More Lighting Equipment for a Small Indie Film

NextWaveG

NextWaveG

Well-known member
Hello all,

I've got a pretty descent light kit right now for doing interviews and small scenes. Here's what I've got:

3x 600w, 1x 200w, 1x 100w - Briteks
3x CL-SFT1 Softbox Kit 5600K Cool Lights
2x Smith Victor Photofloods
Lots of foam core, blackwrap, gels, etc.

This kit works great for small stuff, but I've been asked to DP a small indie film. It will be a drama and mostly done indoors. My budget for lighting will probably be around $2k. I might get more, but it depends on how much investment the producers get.

Also, we're planning on shooting all on DSLR which should improve our light performance.

Do you guys have any recommendations for added light kits. The cooler the better since it will be indoors. I've been considering building some DIY fluorescent banks.

Thanks.
 
I think a 1200 or 575 HMI would probably be the best thing to pick up right now. You can get one used for a little over 1000 bucks. You'd also have to get a junior stand, but I'm sure that can also be had for a hundred or so if you look in the right places.

I would probably also grab two c-stands, a very small flag/scrim set, and one 4x4 frame for diffusion.

It all sort of depends on how much you can find this stuff used for. Just browse around craigslist, ebay, and pyramid films and I'm sure you'll find everything you're looking for.

The reason for just suggesting this one light is because none of your lights now are very professional solutions. You could definitely use something that packs a punch and will be with you for years and years to come...and with the 1200, it's definitely enough light to work with even outdoors.
 
How many shooting days are scheduled? You can get a lot more and a custom package by renting.
 
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So I met with the producers last night and was able to bump my budget up to $5k-$6k.

This is what I'm thinking right now. I love the idea of fluorescent, but I'm having trouble finding the perfect light in that setup. For soft light they're great, but the second I need a hard light I'm back to a fresnel.

So I'm thinking these two kits:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...96_Arrilite_Fresnel_Four_Light_Combo_Kit.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...994_Four_Light_Fresnel_Mini_Kit.html#features

 Along with several c-stands, diffusion panels, flags, srims, etc. No softboxes, just spend that money on attachments for the c-stands.

Thoughts?
 
More food for thought. You can get 4 1000w fresnels from us along with scrims and softboxes for well under the price of that first kit:

http://www.coollights.biz/cltf1000-1000w-compact-tungsten-fresnel-p-58.html

http://www.coollights.biz/cool-lights-clsrb1000-fresnel-softbox-p-122.html

http://www.coollights.biz/clscr1000-1000w-scrim-p-130.html

Thus your budget will go farther. We're out of stock on the smaller 150w and 300w tungsten fresnels at the moment but do have the CDM 70 fresnel in stock which is a daylight HMI-like version of the 300w for only drawing 70w.

http://www.coollights.biz/clmf0070-cool-lights-fresnel-p-120.html
 
Please please don't buy kits like that. I just bought 2 2k zips, a 1k baby, and 2 source 4 ellipsoidels for 600 dollars. Once I pick up a few baby stands, I think my kit would arguably be just as good if not better than that Arri one.

Plus, you've already got a bunch of tungsten lights. For the rare cases that you'll use them, you've got stuff for now.

Just look for those used HMI's and kino's. I just finished a feature a little while ago and we lit 90% of it with 2 1200 pars and an assortment of kino's.

Plus...for even half the price of that 1k on cool lights you can get a mole 2k with barndoors and scrims.

http://www.pyramid-films.com/

Sure you can't have every light in your package be a 2k, but if you can get that for 150 bucks, think of the other deals you can get.
 
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I've had good luck with the Cool Light CFL moguls, haven't tried the fresnels or flo banks yet. Although I did have one problem with the Cool Light CFL softboxes. The wire rods kept poking through the ends. I ended up using gaff tape and staples and now it's fine. They would probably benefit from some reinforcement though before being sent to customers.
 
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