Cool Lights
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Not sure how it got that nickname but its any really small fresnel of around 300w or less I believe. The lens is usually so small that it's mostly usable as an accent or hair light.
My first lighting set.
- Thread starter berlinfool
- Start date
puredrifting
Major Contributor
Berlinfool:
My advice would be, before buying anything, try to PA on some real shoots with a real cinematographer and gaffer. Observe and learn. Gear is expensive and buying the wrong gear for your needs can be very expensive in the long run.
Once you work side by side with pros, you will begin to see what kinds of lights you will need for what you want to accomplish. A common newbie mistake is to buy video gear before you know what you are doing, then discovering a few months down the road that you bought the wrong gear or gear that cannot accomplish what you want.
If you have to, PA for free on some PSAs or student films (if the students have a clue about what they are doing). Call local production companies and offer your PA services for free/low price, someone will take you up on your free labor and you can get a chance to work on a real set with real gear and real crew.
Once you know what you want to buy, but quality gear that will last and grow with your skills. An Arri 650 fresnel is the light most DPs would take to a desert island if they could only take one light. It can be lamped down to lower wattages, it has an exquisite quality of beam and can be used bare, with gels or diffusion or in a softbox. A great tool.
Best,
Dan
My advice would be, before buying anything, try to PA on some real shoots with a real cinematographer and gaffer. Observe and learn. Gear is expensive and buying the wrong gear for your needs can be very expensive in the long run.
Once you work side by side with pros, you will begin to see what kinds of lights you will need for what you want to accomplish. A common newbie mistake is to buy video gear before you know what you are doing, then discovering a few months down the road that you bought the wrong gear or gear that cannot accomplish what you want.
If you have to, PA for free on some PSAs or student films (if the students have a clue about what they are doing). Call local production companies and offer your PA services for free/low price, someone will take you up on your free labor and you can get a chance to work on a real set with real gear and real crew.
Once you know what you want to buy, but quality gear that will last and grow with your skills. An Arri 650 fresnel is the light most DPs would take to a desert island if they could only take one light. It can be lamped down to lower wattages, it has an exquisite quality of beam and can be used bare, with gels or diffusion or in a softbox. A great tool.
Best,
Dan
vertigoanton
Active member
Loved your suggestion, puredrifting. Being a G&E PA or Intern is absolutely invaluable - regardless of the size of the lighting package. I had the privilege of interning on this feature called "I Sell the Dead" and learned so much. The days we used xmas lights were the most fun.
Student films are kind of a crapshoot. Some people don't know what they're doing, while others really know how to get the best out of the crappy and insufficient lights they have available.
Music video shoots are pretty cool because they're short (no more than 2 days) and there are typically a LOT of lighting setups. If they have a good package, you'll see exactly what each light is being used for. If they don't have a good package, then you'll see how they manipulate it to make the light do what they want it to.
There's always something to learn when working on a set...sometimes what NOT to do.
Just my $0.02
Student films are kind of a crapshoot. Some people don't know what they're doing, while others really know how to get the best out of the crappy and insufficient lights they have available.
Music video shoots are pretty cool because they're short (no more than 2 days) and there are typically a LOT of lighting setups. If they have a good package, you'll see exactly what each light is being used for. If they don't have a good package, then you'll see how they manipulate it to make the light do what they want it to.
There's always something to learn when working on a set...sometimes what NOT to do.
Just my $0.02
Cool Lights
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Actually a redhead is an open faced light made by the Strand Company. A fresnel isn't of course. Never heard anyone call a fresnel a redhead before. That's new to me.
http://www.sourceshop.com/product.asp?pid=376
http://www.sourceshop.com/product.asp?pid=376