If you could only take one light to a shoot...

1.2k hmi. Daylight balanced if matching natural light, power to burn should I really have to gel to tungsten. Bounce it, shoot it through a window, put it in a soft box, or just use it as a hard source. All on household power. Very versatile.
 
Lowels Rifa88 with a Grid, when travelling light.
4Bank Diva (or similar CoolLight) when more weight is OK.
 
With assistants it would be a daylight balanced 1.2k hmi par with soft box and bounce.
If it was a small 1 man job travelling light it would be a 800 watt tota and a soft box.

You can make a hard light soft but you can't make a soft light hard so a hard light with soft box
you have options.
 
Well, to be honest, I am not sure I would accept a gig where I could only bring one light.

Sorry, I got the smarta** outta my system (long week....).

But OK, I'll play! So if we gotz a one light requirement, then I figure we ain't gotz money to rent a light, and I would bring the most versatile light I OWN (welcome to the world of the bottom feeder, guerilla style), which would be a 1k (up to) Par 64 incandescent, with a full complement of bulbs, bounce and diffusion. Like J. described, this will work as a hard light, and I can soften it out as I need.

I would probably cheat though and throw one of the small "Pocket 650s" I have into my cargo pants, and a couple of fluorescent hot sticks in my pack back.
 
I will definitely use a Fresnel or a HMI, if is just a Lamp that you have to take I will choose a 20K Fresnel and use the power of the lamp to bounce it with mirrors so I can have a great effect on the set. (This is to answer your question), but if is a budgett question, then it will depend on where are u shooting:

LA or NY and how is the weather, and if is a Night or a Day shot if is Day in LA probably is sunny right, I will go for mirrors and bouncers silver, that will do a really interesting light and the mirrors and bouncers are totally inexpensive, if is a Night Shoot in LA if is an Inside shot I will go for a Tungsten Fresnel probably Arri 10K or 20K (if you have the budget for the Plant) but if you are looking for something inexpensive, I still will be going for a 1K or 2K and bounce the light, but really you can rent a Kit with two 300W and two 600W and play around, at the time I am shooting a feature film on the 5D MRK II with this kind of kit and Universal is interested already.

But if you are shooting outside at night, probably the choice will be HMI or PAR lights, depends on the color of the light you want to have.

I will definitely run away from Kinos, Kinos are a problem solver, so If you have a DP with no experience he might use a lot of those lights, but from my point of view Kinos make a really flat light, and you will get a really flat kind of look, I definitely will say that just keep away from Kinos and use them as a second light source not to create a scene just to fill something.

DP, Fito Pardo, AMC
http://www.cinematograf.com/
cinematograf@me.com
 
I love fresnels as a general purpose light, so one of Lite Panels new 6" LED Sola fresnels. Daylight balance, built in dimmer with no color shift, no heat, 75watt power consumption, output of a 650w tungsten fresnel.
 
A Budget should be set though. A 1.2k HMI is nice, but costs are way higer than with tungsten lights.
Or are we talking about renting lights?
 
OK, well I'll fill you in on my situation and perhaps you can be more specific, however I wasn't really wanting answers directly for me, i figured this might make an interesting read for anyone else anyway.

I've been filmmaking for over 15 years

I've had many cameras from VHS-C to MiniDV consumer to Semi Pro XL1 and DVX100 and HDV Canon HV30

Now i have the Canon 550D/T2i

I've never bought proper lights for video, I've always used desktop lamps and daylight for shoots.

I always shoot with little or no crew, me & a friend usually act, shoot & edit everything.


So I've been wanting a light, pretty cheap in fact as cheap as possible, that will improve my films.
I'm totaly skint right now having bought the camera, underwater bag, sd card, 50mm f1.8 lens, lcd monitor, new full hd pc monitor, upgrade to windows 7 64 bit, bluray burner.

Next on the list is a Rode videomic (my friend has one but i want my own) & a light. I say one light because i imagine buying 3 will cost a lot more and take up a lot more space/time to set up & as Christmas approaches, the light will no doubt be my last purchase of 2010 as the kids need presents! lol

Here's my last film shot on the 550D with only lights being daylight & the lights you see in the shots.

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I AGREE


So what light can i buy what would improve the above film if i had used it?

I know it's cheap but would it make any difference if i bought this light?

Cheers
 
I´d improve on sound first, with the 550 this would mean e.g. getting a Zoom H4n, a Rode NTG3 and a boom of your choice. For the interiors you might want to add the poular Oktava 012 to the equation.
For adding a little more fill to your interior shots I´d add two china balls with high power daylight CFLs and a roll of blackwrap. The tripods will be the most expensive part then, but since chinas are lightweight, you could get away with cheap ones from the various photo suppliers.
You won´t get hard light edges with this setup though, besides using window light for this.

If your doing this for 15 years, you probably know that filming isn´t a "phase", but a serious thing for you.
So I´d start investing in it. Buy cheap, buy twice.
Do weddings or similar stuff to gain some money back, and your wife should be fine with it too...;o)

Good luck, mate!
 
Derkoi said:
I've never bought proper lights for video ...
Click to expand...
Derkoi said:
I'm totaly skint right now
Click to expand...

Get a lowel tota light, cheap stand, a roll of black wrap and a white diffusion umbrella. With these simple cheap tools you can do a hell-ova-lot.
For examples with these tools check Enemy Base on my website (LINK) as it's all negative space shots using just tota and black wrap in a small room on a 7D.
For an example of tota + umbrella on t2i LINK.
Also on my website is tota plus softbox example, see Iraq Veteran LINK

Tota lights are also pretty much indestructible so don't be afraid to get one 2nd hand from loot or ebay. This should free up cash to spend on audio.
 
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