Lighting a bedroom at night.

[tkoind]

One key scene in our movie involves the central character in her tiny Japanese apartment at night. She is sitting on the floor with minimal lighting with a laptop on a tiny 30cm tall table and a TV on in the background. We want the room to look dark and closed in but also want to render decent color and keep down noise in the black areas.

Any suggestions for how to light this scene will keeping an overall dark mood?

 

[J.R. Hudson]

First obvious question is what lighting equipment do you have available to you?

 

[tkoind]

Our lighting kit is very very home put together. We have a single Lowell Tota w/500w halogen and stand, two halogen work lights (clip type with stands available) and 2 150w incandesent spot lamps. We have also prepared two reflectors and have some white poster board available as well.

I know it isn't much and it is not very professional but it is everything we have to work with at the moment.

 

[Bill_Bolton]

a tiny practical in front of the monitor should light up her face and use your others to add a splash on the walls.. If you get creative, use a cookie (cuculoris) to add some leaf effects to the wall. A 500W halo sould kind of bright for a dark small scene. Be sure to add plenty of scrims.

 

[TylerGred]

A 500W halo sould kind of bright for a dark small scene. Be sure to add plenty of scrims.

I believe a hand squeezer would work better if I'm think I know what he is going for....

That is if you know how to make one, or able to get one....

Plus you can always stop the camera down if you need too...