Learning interview lighting from Obama

PerroneFord

PerroneFord

Deals in Lead
There are a great many guides out there on how to light good interviews. This is something I do quite regularly. While in pre-production for an upcoming project, I wanted to come up with a new look and feel. Something very "official". I would be designing an entire series of videos around this look. So working for the Govt., I decided to have a look around and see what other entities were doing.

I stumbled upon something marvelous on the White House's site. Those folks have been producing a LOT of video in the past year. However, something caught my eye. Look at the preview screens for the Weekly briefings here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/video-type12/

If you click on a video (without playing it) you can gain a glimpse into how the video staff set up the shoots for the President. Some are with hard lighting, others soft. The background changes each time. You can see the camera in some, softbox in others. You can see the Arri fixtures for the background lighting.

You will see how elements are arranged to provide screen depth, color, and balance. You will see that often the President is lit quite flat. You can see the long boompole for the microphone that gets the stand out of the shot. And finally, you can click to play the selected video to get an idea of how that arrangement looks as a final product.

I see this as a great lesson. And it's free. I've already made plans to use some of the techniques I've seen here to improve my own interviews. Hopefully, this will help some other users here as well.

-P
 
Brilliant, Perrone, thank you. I noticed that the outside is decently visible when there's a window in the background, and it appears that they're using 650 or 1k tungstens inside - unless they're using CDM's or something? In some shots I noticed they're gelled blue to balance, but I'm surprised that you can get enough light out of tungstens that small (esp gelled or with a softbox) to match outdoor lighting. Any thoughts there that pop out at you? You have a lot more experience with lighting than I do...
 
I think they use HMIs, never used CDM's or seen them in action though.

Anytime they had something gelled blue, it always seemed to be a rim light to give highlights to him. It seems like they were doing it to mix temperatures, giving a touch of a white/blue light defining his facial features. Like this one: http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/Your-Weekly-Address-March-28-2009/

Seems like the pretty standard 3 point lighting for most of them. Also you're right, they do light him a bit flatly, sometimes with a touch of highlights. I guess it's to make sure he appears as warm and good natured as possible.

If they were using tungsten and they needed to balance the intensity with the daylight, it could have been some ND filters outside the windows? Perhaps? Just guessing...

I like how they always shoot with a lot of definition and depth in the background, even shooting with half the screen looking down a hallway for one of them.
 
newtmitch said:
Brilliant, Perrone, thank you. I noticed that the outside is decently visible when there's a window in the background, and it appears that they're using 650 or 1k tungstens inside - unless they're using CDM's or something? In some shots I noticed they're gelled blue to balance, but I'm surprised that you can get enough light out of tungstens that small (esp gelled or with a softbox) to match outdoor lighting. Any thoughts there that pop out at you? You have a lot more experience with lighting than I do...
Click to expand...

I don't have that much experience in lighting, but if the windows in the building are what I think they are, then they are well tinted anyway, so even full daylight would read 2-3 stops below what you might think.

I think they are using HMIs here, but I cannot say. I know that in at least some shots they are using fixtures with external ballasts because you can see them laid out on the floor. But in some cases, the lights are gelled blue, which would likely indicate tungsten fixtures. Maybe they are using a mix of both.
 
Jon Starr said:
I think they use HMIs, never used CDM's or seen them in action though.
Click to expand...

Nor have I. But I'd suspect HMIs as these look like a standard Arri kit.

Jon Starr said:
Anytime they had something gelled blue, it always seemed to be a rim light to give highlights to him. It seems like they were doing it to mix temperatures, giving a touch of a white/blue light defining his facial features. Like this one: http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/Your-Weekly-Address-March-28-2009/
Click to expand...

This seems to be a pretty common thing with lighting african americans. Seems to work quite well too.

Jon Starr said:
Seems like the pretty standard 3 point lighting for most of them. Also you're right, they do light him a bit flatly, sometimes with a touch of highlights. I guess it's to make sure he appears as warm and good natured as possible.
Click to expand...

It struck me funny as in many instances you hear how lighting darker skinned people is a challenge, and you have to do things a lot differently, etc. I've always said it was bunk. These basic lighting setups seem to give credence to exactly that. There isn't anything in this lighting setup that I wouldn't do for a fairly pale person.

Jon Starr said:
If they were using tungsten and they needed to balance the intensity with the daylight, it could have been some ND filters outside the windows? Perhaps? Just guessing...
Click to expand...

If these are security windows, they are already fairly dark.

Jon Starr said:
I like how they always shoot with a lot of definition and depth in the background, even shooting with half the screen looking down a hallway for one of them.
Click to expand...

Notice how the props are used. I took note of how many shots had flowers or practicals in them. How the flags are generally arranged to frame him., how much screen depth there is when it's available. Or how it's really shallow when they have him in a set without much space behind him. In the shot where you can see down the hall, or the one with windows, you can see behind him for forever, though not in terrific focus. But in shots with little space, it's softened up nicely.

And though this is a lighting thread more than anything, I also noticed how he was miced. In some with a lav, others on a boompole. Perhaps both in some instances but you can't really tell.

I am going to link to some other really cool stuff on that site I found that might be helpful to discuss a bit.
 
PerroneFord said:
Some more lighting lessons.

Take a look at this behind the scenes setup with Stephen Colbert. Shows lighting setup, the teleprompter, micing, etc. A complete VIP shooting lesson for free. Great stuff and a nice advert for the Konoflo Diva light too:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/President-Obama-with-Stephen-Colbert/
Click to expand...


Very nice, thanks for that! I think there is a little to much blue in those lights, or is it just me...

I agree, I just shot a tribute concert with many African American dancers and performers. I set up a 5 light Arri kit the way I normally do and was plenty pleased with the results. I had heard it was more difficult - nah.
 
MadHMC150 said:
Very nice, thanks for that! I think there is a little to much blue in those lights, or is it just me...
Click to expand...

Is the Behind the scene camera not set to tungsten...? and id assume that the camera on obama is set to daylight... :S ?
Thats why it appears blue-ish :/
 
I know one of the guys working on these. He came from a doc background and worked on the campaign trail for Obama.
 
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