people are talking about as there are so many options - so thank you for linking to them!
 
You should also check out one of the DVXUSER sponsors.
Cool Lights. coollights.biz
Good lights, good value, wide selection and the option to expand your kit if you are into a bit of DIY.
 
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