I need the best lighting withought breaking the bank!

any tips on how to light or what lighting tools to buy i am trying to shoot a thriller so iam looking for a contrast look like the sixth sense or possibly unbreakable any tips on what lights or set ups to use>?
 
There are MORE than enough threads posted already here for you to start thinking about. If you have no lighting experience, don't expect to just be able to set up some lights and achieve a look like "The Sixth Sense" or "Unbreakable."

Heres what i'll say right away-

1. Don't overlight your scene. New gaffers/DP's tend to think it takes 20 lights to do the job that two well placed lights could do.

2. Light by eye first, then go into your light meter and fine tune. ( The great thing about video..."what you see is what you get")

3. Keep a consistant contrast ratio within each scene (i.e. 8:1, 16:1, etc.)

4. PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE.


Thats all I can really say for the tiny amount of information you provided, but maybe you'll get something out of it. Actually, I could probably say alot more, but i'm tired.
 
MOVIE MASTER said:
any tips on how to light or what lighting tools to buy i am trying to shoot a thriller so iam looking for a contrast look like the sixth sense or possibly unbreakable any tips on what lights or set ups to use>?
This is why I'm making a big site devoted only to ligthing films, and InvasionProductions is right about over lighting. Don't be afraid to make your light a bit more directional. Soft light has its place, but too much and you don't have any mood in the image.
 
Hard lighting and lots of well-defined shadows for dramatic effect. Cookies with different dramatic patterns in the background, etc.

Maybe start with getting a book for film lighting specifically. Much of the lighting education out there is for narrative/interview/documentary situations as that is the bulk of work taking place today with video--that's a completely different style than dramatic / film work (and particularly what you are looking for).
 
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