Lighting and rain test shots... [Panasonic GS400]

Gary the Llama

Gary the Llama

Well-known member
Last night we went to our location and did some lighting and rain tests for my upcoming horror short. These aren't final and won't be in the film but they give a pretty good indication of the mood we're looking for. This is my first foray into directing so it's very exciting.

Comments and critiques are welcome (feel free to be brutal):

Our establishing shot, with rain. Not bad but I don't like the way the barn is lit.
TFR-01.jpg


Same shot, minus the rain but I think the lighting looks a lot more natural (possible moonlight?) I love the way the barn look... This is so close to our storyboard it's scary. (The subject needs to be lit better.)
TFR-02.jpg


We tried to frame the picture with tree branches... The lighting seems too bright on our subject and the branches are too distracting.
TFR-03.jpg


Here we're attempting to cast shadows on our subject's face... It needs a bit of tweaking but I like it.
TFR-06.jpg


Approaching the barn. This needs some work... We're trying to get a 35mm adapter rigged up to really make this shot look even more foreboding.
TFR-07.jpg
 
500 and 1000watt worklights from Home Depot, I believe. (Don't quote me on that though, they're far from professional but we're doing the best we can.)
 
These look great; you have the Light for Night down perfect I think. I'm spooked out just looking at them. I don't mind the tree branches at all. It creates a nice depth to the frame, however I would use only the one on the upper left.

Now give us some footage with spooky effects (rain, wind) and score!
 
I really like the 1st shot. IMO it is the most "dramatic." The barn looks good in the 2nd photo though.

Some of the moonlight doesn't look quite like moonlight. I find that using full CTB and quarter green on the key light gives the perfect colour. It obviously depends on your colour balance and if you are using HMIs or Tungsten, but I mean full CTB on top of what is considered to be "white" in the shot.

I would also advise you to shoot slightly over exposed as it is easier to darken than lighten the shots in post... BUT watch that your highlights don't go to white as these can't be darkened effectively!
 
Faking moonlight with the lights we have is very difficult. For one, we can't get the lights high enough so we're making due with what we have. It's our first project and it's been our biggest challenge so far.
 
The first couple shots reminded me of Wes Craven's Deadly Blessings.

I think the barn looks the best in that first shot. My favorite shots are the second one and the last one. In the second one I like that the lighting the best because your keeping the actor more in the dark. The audience can make out a figure with their back to them, but with the light just outlining his face it adds to the mystery of who this person is.

I just love the composition of the last shot. The angles on the barn and the orientation of your actor really adds more edginess to the shot.

Rob
 
I think the first shot is lit well. Just put a blue gel in front the light that was on the barn, so it won't look so red. In the second shot the barn looks too dark to me - not enough detail. Just my opinion.
 
Good job on those shots with the equipment you have.

I liked them all except the third one..that branch on the right..is a tad distractive..maybe if u break it off..then the shot would be perfect. Post some clips if you can.
 
Yeah, in the 3rd shot we were just testing a slightly different angle of the establishing shot. I didn't like the branches either... I will probably wait to post clips until we start the actual filming with our real actors. :)
 
Great work here. Very creepy and forboding. We have used a hose for rain in the past and it definitely works. Nobody has ever suspected it was anything but rain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top