lighting for a newbie... help

Jay Rodriguez

Jay Rodriguez

Coffee Member
I'm totally new to the "behind the scenes" area of things and need to learn lighting.
Where can I find info on this? Like what the hell is a soft box and things of that nature....

I know, I'm an idiot but I have an excuse..... I'm new! lol
 
Hi Coffee,
There are some great DVD's available from Birns and Sawyer in Hollywood on Lighting for film. These are done by Foster Denker, a gem of a guy. They should bring you up to speed on your lighting skills very quickly.
Happy shooting!
 
Jeez Louise.... Moles are expensive, I'll grant you that, but there cataloge is one of the best lighting reference manual available, for free... it give complete photometrics for all their lighting units.

Actually, a one ton truck, with Mole gear, ain't that expensive....
 
What kind of gear do you guys have?

Isn't there a "cheaper" alternative than spending a ton of cash to get decent lighting?
 
ah awesome thanks horse......!

Hey what would you, or anyone else who would be so kind to advise me, recomend for a lighting kit? Or maybe just list a few must haves for me?

I will be shoting a few music videos, shorts, and eventually my feature (when the script is complete) so I'll need a nice lighting setup but off a somewhat small budget.

Thanks guys! I appreciate your time and help! :thumbsup:
 
For almost everything I've done, I've been able to get away with using three Britek lights (a 1k, 650w and 200w). If I need more than that, I've got reflectors, foam core, work lights and homemade daylight fluorescents that I can call on in a pinch.
 
yeah i use the britek lights all the time.. the good ones are very well made. I also just got some digipanel fluorescents, which are dimmable and compact, very soft and very thin.
 
Jarred Land said:
yeah i use the britek lights all the time.. the good ones are very well made....
Click to expand...


When you say "the good ones" is there a particular light they make that is better than the others (i.e. 300/600 combo versus the 250 watters)?

I ask because I'm probably about to order from them but your comment made me pause.

Thanks,
 
You could probably find some place close to you that would rent lights to you. There is a place near where i live that rents lights for between $10 and $35 depending on the fixture. $10 is for a Mole Baby 1k and $35 is for an HMI PAR (forget the brand). These are really nice fixtures. You could use some really nice fixtures from a rental house for a long time before you spent as much as the Briteks cost.

Another good thing about renting is that you can figure out how you like to light before you spend money on fixtures that sound cool, but end up not being what you really need. If you stick with lighting, you will want something a little nicer than the briteks and such before too long. they are good for their price and will certainly throw a nice beam, but they have certain limitations that can at best slow you down, and at worst, ruin a scene. It is very difficult to control spilled light with open-faced fixtures. They are NOT bad lights at all, but niether are they ideal for 75% of lighting situations, in my opinion.

I understand budget restrictions (been there... I went with Lowell at that point... there were no briteks). I really wish i had rented until i got better and developed my own style of lighting. I really wish you well! stick with it!

I wonder how many will use my name in vain for saying all this...

Oliver
 
$10 for a 1K? $35 for an HMI PAR? Where is this place you speak of? Those prices are astoundingly low -- those are really, really, really good deals! Here in Vegas a 575w HMI PAR goes for $175/day (including ballast, 2 globes, etc). A 1K baby goes for $40. You're getting prices 1/4 of what we'd have to pay.
 
Wow! I'm in Little Rock, AR. The place that rents is a little stage lighting place called Bylites. We haven't rented from them in a little while, but I think they still rent those fixtures for that. We rent a 1 ton truck now most of the time for larger shoots... it's really loaded down, but it goes for $700/day and you have to hire the driver/gaffer/grip/super-man-guy that goes with it. it ends up costing alot (for this area) but it's the only show in town. In Dallas, you can get a 1 ton truck (loaded with tungsten and HMI's) for about $350, i think. Go figure.

I can't believe they get $175/day for an HMI where you are (maybe I should start renting lighting/grip). That sounds really steep to me after paying so much less for the same thing here. i guess you get used to paying for what you have access to... just a cost of doing business.

Cheers all!

Oliver
 
Correction here... I just check the rental price for the lights I was talking about (it's been a little while). The babies are still the same, but they raised the price on the HMI's to $85 and added bulb time now too! I guess they were losing money! Still quite a bit lower than where you are, huh Barry.
 
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