Kit clarification: "Interview" vs. set/location

Shawn Murphy

Shawn Murphy

Well-known member
I'm trying to build my own lighting kit, and feel good about starting with some of the Britek stuff, say a couple of 250w and a couple of the 300/600 switchable with a couple of softboxes, and maybe an LTM or Arri 650 (all primarily for learning/shooting low budget "films" on DV), but I keep getting hung up on the phrase "for interviews" when people are discussing their lighting kits. It seems like many people refer to their kits as if they are primarily "interview" oriented kits, and I just want to know what the primary difference (if any) is in the kit of an ENG/interview/documentary filmmaker vs. a DP/cinematographer who is hired to light for a "film"

*understanding that exterior lights would be 5600k/daylight matched, and probably include some larger HMIs and generators for those night scenes, but for the interior shots, how do your kits differ?
 
What you are getting would work well for an interview or for a feature. The difference is really none. I've lit films with 5 bare lamps before and I've interviewed with one open face light. THen again I've interviewed with 10 lights and lit Tv shows with 750 fixtures. It's not about what kit works with what type of genre, rather what you need for a particular job.
 
Walter_Graff said:
What you are getting would work well for an interview or for a feature. The difference is really none. I've lit films with 5 bare lamps before and I've interviewed with one open face light. THen again I've interviewed with 10 lights and lit Tv shows with 750 fixtures. It's not about what kit works with what type of genre, rather what you need for a particular job.
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Thanks Walter,

In my quest for the "perfect" lighting kit I think perhaps I lost touch with the art and subjective aesthetic of all this! As a musician I should know better because I've always said that if Jimi Hendrix had a $59 Sears guitar he'd still sound great (assuming you like Hendrix that is!) It doesn't mean he wouldn't rather have, and tour with, his Stratocaster, but I'm sure he cut his teeth on whatever he had. And to be honest, I have been practicing lighting with what I have: fish tank light, Christmas lights, "full spectrum" incandescents, street lighting, etc (using plastic bags and sheets to filter/flag).

So, I'm gonna just start with a some of the Britek stuff, maybe a handful of those switchable 300/600's a couple of soft boxes, one or two of your home depot light strips, an Arri Fresnel or a Lowel (the guy at my Seattle lighting shop raved about the Lowel even the he only sells Arri and DeSisti)

*Hey Walter, what would be the down side of NOT getting c-stands and using stands similar to what you have in your kit from your article?

thanks again.
 
Starting small is the best way (IMHO) to learn proper technique. It helps make the basics of what works very clear.

My philosophy is to use as few lights as possible to get what you need.
 
I love my 4 foot 4 bank kinos, and my 3 mole richardson 650K fresnels and 1 mole 650K softbox. 2 1200 pars would complete my house power lighting package. I could use another 650 or 1K kit though. I would suggest not getting 300 watt lights. If I had to do it again I might have sprung for the 1k's, which I might do. Its better to have to much light and scrim down then not have enough light and try to get more out of the small sources. Your sources will end up being so close an harsh to the subject if your in bright ambiant light. Or if you need to CTB the lights for daylight/time interiors. Beside Large controlled sorces look better than small lights blasting clean on a subject. Go BIG and knock the intensity down to your own taste.
 
Shawn Murphy said:
*understanding that exterior lights would be 5600k/daylight matched, and probably include some larger HMIs and generators for those night scenes, but for the interior shots, how do your kits differ?
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With this being said...If you are shooting interiors durning the day with large windows all around, with lots of daylight spilling into the room. You will need to CTB the tungsten for the color temp to match. In that case I would either used a 1200 HMI or a 2K tungsten with CTB, both will work on house power (20amp breakers) You will NOT get anything with 300 watt lights. Been there done that. Go for the larger lights. They might cost more, but youll end up having fewer, more practical and more usable lights in the long run. The smaller lights are perfect for background kickers or rims. But if you need to bring the key up GO BIG and scrim, silk or flag down.
 
more food to choke on, er, I mean, food for thought! ;-)

I was almost done with the basics of the light side of my kit:

1 - Arri 650 Fresnel
2 - switchable 300/600 open faced Britek (w/softbox)
1- switchable 500/1000 open face Britek (w/softbox)

*perhaps one smaller light, like a 150 for a tight spot....

All with heavy duty stands.

And then I was going to make some fluorescent banks as per Walter and a few other DIY articles.

two c-stands (and accesories, clamps, arms, etc)
 
Shawn Murphy said:
*Hey Walter, what would be the down side of NOT getting c-stands and using stands similar to what you have in your kit from your article?

thanks again.
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C-stands are most definitley important. You should also have one cartillini clamp for every light you own. Extra arms and heads always come in handy. c-stands and arms can give you the ability to boom out, up and over your subject and set that you just cant achive with a light stand. Plus if you use DV you can rig the small lightweight camera's with cartillini's and arms in many ways.
 
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