ND Sheets?

S

ShaneB101

New member
Shooting Day Interior scenes can be hard, especially if there are windows involved. Getting the exposure right can be very tricky. But every time I read a text book or article on how to control exterior light from windows during an interior shoot, it always mentions ND sheets that I can use to stick on the windows to lower the light by 1 or 2 stops.

Wonderful. I'm sure it works well, but:

Where do I get these sheets, how much are they, and if they are super pricey, does anyone know of any other things to use to get the same effect?

Thanks
 
Shane, ND gel is often found like Barry said at either an equipment retailer, or more commonly, expendables outlets or rental houses.

Depending on the usage, ND comes in different intensities, with differing stop equivalents. You can buy it in .3 (1 stop), .6 (2 stops), .9 (3 stops), etc. Unfortunately a roll is usually well over $100, and you will most likely need a roll to cover most windows. If you use sheets, you might have problems with edges, as well as crumples in the plastic. The sheet needs to be free of scratches and kinks in order to become invisible on the windows.
 
I suggest either
1) mounting the gel in a frame and mounting the frame over the window
2) using a small amount of soap, water, and a squeegee to get the gel to stick (just like all the window clings at Taco Bell)

If you have a scrim you can use it to the same effect. If you're shooting with tungsten lights, you can get a CTO+ND gel that can make it much easier to match color temps. If your windows are small, you can probably gel them for less than you'd expect, but if you want bigger than 21x24", you'll need to get the roll instead of sheets.

Has anyone here tried the color correcting acrylic 4x8 panels from Lee?
 
I have some CTO + .9 ND that I have used in the past. For small, normal house sized windows it can cover quite a few if you cut it right, and some gaff will hold it there if you take a few minutes to get it right the first time.

If you have a small lighting package, I would definitely recommend the CTO + ND over the ND alone. Not loosing one or two stops on your lights because of CTB to match temerature there can be the difference between a hot cluttered set and one much more comfortable to work in.
 
The soap, water and squeegee method is best, but in a pinch it's good to have some "snot tape" handy just in case. If the gel buckles you can have trouble with reflections.

The acrylic panels are great if you can get to the windows from outside. Very quick.
 
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