So, I was on a shoot a few days ago.
We were lighting a bar scene along with some people at the table a few feet away.
The director wanted it to look bright. The bar is part of a restaurant area, so he didn't want to make it seem as though it was a dark bar.
It was light from mainly behind the bar, so the shadows would be on the camera side.
The problems were, the way they did their over-the-shoulder shots. They weren't really over the shoulder. It was still pretty much straight on, but a bit on an angle. Its like this:
The actors were standing horizontally to the bar facing each other. The camera would be in between them so one is on one side of the frame and the other is on the other side staring at each other with the bar in the BG. When they did the over the shoulder, they moved the camera like 1-2feet to the left/right and then panned. Not much of a difference from the 2-shot.
So, when lighting was done. You did not see the key much at all. It was always hidden on the other side of the face. The over-the-shoulder was poorly done that the far eye was barely ever seen.
We tried to light key from the bar, but then after all this, the key was never seen so they were constantly in shadow.
Key- f/4 (Exposed to f/4)
Shadow- f/2.8
The bartender who was behind the bar, was lit to a 4. And since he was facing the camera all the time, he was always well exposed and did have good contrast.
But the actors were not in good contrast.
Lighting was fixed so the key would be on the other side, but then when they FINALLY did a proper over the shoulder near the end, contrast ratio was a 1-1.
First, was the right thing done that it was exposed to a f/4 to the key and the fill would have been a 2.8?
Exposing to key.
So, what happens if the actor is facing sideways and the key light is hidden, what do you do then? Still keep it at a 4 and let them be dark?
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Another situation:
The actors are at f/4.
The bar top is at a f2.8 as its lit from more above the actors and the bartender behind the bar is again an f/4.
If we go onto a closeup of the glasses on the bar, shouldn't the lights be moved up so its exposed at an f/4?
Or do we keep the lights as they are and expose to an f/4 when the reading is showing an f/2.8?
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Light shining through glass:
beside the bar were a stack of glass bricks. (About 6X6" not too sure)
So, the light is shining through them towards the actors.
Are you supposed to use the spot/reflective reading?
Like on my light meter I have a spot meter.
So, am I supposed to use that to see how bright the light is?
Using that reading, it was showing up as an f/16.
Or was it supposed to be done with a normal reading?
We were lighting a bar scene along with some people at the table a few feet away.
The director wanted it to look bright. The bar is part of a restaurant area, so he didn't want to make it seem as though it was a dark bar.
It was light from mainly behind the bar, so the shadows would be on the camera side.
The problems were, the way they did their over-the-shoulder shots. They weren't really over the shoulder. It was still pretty much straight on, but a bit on an angle. Its like this:
The actors were standing horizontally to the bar facing each other. The camera would be in between them so one is on one side of the frame and the other is on the other side staring at each other with the bar in the BG. When they did the over the shoulder, they moved the camera like 1-2feet to the left/right and then panned. Not much of a difference from the 2-shot.
So, when lighting was done. You did not see the key much at all. It was always hidden on the other side of the face. The over-the-shoulder was poorly done that the far eye was barely ever seen.
We tried to light key from the bar, but then after all this, the key was never seen so they were constantly in shadow.
Key- f/4 (Exposed to f/4)
Shadow- f/2.8
The bartender who was behind the bar, was lit to a 4. And since he was facing the camera all the time, he was always well exposed and did have good contrast.
But the actors were not in good contrast.
Lighting was fixed so the key would be on the other side, but then when they FINALLY did a proper over the shoulder near the end, contrast ratio was a 1-1.
First, was the right thing done that it was exposed to a f/4 to the key and the fill would have been a 2.8?
Exposing to key.
So, what happens if the actor is facing sideways and the key light is hidden, what do you do then? Still keep it at a 4 and let them be dark?
------------------
Another situation:
The actors are at f/4.
The bar top is at a f2.8 as its lit from more above the actors and the bartender behind the bar is again an f/4.
If we go onto a closeup of the glasses on the bar, shouldn't the lights be moved up so its exposed at an f/4?
Or do we keep the lights as they are and expose to an f/4 when the reading is showing an f/2.8?
-----------------
Light shining through glass:
beside the bar were a stack of glass bricks. (About 6X6" not too sure)
So, the light is shining through them towards the actors.
Are you supposed to use the spot/reflective reading?
Like on my light meter I have a spot meter.
So, am I supposed to use that to see how bright the light is?
Using that reading, it was showing up as an f/16.
Or was it supposed to be done with a normal reading?