lighting with the DV 55 kit

avatuar

avatuar

Well-known member
Ok guys I've been reading a bunch about how to light and I've done a couple scenes now, but I am really kind of confused when it comes to using which light for what. For instance for a key do u use the rifa softbox, omni, or pro? when to use the tota... etc. I'm light for motion pictures not interviews and anybody who has an opinion it encouraged to share thanks guys!
 
For interviews I originally used a three point set-up with rifa as key, bounce card for fill, pro light as a hair light and the omni lighting the background.

Walter does it a bit different. He bounces an omni as key, spills a bit for fill and uses a pro light as a hair light. He also uses his tiny Grafflight for more fill with EXCELLENT results. Oh and he uses a dimmer on the prolight - also with excellent results. So this is how I would do it in the future. Even if you're not doing interviews you should experiment with this. It give you a good foundation for lighting ratios.

For narrative lighting I think you have to change your thinking a bit. It's not so much about what light to use when, but rather where do you want to place your light and shadows. I know it sounds trite, but it really is "painting with light". The only way to do it is to start experimenting and screw up an awful lot. That's what I'm doing and I'm learning all the time. I will say this, learning to place shadows is just as important as learning to place light - maybe more important. Now that you have the light kit, start accumulating flags, scrims, gels, foamcore, stands, reflectors, blackwrap, clothspins. You don't have to get this all at once, but these are the items that will allow you to shape your light.

The first thing I did was a film noir test. I really do think that everyone should do this. If you're not familiar with the style, go to a bookstore or library and check out some noir stills (grabs) and then try to emulate that. Then plan a scene, even if it's screwy, and light the scene. Light it different ways and see what you come up with.

Matt
 
You know, this is totally going to be the answer everyone hates to get but: "it depends". It depends on what you want it to look like. If you're going for film noir or the "Meet The Beatles" look, a harsh key from a hard light would be appropriate. If you're going for a beauty shot of the lead actress, you probably want the light as soft as you can get it. If you're shooting a nighttime horror moonlight shot, a low strong hardlight. If you're shooting a comedy, you'll likely want a bunch of softlights spread around the room.

Point out some examples and we'll tell you how to get that kind of look. But every look is different, and as Matt said, you just have to practice practice practice about a million different things, until you get a feel for how each light works, how they work in combination, and how you can use them in different ways (diffusing a pro-light, or bouncing into a white card or into a gold card, putting a straw gel on the key light and a light blue gel on the background light, etc...)
 
Alright, for example, I wanted to light an office scene and make it somewhat cold and uncomftorable while still giving my actress a soft flattering light. So I set a softbox on the right as the key which bounced nicley off a white wall for fill and then because I blew out my pro, by not securing the stand clamps (watched it fall, you know the rest) I used a tota bounced off an umbrella for hair. To top it off I used an omni far back to the left near the window, daylight corrected, to enhance the natural lighting. I CC'd a tad to more of a blue and here is the result. Your comments are welcomed!

officecopy.jpg
 
I think it looks good. But it would look good other ways too. This really isn't about "right" or "wrong". Now if you want my opinion on how I might do it differently (not better, just differently)....

This has been lit fairly flat. Me, I'm not into flat lighting. You have some nice depth by the plant but that's about it. See that hot spot in the upper left? I might flag that down a bit or use a cookie. I also might set up a scrim or flag to bring down the desk a tad (especially the papers). Of course I like a darker look so I might have set the exposure differently. But again this all depends. Is this a romantic comedy? Is she deciding whether or not to accept a new job offer? Is she about to reach into the drawer, take out a gun and blow her brains out? Quit her job? Go into the next office and seduce a co-worker? Do you see where I'm going with this? As Barry said, it depends....

Matt

EDIT: If she is going to seduce a coworker, I'd like to audition for that role, please.
 
haha thanks Matt, Yeah I tottally see what your saying. That's great feedback! About that role soory it's been taken:)
rpmancecopy.jpg

... by me!!!! Muhahahaha, as for the grab, I hate using so many filters, but I felt it nesassary for this scene, as this is a day dream of her real boyfriend in the film... so I needed that whole look and feel to convey the message that this is not real. You talked about trying to get the right mood, for that last grab (office) what type of film would you think it was not knowing anything i've told you?
 
Yeah, it looks like she's an anchor at a news desk. Way too flat, but again, we need to know the mood of the scene.
 
Drats, She could have been mine, mine, MINE - if it weren't for those meddling kids...

Uh, the last grab. Hmmm to be honest it looks like a sitcom to me. I like second one better. But again it's flat, just diffused flatness. This is what I meant about getting stuff to control the light. This time it looks like a romantic dream sequence from a sitcom. Why? No shadows. Also you look a little pasty. I think you should cast a swarthy Italian guy in that role. I bet that would make all the difference. I happen to know one....

Matty
 
This is more of a romatic comedy/drama. The office scene is supposed to say, hey this is work, it's boring, I hate it here! and that second scene is a dramatic dream sequence, so I guess I got it right. I seem to have this nasty habit of shooting in front of white walls in close proximity to my subjects which is always a lighting nightmare. I want to get away from that whole sitcom thought process though I want people to look at my shots and go "hey, that looks like a movie" not "hey, that looks like the WB"
 
I see nothing to indicate drama, and not much to indicate romance to be honest. Art is always about what you take away, not what you put in. You've thrown light out there and it's nice and clean. Good. Now start taking it away. Or to think in another way, now start placing your shadows.

Right now it is totally WB, which is good too, but not what I think you want.

How about this. I know what lights you have, tell me what other things you have to control it. Also, post a grab of something you'd like to emulate and we'll see what we can come up with.

Matty
 
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