I am shooting a movie in 2 weeks and its an emotionally dark film about a woman who is physically and emotionaly abusive...i want to use low lighting without pressing gain. What is the voltage i should shoot at...and what kind of lights would be ideal....I want to buy those Rodericks (sp) lights if they are still available. i am new DVX user...whats the best setting a camera can shoot at for this kind of movie? And do i need gels or filters...I am looking for an antique effect...kind of like the brownish tint "the hours" was shot at. Please advice.
Best lights for a low light movie?
- Thread starter sabantu
- Start date
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: Best lights for a low light movie?
I cant say there are any magical settings in terms of creating a low light look other than underexposing the shots. Your going to need light no matter the case whether its natural or practicals or a kit. Personally, I would move to get a proper exposure in camera and worry about the look and feel in post; where you can create the 'hours' look and even bring down brightness levels and add some nice contrast. As far as filters go (if you have a mattebox?) a choclate or black promist? I suppose you could shoot with a sepia filter but again, Id do that in post and start with a super clean image.
Creating that LOW LIGHT look is going to be done actaully using LIGHTS and how you control that light to achive this look.
I cant say there are any magical settings in terms of creating a low light look other than underexposing the shots. Your going to need light no matter the case whether its natural or practicals or a kit. Personally, I would move to get a proper exposure in camera and worry about the look and feel in post; where you can create the 'hours' look and even bring down brightness levels and add some nice contrast. As far as filters go (if you have a mattebox?) a choclate or black promist? I suppose you could shoot with a sepia filter but again, Id do that in post and start with a super clean image.
Creating that LOW LIGHT look is going to be done actaully using LIGHTS and how you control that light to achive this look.
j
Veteran
Re: Best lights for a low light movie?
>I am shooting a movie in 2 weeks and its an emotionally dark film >about a woman who is physically and emotionaly abusive...i want to >use low lighting without pressing gain. What is the voltage i should >shoot at...
Hopefully 110 volts!
>and what kind of lights would be ideal....I want to buy those
Oh, I guess you mean watts... Which it is not so much a question of how bright (or dim) do the lights need to be, but what ratio do they need to be at. You could shoot with 1,200 watt HMIs and make it look dark and broody simply by irising down and controlling contrast. It used to drive me crazy when working with first time directors who wanted a "dark" look by turning off all the lights! He wondered why he had so much grain and the footage was so milky in telecine...
>Rodericks (sp) lights if they are still available. i am new DVX >user...whats the best setting a camera can shoot at for this kind of
>movie? And do i need gels or filters...I am looking for an antique >effect...kind of like the brownish tint "the hours" was shot at. Please
3 choices:
shoot with a filter. Coral, Tobacco, LLD, 85, etc.
Fix it in post. Easy if you have the right software, but time-consuming and a bit technical. It may degrade the image if you are trying to adjust it too far from the original colors.
Or, white balance on a colored card (try blue or lavendar or other shades)
-j
>I am shooting a movie in 2 weeks and its an emotionally dark film >about a woman who is physically and emotionaly abusive...i want to >use low lighting without pressing gain. What is the voltage i should >shoot at...
Hopefully 110 volts!
>and what kind of lights would be ideal....I want to buy those
Oh, I guess you mean watts... Which it is not so much a question of how bright (or dim) do the lights need to be, but what ratio do they need to be at. You could shoot with 1,200 watt HMIs and make it look dark and broody simply by irising down and controlling contrast. It used to drive me crazy when working with first time directors who wanted a "dark" look by turning off all the lights! He wondered why he had so much grain and the footage was so milky in telecine...
>Rodericks (sp) lights if they are still available. i am new DVX >user...whats the best setting a camera can shoot at for this kind of
>movie? And do i need gels or filters...I am looking for an antique >effect...kind of like the brownish tint "the hours" was shot at. Please
3 choices:
shoot with a filter. Coral, Tobacco, LLD, 85, etc.
Fix it in post. Easy if you have the right software, but time-consuming and a bit technical. It may degrade the image if you are trying to adjust it too far from the original colors.
Or, white balance on a colored card (try blue or lavendar or other shades)
-j
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Re: Best lights for a low light movie?
"Is that a .38?"
".38, .39, whatever it takes."
"Is that a .38?"
".38, .39, whatever it takes."
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Best lights for a low light movie?
You gonna wire it all 220?
220, 240, whatever it takes.
(Mr. Mom)
You gonna wire it all 220?
220, 240, whatever it takes.
(Mr. Mom)
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Re: Best lights for a low light movie?
Actually I'm drawing a blank on where I heard it. But if I had remembered Barry's, I would have used that instead.
Actually I'm drawing a blank on where I heard it. But if I had remembered Barry's, I would have used that instead.
Rogue Crew
Well-known member
Re: Best lights for a low light movie?
[quote author=Misstee link=board=lighting;num=1098924837;start=0#0 date=10/27/04 at 17:53:57]I want to buy those Rodericks (sp) lights if they are still available.[/quote]
Hey Mistee,
I think you are probably referring to the Britek lights from "Rostronics", which is the company that sells them - not "Rodericks". If you go back to the beginning of this Lighting Forum, look for the very first post, "Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members", which contains all that you need to know about these great little fixtures.
[quote author=Misstee link=board=lighting;num=1098924837;start=0#0 date=10/27/04 at 17:53:57]I want to buy those Rodericks (sp) lights if they are still available.[/quote]
Hey Mistee,
I think you are probably referring to the Britek lights from "Rostronics", which is the company that sells them - not "Rodericks". If you go back to the beginning of this Lighting Forum, look for the very first post, "Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members", which contains all that you need to know about these great little fixtures.