Got a job filming an indoor jazz concert. Last minute, the client mentioned he wants me to do the lighting. Not full on stage lighting, just enough to light my shots it seems. Trying to determine exactly how I should do this without taking away from the mood and performance. I need to get in touch with him again to see exactly what he is expecting, but I thought I'd get some ideas in the meantime. What would you guys use to light your subjects at a concert?
Lighting for an indoor jazz concert
- Thread starter SeaWoof
- Start date
Bern Caughey
Veteran
Most likely Source Four ellipsoidals.
JPNola
Veteran
This is difficult to answer because there are so many ways of going about it. Many ways of lighting it if you have a big budget and also many ways of lighting it if you have almost no budget.
I've lit such on the cheap, using ARRI fresnels.
The trick is placement of the shadows. You want the lights positioned high in order to "send" the shadows of the performers downward. In order not to have the shadows of the performers shadowing each other or making ugly shadows on a back wall / backdrop. But placing lighting units high up isn't always possible if the ceiling is low or you are unable to mount the lights to any sort of grid in the ceiling / truss.
But in a pinch...an ARRI 650 place high on a stand to one side of the room, an ARRI 650 placed high on a stand on the other side of the room. Key & fill, one of the ARRI 650's scrimmed or lightly diffused. 2 ARRI 300's in each back corner of the stage, acting as backlight on the performers and also providing some opportunity for flare effect on a camera working low. Add "party gel" colors to the back lights as desired or possibly add another light that creates a wash of color on the background.
That is the "meat & potatoes" way of doing it. Somewhat old-school. That is how the following example is lit:
A more stylized, more "moody" manner of lighting it would be to light it with soft-light. Possibly china balls and some soft up-light placed next to / hidden from camera view by the performers audio monitors at their feet. You could even have china lanterns in-shot, on-stage, dimmed way down. Various sizes of china lanterns makes for a cool look on camera. As done here:
A relatively cheap way to create some up-light at the feet of the performers is one of those LED light-ropes with some white sheet material or muslim type material placed over the string of lights so as to soften and eliminate sharp shadows.
Search images using search words "jazz club band" and you'll get a sh*t-ton of examples. Many of the images showing the lighting being employed.
I've lit such on the cheap, using ARRI fresnels.
The trick is placement of the shadows. You want the lights positioned high in order to "send" the shadows of the performers downward. In order not to have the shadows of the performers shadowing each other or making ugly shadows on a back wall / backdrop. But placing lighting units high up isn't always possible if the ceiling is low or you are unable to mount the lights to any sort of grid in the ceiling / truss.
But in a pinch...an ARRI 650 place high on a stand to one side of the room, an ARRI 650 placed high on a stand on the other side of the room. Key & fill, one of the ARRI 650's scrimmed or lightly diffused. 2 ARRI 300's in each back corner of the stage, acting as backlight on the performers and also providing some opportunity for flare effect on a camera working low. Add "party gel" colors to the back lights as desired or possibly add another light that creates a wash of color on the background.
That is the "meat & potatoes" way of doing it. Somewhat old-school. That is how the following example is lit:
A more stylized, more "moody" manner of lighting it would be to light it with soft-light. Possibly china balls and some soft up-light placed next to / hidden from camera view by the performers audio monitors at their feet. You could even have china lanterns in-shot, on-stage, dimmed way down. Various sizes of china lanterns makes for a cool look on camera. As done here:
A relatively cheap way to create some up-light at the feet of the performers is one of those LED light-ropes with some white sheet material or muslim type material placed over the string of lights so as to soften and eliminate sharp shadows.
Search images using search words "jazz club band" and you'll get a sh*t-ton of examples. Many of the images showing the lighting being employed.
rob norton
Veteran
JP without getting into a heavy mood = "this" discussion, just wondering why you say the china balls are more moody? Your fresnels example seems more moody to me.
To SeaWoof, if the venue lighting makes for a nice concert then I'd try convincing your client to embrace it and let you concentrate on shooting. For example, is there time to pre-light with people in place? What if adjustments are needed during the performance etc.?
If you have help - extra set of hands/stand-ins then this opens up more doors but it sounds like you don't?
Greg Smith
Veteran
More questions than answers --
How large an ensemble? Is there an actual stage, or are the musicians on the same level as the audience? Most important, what is the mood and style of the venue before adding extra lighting for video? Is there anything you're just as anxious to hide as to reveal by your lighting? Do you need audience reaction shots? How many cameras are being used to cover it?
- Greg
How large an ensemble? Is there an actual stage, or are the musicians on the same level as the audience? Most important, what is the mood and style of the venue before adding extra lighting for video? Is there anything you're just as anxious to hide as to reveal by your lighting? Do you need audience reaction shots? How many cameras are being used to cover it?
- Greg
JPNola
Veteran
Yeah, I could see where the idea of china balls sounds less "moody" in that they tend to spill everyplace and makes things rather flat. All a matter of the level of spill-control, I suppose. Fresnels uncontrolled, washing out the background, can produce a somewhat flat scene. Like in this example:
The level of luminance on the performers and the back wall is roughly the same. Not much modeling taking place. "flattish".
Whereas in the following examples, where a china ball is used, there is more "mood" and modeling:
I was even thinking of the OP hanging dimmed china balls in-shot, as a set element onstage / background. Like this:
...with one or two china balls at full power, hung just in front of the stage, to act as the key light for the performers. The top of those two china balls draped so as to control upward spill and send everything more downward.
Jim Feeley
Veteran
Great stuff from JP and everyone.
SeaWoof, in addition to Greg's questions, one thing to perhaps think about: Will all or some of the musicians need to be able to read any sheet music, charts, etc?
SeaWoof, in addition to Greg's questions, one thing to perhaps think about: Will all or some of the musicians need to be able to read any sheet music, charts, etc?
paulears
Veteran
You have two choices, light for illumination or light for mood. Some great suggestions here but when it boils down - the quantity of kit is the real thing. If you have a solo musician, then you can give them some face light, then with just one other source - make them stand out, or create shadows or do loads of net things. If you have five musicians, to do the same thing means maybe seven sources. If you want just to illuminate them - then your two sources one flood will do it. What you simply can't do is light a big space with many people artistically.
Without knowing the venue, it is hard to say what to use, but if I were to guess, I'd agree with Bern. Some ellipsoids are the ticket.
First off, thank you all for the advice. Definitely shed some light on an area I've been lacking in (get it? Shed some light?)
What ended up happening was that the client advised they will provide the lighting, then when I showed up to the gig they said they don't have lighting. I end up getting by with the venue lighting which provided a nice feel, but I still have some editing to do in order to deal with slight noise from higher ISO. Here is a sample I threw together https://vimeo.com/225792863
You guys are great and I will definitely be putting the advice and techniques you've provided to work on my future projects, especially when I do this venue again. Thank you!
What ended up happening was that the client advised they will provide the lighting, then when I showed up to the gig they said they don't have lighting. I end up getting by with the venue lighting which provided a nice feel, but I still have some editing to do in order to deal with slight noise from higher ISO. Here is a sample I threw together https://vimeo.com/225792863
You guys are great and I will definitely be putting the advice and techniques you've provided to work on my future projects, especially when I do this venue again. Thank you!
Classic. At least he can't complain about the lighting. The shots look nice.
Last edited:
Jim Feeley
Veteran
Looks great!
Greg Smith
Veteran
You did a nice job with what you had to work with there.
