Exterior shooting

NO CA$H

NO CA$H

Veteran
I've got this really good screenplay I just finished and I already have the location and I just bought new gear. The only problem is I have no lights and everything is being shot outside. All I have is a reflector. Has anybody ever shot a film thats all exterior? Any advice?
 
Reflectors alone can make a world of difference. You can even experiment with white vs. silver vs. gold reflectors and different sizes to get different looks. You can also use large silks and even flags to diffuse and cut light you don't want. So, there's a lot you can do outside without lights.

The major problem I have had with exteriors is clouds. With no clouds, the light is very harsh. When there is cloud cover, it can change in density constantly and the light can fluctuate a number of stops. It can be tough to match shots later when editing. The best situation is a cloudless day, and using a big silk to take the harsh edge off the light.
 
Joshua Provost said:
Reflectors alone can make a world of difference. You can even experiment with white vs. silver vs. gold reflectors and different sizes to get different looks. You can also use large silks and even flags to diffuse and cut light you don't want. So, there's a lot you can do outside without lights.

The major problem I have had with exteriors is clouds. With no clouds, the light is very harsh. When there is cloud cover, it can change in density constantly and the light can fluctuate a number of stops. It can be tough to match shots later when editing. The best situation is a cloudless day, and using a big silk to take the harsh edge off the light.
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I agree with everything written here. A mirror bounce can also be very helpful in the right hands. If the sky is blown out, and your subject is perfectly exposed, use all the bounce and even a mirror bounce to light up the subject to try and compensate for the blown out sky.
 
Josh gave you a good idea. Also realize that at different focal lengths, you can get away with more.

In a wide establishing shot in harsh sunlight, you're not going to be able to throw on any silks or reflectors if you want everything wide (not unless you want to hang a silk over a 30 foot radius. For those kind of shots you're going to have to underexpose your actors a bit so your sky doesn't blow out and look awful. HOWEVER! When you move in closer it's ok to get the proper exposure on your actors and let the background blow out more. If you compose right your audience shouldn't be looking at the blown out background anyway so you can get away with a lot more (you can also make sure you don't have much sky in your shots). Also when closer you'll be able to bring in some reflectors and some silks. Good luck.
 
GEt yourself some cheap bounce boards (foam core) as well so when you get out there you have some more options to play with. These can be gaffed to any old light stand. Get yourself a polariser alos if you dont hae one.
 
Bounce cards, reflectors, silks, flags, cookies, mirrors, etc... will make all the difference in the world when shooting outside. The best part is that you can make them all out of stuff you have lying around. You don't need to spend a dime. It's true, you will look a little funny using bedsheets in place or a professional silk, but you'll get the shot you want.
 
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