Lighting a dark basement...

Michael Anthony Horrigan

Michael Anthony Horrigan

More Cowbell Pictures
Hi, I'm going to be filming a scene in a dark basement. I want it to be dark, but with key components and actors well lit, while the rest of the basement around them dips into complete darkness.

What is the best way to light this? Should I light it brightly and just try to drop the levels in post?

Or should I light it exactly the way that I want to see it on film, dark.

I really need advice on how to do this.

Thanks,

Mike
 
If you light the actors with a really directed light, key, fill and highlight... the background will dropout pretty fast because there is such a difference in stops from the actors to the background. The difference might be so much that you might end up wanting to place a soft light on the background just to establish that your in a basement.
 
I personally would use a single hard light. Nothing sells "darkness" better than shadows. Use a decent calibrated monitor and you'll be able to get exactly what you need.
 
Light with Fresnells from the coners of the basement and Flag off the light from the walls.
 
For a basement, If it had windows, I'd use those and practicals-( lights you can see on set )
Put some dust or light smoke in the room and use HMI's or large mirrors to direct light down into the windows.
Using bare-wired bulbs hanging from the ceiling, an old lamp, even flashlights. A DIY, 4ft 2 bank shop light (FLO TYPE)with daylight bulbs can work wonders in many cases. Also using a chinese lantern can add nice effect as well.
 
filmat11 said:
For a basement, If it had windows, I'd use those and practicals-( lights you can see on set )
Put some dust or light smoke in the room and use HMI's or large mirrors to direct light down into the windows.
Using bare-wired bulbs hanging from the ceiling, an old lamp, even flashlights. A DIY, 4ft 2 bank shop light (FLO TYPE)with daylight bulbs can work wonders in many cases. Also using a chinese lantern can add nice effect as well.
Click to expand...

Sounds great. I can't wait to try it out.
 
There are hundreds of ways to light this basement. I took the first idea I had off the top of my head..
20 different people will give you just as many answers. The story itself should help define the answers and questions.
Shadows..use harder light.
I guess for me, when I think of a basement...I always think of the older home, which typically is an un-finished, concrete walled, drain in the floor type of rooms with low ceilings...This basement is pretty much just used for storage and laundry....MOST of the basements I'm thinking of, usually have a just a few, simple, ceiling light fixtures fixtures, and typically, one is burned out.
Having the basement slightly "ambiant up" with the openning of the upstairs door is usually par for the course. Placement of other ceiling lights can be motivated by your story and filming needs.
The smoke or room dust is just to help sell the mood, and enhance the light sources.
Again, my comments are based on my loose interpretation of a typical ,un- finished basement. Your location and story line or needs are probably different but you can use a little bit of everyones suggestion, or adapt your own.
Good luck filming...
 
Also besides the lighting tips, set your master ped to like -6 or so to drop the shadows into blackness faster and some post work will probably be required to help that out too. I'm thinking of the scene in Pitch Black where Vin Deisal steps back into the darkness when they first encounter the aliens.
 
Alright guys... here are a couple of "as is" raw screen grabs. The basement was lit by two hanging bulbs.

Any tips on how to light it a bit better? Although I like what I'm seeing so far.

Mike

basement2small.jpg




basementsmall.jpg
 
ok well, theres more we need to know about this.

#1 what is going on in the story with each individual character (whose good, whose bad) that will help determine contrast ratios...than i think everyone will be able to give you better advice...i mean slapping a bulb on the ceiling will make everyone look the same
 
A girl will be chained at one end of the basement, while laying down on an old mattress. There will be a guy who attempts to help her, then the killer will eventually come down the stairs.

Is that enough?

Thanks,

Mike
 
Are your actors locked in the basement ??
Motivate some light from the upstairs door. Hang a 4ft "Shop light" over a work table, use a chinese lantern to up the over all ambiance, or hang more ceiling fixtures. Use practicals around your set....old house lamps, ect.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top