Lighting Advice (Please!)

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I'm a fledgling DVX-100A user that needs to light a series of interviews (one camera, often with florescent office lights overhead, possibly using a green screen/ SM Ultra key combo). I'm thinking that since each "set" (office) can have a bit different lighting that I use a consistant lighting setup.

I'd like to build a compact and easy to transport kit that would offer at least 3 lights (with stands!) & hopfully a softbox (for that softish look you know!) and whatever else I can grab for around $1700.

I've read several articles on "how to light your set on a Home Depot budget" and seen one light "kits" for $3000. There must be a solution somewhere between these two price points, right?

I'm really quite overwhelmed and intimidated with the many lighting products out there, and frankly don't have a clue about lighting hardware. In theory, I understand how to light, but have very little practical experience...yep, I'm new at this.

Any of you with experience in lighting hardware, and compassion for a somewhat limited budget want to share?

Thanks! - P
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

a Kino Flo four-bank 2ft and a two-bank 2ft would do the job and be just slightly above your price range. You don't need a softbank with the kinos and as their light "wraps" around your subject very nicely you can usually get away with two lights.
Even one four-bank kino and a white foamcore as a reflector will work very well and be in our price range.
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

You can go two ways: You can build your own Flourescent banks, you could spend $$$ on Kinoflos, you could buy some equivalent flourescent fixtures for less of the price of the kinoflos (like www.dexel.com - argentinian company with distributors in orlando - I'd seriously consider them), or buy a regular tungsten light kit and Color Correct it with gels everytime you need to match a daylight balanced office. The deal is, to model your subject below an office lighting array, you'll need quite a punch, since the fill light theese lights will put will be quite high. So the suggestion for a 4-bank flourescent system for your key really makes sense and if you were to use tungsten heads, I'd say a 1KW Fresnel or open face in a softbox. With 2 flourescent fixtures you could use the 4-bank as key and one 2-bank as a backlight (soft backlights are quite interesting, IMHO), and get some useable results. From the price Dexel sells here in brazil, i'd say a 4-bank fixture with lamps and ballast would be around 300 dolars. I don't know the price you'll be able to get, but it maight be a good bargain. I'm thinking of getting some of those myself...
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

Try some of my free articles on interview lighting and see if that does not inspire you. You'll see I don't use much to get some of the common looks you see on broadcast TV.

With $200 worth of lighting, I'll make a better looking set up than folks which a truck full of lighting. I lit an entire series for A&E one year with Home Depot lights just to prove it.

Everyone talks about equipment so much and in that talk I can see that they don't get it. Folks make the mistake and think its the lights that make you look good. It's not, its the person lighting.

I used to do a demo in my lighting seminars with one bare 100 watt bulb and two mirrors and showed that I could do a lighting set-up that rivaled folks who use the best equipment out there.

And if you want monthly advice on lighting and production technique try my newsletter. I usually write 12-14 pages a month filled with all sorts of pictures and diagrams and discuss everything from shooting outdoors to walking and talking to color temperature to zebras. This month I am talking about dramatic scenarios. There is a sample newsletter on my site. It's only $15 for 12 issues.

Folks tell me I should charge a lot more for what I give but I am not writing it to make money. The only reason I charge for it is because if I didn't I would get lazy and not write it. Charging for it makes me obligated.  

http://www.bluesky-web.com/instruction.html
 
Thanks Everyone

Thanks Everyone

Thanks for the replys and suggestions.

I agree that gear alone is not the answer, I'm certain it takes years of expereince to quickly and correctly light a set (whatever that set might be). I do feel that I can get usable results with a little "canned" technique and a few lights. I understand the basics, again in theory, but am coming up short in my knowledge of available hardware - much less where the good deals are!

Walter - I read the "what's in my bag" article at DV.com, I guess that's what years of expereince will teach you - how to use what you have - and when. Great article. Also, keep writing! $15/yr is a deal....I'm in!

I guess that's what I'm looking for; an affordable, quality lighting "starter set". Hopefully some lights that will allow to produce some work that will allow me to pay for them, but limiting enough to force me to learn how to light.

Without a broad lighting product knowledge, I find myself looking at turn-key kits within a certain price point. One in particular is the Lowel DV kit which seems like it has the features and at a price point (about $1400) that comes in under what I budgeted. http://www.lowel.com/kits/DVcreator55.html
The stands look a little weak from the photos, and again I'm lacking the experience to know if this kit represents a value (again within the price point we're talking about).

Thanks for the suggestions - keep 'em coming!

-P
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

I think Walter's newsletter is a great idea. Walter, if you haven't you should consider publishing your stuff, also.

this is what I'm reading:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...002-4832956-1439202?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

It gives you a good start at understanding very basic concepts such as depth, molding, etc. Prior to this, I probably did not understand why one asethic was any better than another.

FWIW..I have a lowel rifa 55 (softbank and a few accessories: gels, eggcrate) and 2 lowel pro-lights. I need to keep all that I carry very light and quick and thus "wing" it with a few other things..reflectors, reflector arm, white wall, and even use some "on-camera" lights on a light stand with adjusting joints. The rifa is a one-trick pony though..it is what it is and you can't turn it into anything else. If you are doing interviews alot, i would highly recommend any eggcrate. mine is 40 degrees. If you have time to set up a different kind of softbank..that would give you more flexibility with the lights.

the stuff above works alright for interviews. if you are lighting a "set" then a full-blown kit would be nice..but it is probably better to build that up.

I think lighting is fun (though I am really a beginner..) ..almost like cooking..have to try a few different things..add and subtract and test it on others.."how does this look?"
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

John's book is a good start. Problem I have with books is many folks can't translate the concept to reality. I myself need to see it to understand it. I try to do that in the newsletter. Even better is the Vignettes video series I am producing now that walks you though it but from an emotional perspective, not just a how to. I often have people send be still frames of video and ask me what more can they do. I love helping that way. Sending me a still tells me a thousand words. Someone here just sent me a still of a tabletop. I sent him my version and it taught him what he needed to know to learn how to do it better.
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

[quote author=Walter_Graff link=board=lighting;num=1102155925;start=0#6 date=12/04/04 at 15:30:12] Even better is the Vignettes video series I am producing now that walks you though it but from an emotional perspective, not just a how to. [/quote]

That sounds pretty good for me as well, any idea when it might be available?

Thanks for the input and advice - Paul
 
Re: Lighting Advice (Please!)

[quote author=Mortimer link=board=lighting;num=1102155925;start=0#7 date=12/05/04 at 22:25:43]Hey Walter, would you mind if I sent you a few stills to look at?[/quote]

please do walterny@verizon.net
 
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