Interior Club Scene, help a brotha

Paul Overstrom

Paul Overstrom

Member
This coming Friday were shooting the club scene for a film were working on. So far we have shot outside in various locations, a hospital room, a bedroom and other locations that i was familiar with lighting. I have never lit a scene this big and i was wondering if anyone had any information to share about how to go about it. I am wondering if we will have control over the house lights, or how my lights will blend with the "crazy club lights" at the club. Any gel recommendations? Light setup ideas for lighting a long shot/establishing shot? Any help is appreciated, and here is the equipment i have used so far. Anything else i should consider adding to the equipment list for Friday's shoot? Thanks!:happy:

1 Arri kit. ( 2 650's and 1 300)
3 China Balls
Lowell DP 100O Watts
1 Lowell Softlight
2 Spring Clamps
2 Carolina Clamps
2 Mafer Clamps
1 Lowell Space clamp
1 scissor clamp
2 c-stands
1 Matthews Light stand
1 Lowell Umbrella
3 Sand Bags
2 powerstrips
1 MSE Half box
1 MSE full box
1 Luggage cart
1 extension chord
Clothespins (at least 15)
3 Pairs of gloves
2 boom poles


Expendables


12" Black Cinefoil (Black Wrap)
Westcott Fast Flags (Floppies and Silks)
Bounce (Pizza Box)
1 Lowell Umbrella
1 flexfill
Diffusion material, like tuffspun or halfspun (that comes in rolls)
3 Sand Bags
2" Gaffers Tape (Black)
2 powerstrips
1 MSE Half box
1 MSE full box
1 Luggage cart
3 yellow extension chords
Clothespins (at least 15)
3 Pairs of gloves
Assortment of Gels (Rosco Roscolux)

Roscosun 3/4 cto, red, magenta,lavender,quarter blue, half blue, full blue, storaro blue, tough 1/4 plugsgreen, tough 1/2 plugscreen, green, opal tough frost, daylight blue, tough white diffusion, tough silk roscolux
 
Last edited:
Doesn't seem like you have a heck of a lot of lights to go really nuts in the club and the size of the room is going to be a factor as well.

Without knowing that I would try to get control of the house lights and use them for you WS and backgrounds.

For the establishing shots or XWS of the club use your lighting kit to highlight the leads and perhaps set them up around the bar or area the key scenes will take place. For all the other shots focusing on the actors, just use the house lights and your kit to light the actors and the area around them. Why kill yourself trying to light the entire place with a small lighting package. Let the room work for you.

If its a dark club with minimal lights then, as I said, use your lights strategically in the establishing or WS (if there are any) and in the tighter stuff, let the room go dark, maybe just throwing a light in the background someplace for texture.

Love China balls, they'll do great to mimic candles or lights around the bar. Most jobs I've done in bars we try to rake the glasses and/or the liquor with a light to make them pop. Some people will even light the bar area from below. This can look weird though as the bartender can look as though he is working while standing on the sun or something.

Best I can give with out knowing more details.

Good luck and have fun.
 
@ Dwaltjj
Thanks! I am going to add another light kit to the list as well.

@ Ronald Gerald. Sorry to sound so redundant, but when i get input on this site it often helps. It usually sparks ideas and ways to solve a problem that i didn't consider.
 
Last edited:
Uhm, I think Smith posted something that HE thought was redundant so he deleted his own post. he wasn't telling anyone else to delete THEIR post. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top