Learning Lighting

C-Mac

C-Mac

Well-known member
Ok,

So, I'm in kind of a strange position, I have been doing event video for a few years now and am leaving it to move to L.A. and pursue a film career. Luckily, I have a very supportive wife :) Anyhow, I have given a presentation on creative shooting style to 1000 people and may likely give another on Demo production this year, but I have very little experience with interview and film style lighting.

Ok, so I am looking to start gathering info for a film that I am making and will be doing DVX100a taped interviews in the begining. These interviews may or may not make the film, but I want that option later, at the very least i want them to go back to and view as I continue to gather information. Many will be shot in Vegas hotel room settings during a convention, so it may be quick paced.

I have watched the Power of Lighting series and read a good book on lighting and have an idea of what I want.

I am looking at Arri, LTM (pepper), and Mole kits, but my biggest concern is that I really want to be able to experiment and perhaps later use the kit for my project film work and some continued interview work.

part of me wants to go with a pepper blue kit and add on to it and part of me wants to go with an Arri Softbank IV kit and add on to it...but another part of me wants to buy everything seprately to make the most experimental kit possible...i don't want to spend more than $3k in fact somewhere around $2500 works great for me.

hey i really appreciate all info and i have checked many of the posts here and on Ccow, just don't have a clear view yet...

thank you

chris
 
Re: Learning Lighting

There are many different ways you could go here--$2.5-3K is enough for a nice basic kit. I'm not a big fan of kits, but if I was buying one it would be the Arri Softbank I kit which has two 650w fresnels and one 300w fresnel. The Softbank IV kit has two 125w fresnels--basically accent lights IMHO. Softboxes or Kinos are pretty useful for interview work, so I'm not sure about the Peppers--can they be used with softboxes?. I'd be tempted to start with an Arri 650, Arri 300, a medium softbox, barndoors, a foldable reflector, *good* stands, and a couple of scrims. Play around with that and see where it leads you for a followup purchase.
 
Re: Learning Lighting

hey barry,

i've rented a pepper kit consisting of a 650,2-420s, and a 300 fresnels. and liked it, but i'm not sure if you can add a softbox with them, haven't seen that option...

i have a tota light with a nice umbrella and extra diffusion over the umbrella, and i have a good 5 way foldable reflector that i use frequently for outdoor things...i'm very familiar with on camera lighting, but obviously that just won't cut it anymore ;)

i was checking out the Arri Softbank I, but the softbank IV comes with 2-150s, 1-300, 1-650 fresnels and a 1000w Arrilight and seemed more experimentl to me.
Basically in the diffrence is a 650 for 2 150s

thanks for you input any more thoughts would be most appreciated!!!

chris
 
Re: Learning Lighting

The 150's could be used for a backlight or "hairlight" as some may call it. I am still trying to decide on what I want...kinda bummed I didn't win the auction on ebay! Then again I forgot to bid! :(
 
Re: Learning Lighting

You could buy a speed ring for your Tota and stick it in a softbox. Open-faced lights like the Tota are great to stick in softboxes. Unfortunately, the Tota is such a goofy design, you need a kludgy speed ring and stand adapter. With the Tota, an Arri 650, and an Arri 300 you'd be off to a good start. I did find that you can get speed rings for the Peppers, so they might be a good option if you've used them and like 'em.

I still think the Arri IV kit's two 125's are a waste--but that's a personal preference. Let's say you're trying to match daylight coming in through a window. Putting a full CTB on a 125 will give you one very wimpy light source. I'm also not that big on the open-faced Arrilite 1000--especially since you've got the Tota.

But if the IV kit appeals to you, go for it. Arri makes quality stuff and you can always sell any instruments you don't end up using.
 
Re: Learning Lighting

Chris--yes that's the speed ring, but I don't recommend the shallow version of the Chimera softbox. The regular version is better if you ever want to stick it on a fresnel. Also I have the Photoflex--their medium is the same size as the Chimera small (24" x 32"), and that's a good size to start with. So the small Chimera Video Pro Plus would be a great start.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=105281&is=REG

And if you can spare the $$, the egg crate is a great accessory. It keeps the light from spilling all over the place--particularly your background.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=details_accessories&A=details&Q=&sku=115000&is=REG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top