Filming at night.

I was hoping I had a still of my setup. somehow I managed to avoid shooting it. I need to start getting the setup on cam so I have a record for later.

Again, sorry for all the pics. I am a bad, bad, bandwidth hog.

Night shoot in Pasadena. This time, with an added light.

65277168.jpg

65277172.jpg

65277174.jpg

65277171.jpg


It is lit with a single 250w Lowel Pro with a 16x16 Wescott MiniApollo softbox attached. It is high and camera left and accomlishes two thing nicely: emulates the existing direction of the street lights, but it is also providing a perfect Rembrandt light pattern. A perfect shot is a perfect scene? I dont know, but the lighting is decent. The light is powered by a $50 135Ah RV battery connected to a $50 500w inverter.

Here is the same scene without the light.
65277181.jpg



Sorry, just a couple more for examples.

First, I originally started to light the scene with the 16x16 Lowel attached to the top of my FigRig by a 12" light stand attachment. (It is tres goofy looking.)
65277177.jpg


It was just way too straight on and flat. It was a nice light and it would be easy to be enamored by it's beauty light position and how nicely and evenly it lit her face (the close-ups are gorgeous), but it was not at all natural.

Here is approximately the same shot just after getting the light off-Fig.
65277178.jpg


Oh, I guess I posted a few already. (This post is getting so long I forget.)

Finally. What the bridge looked like about 30 min. before sunset for a daytime comparison.

65277175.jpg



We would have some sunset shots but we were at Cheesecake Factory scarfing on Godiva at sunset. Priorities.

-GageFX
 
How long does that light last on the RV battery? Might be better renting rechargeable block batteries?
 
I haven't had one run out with 2+ hours continuous. That's between a single 250w and sometimes two hooked up. Same inverter.

I haven't wanted to do a longvevity test. Dont want to waste life on things testing. I would like to know, though.

-GageFX
 
That's just beautiful, The only thing I can think of to improve the shot would be to add a light to every 2nd or 3rd post or so, to show the depth of the scene and motivate the light you do have on the girl. But what you have now is beautiful and really makes me re-think my position on the need for a generator.
 
GageFX said:
If you dont have money to spend on good lights (re: USABLE) then you dont have the money to WASTE on bad lights. I'll get alot of flack from the shoplight guys, but I'm fine with that. I've been there and have moved on to pro equipment. I have the experience and I will never go back.
Click to expand...

Well I'll take the honor of being the first to flak you. Shoplights are an indy staple in many cases and it's simply a case of knowing how to use them or not knowing how to use them. I have a three light kit now, but I still throw the shop light in there sometimes for extra light. With a tungsten bulb or blue gels bulbs you're able to match up with little effort. With the red to blue white balance trick three 500 watt halos can be more than adequite. My lighting kit cost $300 (my producer bought it for me). The three shoplight route $100 + about $15 or less for bulbs. Bounce the light like you would any other light and I really don't see a problem.

I wish a had shop light for my last shoot. If I knew what I knew today I would've. I've got a really horrible shot by a window nothing in post could fix. A shoplight would've been all I needed to offset that sunlight.

I will admit that RV battery trick is something I'm thinking about looking into but if I didn't have these lights I'd surely have shoplights as I see no reason not to. And the white balance trick works on flouros too. You know how you go into a very well lit room but on camera everything is very orange because of the hue. Flip it to that preset and everything's a go. I just did two fight scenes were I didn't have to light at all. This was such a pleasure because I finished both scenes in a day. Moving lights for set ups would've cost a lot of time plus I would've needed a gaffer.

And shoplights aren't bad lights. I know a DP chick that could work with anything so don't tell me shoplights aren't usuable. It's the age old argument of skill versus equipment. I'm not saying you aren't skilled, I'm sure you are but there are others, DIY types who have turned this kind of set-ups into greatness. I for one don't use my shoplight now because I don't have a bulb or blue gel for it but when I do, it fits right in. Don't take my word for it, those of you with shoplights, try it out (if you haven't already) and see what you get. But I will say this, I do love your shots.

-Nate
 
Great stuff, GageFX!
Lowel Pro lights are AWESOME; we have 4 of the little buggers, with all sorts of diff. bulbs. Great, inexpensive lights!

That comparison between the light on the Rig (close to lens) and off to the side on a stand is VERY telling, and a good example of how moving a light can add so much to a scene.
You might of used a bit of bandwidth with your pics, but they are great to look at and experience!
 
Haha, GageFX, we seem to have similar taste in locations. I've shot several student/competition films at that exact spot in Chinatown, not to mention:

alice_after.jpg


Beautiful bridge. You ever seen the classic car rallies they do there?
 
Thanks, GageFX, and Nathyn. Since I don't have much money, but I'll try to see what I can do. I always love reading what people use for lighting, and the differences between everyone. Thanks.
 
lol. im saying at a concert now so cant answer well, but you see where my priorities are. very cool about the location. ill pm you about more about if you are interested.

- GageFX
 
Dont drink and post. I'm home and off my cell phone.

errrr......

I have not seen said car rallies.

Nate: Whatever works for you....great. I have a response, but I think what you said has it's place so I will let it be.

Throoper: you have name?.... no matter. Wish you were closer so you could come out on some tests or some shoots.

Before you spend the money, take a look around, and look at a couple setups. One area that will kind of relate to where you are.

...

I spent about $900 on audio... mic, boom, cord, blah, blah, blah. That;s all I had that day. I now wish I waited a week and spent $1100 or so. Dont spend the little you have then wish you spent just a little more. I am very impulsive and I also want to just get er done. I suggest you take a step back and take a breath. If you have something you HAVE to shoot next week, then do what you have to do. If you can wait.... then wait and save. You will be happier in the long run.

Sorry to be a tard. Time for bed.

-GageFX


BTW, Doug, that is MY bridge. Please get permission before you shoot there. :)
 
Last edited:
Errr... Sorry. Did I mention the RedBull Grey Gooses? Grey Goosi. err?

As for the "white balance trick"... I would so rather correctly WB and then have the light I am in cast it's color than do tricks. Sure we can shoot in daylight, WB for a color cast and get a certain look, but then nothing is real. When I am shooting a night scene and I am WB to 5600k, then my actor/ress walks down the street and wlks through 3 different kinds of light.... that is real. If I WB to ??? for a certain cast, then what is real and what am I trying to portray? I dont know. Tungsten here, Flour there, sodium vapor over here.... that is real to me.

But it depends on what you are after film and story and mood and feeling-wise.

-GageFX
 
The white balance trick has it's uses. Whatever light you're shooting in gets turned blue (like shooting with photofloods). What I would really like to do is shoot video at night (I guess I am shooting video actually) with a video look. I love what Michael Mann does but I want the look of the TV show "Cops" at night in the big cities. That's the look I want. I'll shoot this way in the future in HDV.

In the picture I posted we started with an orange look. I liked it somewhat but I know many people would just consider it bad video (plus I'll admit I like this look better), so my producer sugguested we use the preset. I didn't want to at first but it looked very natural outdoors at night. So at night we use this and indoors it just saves so much time on fight scenes. Other than this we can do what we normally do and simply light the room with photofloods for a dramatic scene.

-Nate
 
No... I get the WB thing, I just dont like it. Same problem with any filter, WB, post tinting method of day for night. Now all your lights are tinted toward blue and it's not realistic. It may be good in a pinch, I'm just not convinced it's the best way or even a good way.

One thing that was difficult for me... in this scene...

64323262.jpg


It was 9am and I needed a couple things. I needed it to be nighttime. I needed her to be able to turn on the bedroom light and have a 3800k(ish) bedroom light so it looks natural, and I needed pure white lightning striking through the window. I could have left things alone and WBed to get a blue tint, but then nothing would be natural and my lighting would be tinted. I could have tinted in post, but then the same problem. So I gelled about 180sqft of window with full CTB, and had my trusty 16x16 250w Lowel Pro gelled CTB also as my main. I then cut out a hole in the window gel and boomed a studio strobe so just the strobe bulb was through the hole then fired that for white lightning through the windows.

Now, I get that just because that's the method I used doesnt mean it's the only one, I'm just saying I cant think of many situations where just tinting the color will work realistically.

I have a nighttime desert scene coming up and I'm considering DFN, but tinting in post, not WB, but even then, I not only lose the color parked car headlights, but the lights wont show up well since it will actually be daytime.

I dont know.

(I was hoping no one had posted yet this morning so I could edit down my drunken posts. I guess they stay as a warning to the kids. Oh, and the concert was good.)

-GageFX
 
Hey Gage, your grabs look pretty good! Although, I suppose color balance to make everything blue would work for those who havent the resources to get all the fancy gels and whatnot, and also for those who have a uniformly lit scene - ie where all the lighting temps are the same from all the motivated and unmotivated sources...
 
Sorry, GageFX, my name is Matt. Yeah, I might just rent a lighting kit for the shoot. So it'll be cheaper. Thank god, I never have to worry about audio side, especially with mics, and cables. Great thing knowing band members with their own studio. Haha.

I agree with Nate. I love Michael Mann's night work especially in Miami Vice. But I don't have an HD camera, just an XL-2.
 
MalcolmOng said:
Hey Gage, your grabs look pretty good! Although, I suppose color balance to make everything blue would work for those who havent the resources to get all the fancy gels and whatnot, and also for those who have a uniformly lit scene - ie where all the lighting temps are the same from all the motivated and unmotivated sources...
Click to expand...

Absolutely. And I'm really only referring to the situations I've laid out above. Be it the original poster's desire for Collateral type night scenes (lots of mixed light) or my examples of the scenes that I recently shot. I'm not saying my way is the right way and especially not saying it's the only way. It's just my way.

As for the expense, it's not just dropping blind money to get a look, it's a single light, which everyone should have in their kit and a single roll of reusable CTB. A fraction of what we spent on a camera, let alone sound equipment and whatever else. When I shoot, I want to make it the best I possibly can. This is how I did it and for little expense. (Plus, the first two scenes I posted were ZERO expense/resources and no WB tricks.

Definitely thanks for the input. And please understand that I argue my point of view in order to hear the POV of others. If I just shut up I wouldnt hear from all you great guys and I wouldnt learn new stuff. I'm definitely socking away what I hear for when I need it.

-GageFX
 
throoper said:
Sorry, GageFX, my name is Matt. Yeah, I might just rent a lighting kit for the shoot. So it'll be cheaper. Thank god, I never have to worry about audio side, especially with mics, and cables. Great thing knowing band members with their own studio. Haha.

I agree with Nate. I love Michael Mann's night work especially in Miami Vice. But I don't have an HD camera, just an XL-2.
Click to expand...

Ewwww. You have an XL2? Those cant even shoot at night, can they?

I'm so joking. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss the scene and possible strategies. I'll keep any info confidential that you ask.

Good luck with it all, and I wish I had sound savvy friends. I dont have any and as a still fashion photographer, the only sound I know is whiny models.

-GageFX (Brian)

GageFX said:
Throoper: you have name?.... no matter.
Click to expand...

Wow. I was drunk last night. I dont even remember typing this, and I dont even know why I cared. As if "GageFX" is my name.
 
I thought our Chinatown movie was online somewhere, but it's not. I also couldn't find any more of my Colorado St. photos... must be stocked away on my PC at home. Maybe I'll remember later.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top