Blatantly revealing Lights in a Scene

Kholi

Section Moderator
Say the only way to get a very stylized backlight was to literally put lights in a scene.

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If you take a look to the right, the blaring light looks like a Dido or 650w in the movie. How tacky is this considered to be when you can see the actual stand and wiring, etc, but it creates an incredibly nice effect when coupled with the action and framing?

I like the style, I'm just not sure how it would be accepted in American Cinema?
 
In any language, that's sloppy. You can have back and rimlights close to the edge of the frame without getting the junk in the shot.

Kinda like Harvey Keitel - he's one of the great actors of our time, but I still don't want to see his junk.

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Can you do it during a massive action scene?

I think that they could have at least disguised the lights as lamps or something, myself.
 
Well, you can do anything you want in a movie. The question is, should you? The answer is, unless it is justified as a practical source, it should not be seen.

Again, as it is with Mr. Keitel. If there is a practical reason for seeing his junk...

...actually, I still don't want to see it, but you get my point.

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I think there is no excuse... Think of the 100 other action films with big scenes that pull it off.

Don't break the illusion, unless you really want to. In this case I doubt they wanted the audience to remember this was a film with choreographed fight sequences with actors...
 
isn't that from that scene where he's fighting for one continuous take all around the room though?

Wrong movie. This is DRAGON TIGER GATE.

You're talkin' about THE PROTECTOR. =B

In this one, the Cinematography obviously aims to put hyper-stylized flares behind the characters.

You can see what I mean below at the YouTube link. I really like where they were going as far as style goes, I just wonder if it could've been done a bit cleaner.

Here's the scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD5jC97lOHg
 
I never even noticed that, Zak. It's funny because that light is on but there's an actual practical right next to it.

I think, as much as a newb is aloud to think, that maybe doing so in a way that's obviously aimed at a specific style is okay if it doesn't detract attention away from the movie where the [average] audience member is concerned.
 
I like the style, I'm just not sure how it would be accepted in American Cinema?

A lot of tv series pull this off. Look at most/all crime scenes (eg: "CSI") and modern combat camps/posts (eg: "Over There") - those beautiful yellow worklights on stands scattered around the area.
Even "Hot Fuzz" had a few in the shots (eg: 'crime' scene in the rain infront of the church).

Basically put, much like it's 'accepted' to include desk lamps in desk shots, work lights (bigger less subtle lights) in their appropriate uses/environments seems to be fine. And as bonus they do add to a nice kicker/rim light too. I like them :)
 
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