500 Watt Lights

WhiteWood

WhiteWood

Carbonite Member
I just bought two 500 Watt Halogen lights from Ace Hardware because a filmmaking site told me to.
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The site told me that they're versitle, they work, they can pull off an A-list film lighting setup with the right utensils and know how.... you know, things I don't have. So um, can anybody link me to a thread or preferably a video tutorial as to how to use these lights? Thanx.
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reminds me of the time I bough a $50 ankle bracelet because a street vendor told me to. He said I could leap buildings while wearing it.
 
I mean, I was trying to be simple about it. I KNOW that 500Watt lights are used in film ALL the time.I've seen it done. Film and photography. I just want to know how to properly use them to get the best out of them is all.
 
500 Watt lights, yes.

However, the worklights aren't the great for film use. They are very bright, very harsh, very hot, and very uncontrollable.

You can't really effectively light a scene with one of those. Do they work - yep. Are they ideal? Not at all.
 
I put some barn doors on mine, added a mount to put them on regular stands and switched out the bulbs for color balanced ones. I don't use them much anymore though,because they get really, really hot compared to my other lgihts. But they are still useful in a pinch.
 
1 - take off that metal grate
2 - buy some scrim sheet(s) or something to diffuse the light
3 - make barn doors - I made mine with black cine foil (bought from bhphotovideo . com)

then the rest is up to your talent and how and where you choose to place the lights.
 
Regardless of whether you use a halogen worklight or an open face tungsten flood light that was supposed to be made for video, the concepts are relatively the same. And its a very deep subject too, far more than we could cover here in one thread. Look for a film and/or video lighting instructional DVD to help you with the concepts. Something like the Elite Video Digital Lighting Magic which is not specifically for narrative film lighting but does cover the use of the open face halogen worklight as an inexpensive video light.

We published a video in my Vlog last year on putting barndoors on a worklight and we also have a free template on the site for cutting out the barndoor template.

http://www.coollights.biz/wordpress/archives/21

If its too much trouble you can also buy the kit with all the parts from us as well.

http://www.coollights.biz/clbd4-halogen-worklight-barndoor-p-36.html

Hope this helps.
 
Jim Brennan said:
I put some barn doors on mine, added a mount to put them on regular stands and switched out the bulbs for color balanced ones. I don't use them much anymore though,because they get really, really hot compared to my other lgihts. But they are still useful in a pinch.
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In wanted the ones with the stands, but they were not only $30 more, but came with two lights on one stand when I instead would need two in diff locations. I'll just sit them on something high or cop the stand elsewhere. And yes, they get hot the INSTANT you cut them on. According to R.Rodriguez, if I get accustomed to spending money, I'll end up broke before I even finish my productions, spoiling myself with things I THINK I need.
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Cool Lights said:
Regardless of whether you use a halogen worklight or an open face tungsten flood light that was supposed to be made for video, the concepts are relatively the same. And its a very deep subject too, far more than we could cover here in one thread. Look for a film and/or video lighting instructional DVD to help you with the concepts. Something like the Elite Video Digital Lighting Magic which is not specifically for narrative film lighting but does cover the use of the open face halogen worklight as an inexpensive video light.

We published a video in my Vlog last year on putting barndoors on a worklight and we also have a free template on the site for cutting out the barndoor template.

http://www.coollights.biz/wordpress/archives/21

If its too much trouble you can also buy the kit with all the parts from us as well.

http://www.coollights.biz/clbd4-halogen-worklight-barndoor-p-36.html

Hope this helps.
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This is exactly the type of post I was looking to see as a response. I'mma check it out and tell you about it. LoL, THANX!

10 MINUTES LATER:
Okay, I checked it out. When I get the cash, I'mma buy two barndoors. That was mad convenient to my situation. LoL. Anywho, I notice a diff in this pic from mines:
HalogenConversionWhiteBkgnd.jpg

I could NOT find a stand for ONE LIGHT to save my light. I only find these dual stands:
11DM8831NYL.jpg

Do you guys sell the solo stands also?
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to Jim Brennan:
"I put some barn doors on mine, added a mount to put them on regular stands and switched out the bulbs for color balanced ones."

Why?
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I doubt the difference is enough to make it to where the barndoors wouldn't work. If any mods are necessary, perhaps they are slight.
 
Cool Lights said:
I doubt the difference is enough to make it to where the barndoors wouldn't work. If any mods are necessary, perhaps they are slight.
Click to expand...

I wasn't saying that it'd affect the barn doors. That was a seperate comment. Saying that my lights sit on the ground, I don't have a stand because I couldn't find a stand for ONE LIGHT, only two. Where can I get one? Barn Doors aside.
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