Newbie : Basic indoor lighting setup ( f.e. restaurant )
- Thread starter senne
- Start date
Gopher_Greene
Well-known member
There's quite a bit of info here already about what lights to buy, so a search should answer your question. You are taking a step in the right direction thinking about what you have to light. Remeber there's two reasons we light, quantity and quality. The quantity of light needed for exposure. Take into consideration your equipment, the DVX, HVX or other cameras. Do you have a lens adapter? answering these questions will give you the quantity you need. Then consider what you are lighting for, Reality, Mystery etc. This will give you the types of lights.
If your not sure then rent lights to begin with, find what works for you and if you rent them often enough, buy them. I wouldn't just buy lights to have them, make sure you can justify owning them.
If your not sure then rent lights to begin with, find what works for you and if you rent them often enough, buy them. I wouldn't just buy lights to have them, make sure you can justify owning them.
Based on 20 years experience, I totally support that advice. If you go to the grip house and are frank about your needs budgets, often you can get a great deal and they can also gve you some excellent pointers. We used to get a truck with everything for $400 a day, and it was always what was full of what we needed. If you are working with a DP or are learning, try as much as possible and keep your eyes open...
Hey guys,
thanks for the reply. I know my question was pretty vague and that experience and training is the key to all of it. But the issue is, that i don't have the luxury to 'test' them they have to be right from the start, or at least good enough.
This also means that i need to know what lighting to rent/buy ( how many watts, softbox or not, etc )
I think it's pretty basic.
Let's say i got a kit with two 300's and one 1000 with softbox. Wouldn't that be good enough to get around ?
It's for a commerical for a restaurant, pretty low budget. It will be played in a flash player, so no HD crispyness is needed here.
thanks for the reply. I know my question was pretty vague and that experience and training is the key to all of it. But the issue is, that i don't have the luxury to 'test' them they have to be right from the start, or at least good enough.
This also means that i need to know what lighting to rent/buy ( how many watts, softbox or not, etc )
I think it's pretty basic.
Let's say i got a kit with two 300's and one 1000 with softbox. Wouldn't that be good enough to get around ?
It's for a commerical for a restaurant, pretty low budget. It will be played in a flash player, so no HD crispyness is needed here.
Gopher_Greene
Well-known member
I just lit a restaurant for a training video sunday, they had flood track lighting that I used to light the backgrounds and for the single person I used a 2k zip, a betweeine and three leds at different spots for highlights. That was a walk and talk with the camera on a dolly. It all depends on how much space your lighting. Are there people in the scene? What kind oif nice mood do you want, romantic dramatic, candlelight? Are you highlighting atmosphere or products? Each of these requires thier own type of lighting. Then there is other things to consider, how much power is available, are you shooting during the day and have to deal with sunlight? or at night but need to make windows look like day? There is just not a generic light set or plan that'll work in every situation, so if you give us a bit more to workl with I can give you a bit more detail.
moonlitnite
Well-known member
Hi Senne,
Sounds like you're on the right track by first identifying your needs before going shopping. At your level, I recommend you first buy and view/review/re-review the training video, "dv enlightenment" (from dv creators). Otherwise, you'll get fixated on gear and miss important details on technique (as interactions with depth of field), tradeoffs between setups (such as fill light versus reflectors), and subtlies of mood/psychological aspects (modeling), etc. If you were at the low-end, bare bones budget, I'd suggest "Digital Lighting Magic 1-2-3" by Elite Video, or if you were doing high-end interviews, I'd recommend "How to Setup, Light, & Shoot Great Looking Interviews".
Have fun and be prepared to ring up the buck$ on your credit card!
Michael
Sounds like you're on the right track by first identifying your needs before going shopping. At your level, I recommend you first buy and view/review/re-review the training video, "dv enlightenment" (from dv creators). Otherwise, you'll get fixated on gear and miss important details on technique (as interactions with depth of field), tradeoffs between setups (such as fill light versus reflectors), and subtlies of mood/psychological aspects (modeling), etc. If you were at the low-end, bare bones budget, I'd suggest "Digital Lighting Magic 1-2-3" by Elite Video, or if you were doing high-end interviews, I'd recommend "How to Setup, Light, & Shoot Great Looking Interviews".
Have fun and be prepared to ring up the buck$ on your credit card!
Michael
filmat11
Well-known member
Ok, I throw in my 2 cents..
Original question: What to buy to light up a restaurant, a bar, and a living room?
Like Gopher Green said, there is quality and quantity, but you might be missing the bigger picture. You mention only 3 differnt types of locations, perhaps these are all for the same assignment...???
Your equipment will be expensive, especially for someone just starting out, choosing the right gear to handle SEVERAL assignments down the road should be considered as well.
After taking several things into consideration like:
Client needs: A big, wide, establishing shot.-A few couples and perhaps a family dinning- Friendly waiters-cool furniture-design-surrondings- the atmosphere-the cool mood lighting(already in place) And it's location.
TIME OF DAY YOUR SHOOTING- Will you shoot this during the day-during off peak hours or at night, perhaps during a day when the restaurant might be closed ?
SET THE MOOD- elegant dinning, or family style place with bright lighting ?
You said a nice mood...Define it. Blasting it with lots of light may indeed ruin the intended atmosphere. Smaller fixtures and edge lights, a chinese lantern or two can go along way. Kino lights or "Cool Lights" fixtures can be very effective for table setups and pleasing facial lighting. These softlight sources, as well as softboxes will definately make any food shoots look great as well.
Obviously, I can't see the establishment, but I suggest that you do not overlight it , but use as many of the "Practical" light sources that this place has to offer and add additional lights to highlight smaller areas of interest.--Actors faces, the food, ect.
All of these things should be taken into consideration prior to filming, and your future needs as well. I can name off a dozen or more things for you to buy, and so can everyone else here, a good Arri kit might work, so would lanterns like I mentioned earlier.
Price of equipment--ouch, perhaps renting gear may be the way to go, and use the money you made from this shoot to invest later, perhaps.
Original question: What to buy to light up a restaurant, a bar, and a living room?
Like Gopher Green said, there is quality and quantity, but you might be missing the bigger picture. You mention only 3 differnt types of locations, perhaps these are all for the same assignment...???
Your equipment will be expensive, especially for someone just starting out, choosing the right gear to handle SEVERAL assignments down the road should be considered as well.
After taking several things into consideration like:
Client needs: A big, wide, establishing shot.-A few couples and perhaps a family dinning- Friendly waiters-cool furniture-design-surrondings- the atmosphere-the cool mood lighting(already in place) And it's location.
TIME OF DAY YOUR SHOOTING- Will you shoot this during the day-during off peak hours or at night, perhaps during a day when the restaurant might be closed ?
SET THE MOOD- elegant dinning, or family style place with bright lighting ?
You said a nice mood...Define it. Blasting it with lots of light may indeed ruin the intended atmosphere. Smaller fixtures and edge lights, a chinese lantern or two can go along way. Kino lights or "Cool Lights" fixtures can be very effective for table setups and pleasing facial lighting. These softlight sources, as well as softboxes will definately make any food shoots look great as well.
Obviously, I can't see the establishment, but I suggest that you do not overlight it , but use as many of the "Practical" light sources that this place has to offer and add additional lights to highlight smaller areas of interest.--Actors faces, the food, ect.
All of these things should be taken into consideration prior to filming, and your future needs as well. I can name off a dozen or more things for you to buy, and so can everyone else here, a good Arri kit might work, so would lanterns like I mentioned earlier.
Price of equipment--ouch, perhaps renting gear may be the way to go, and use the money you made from this shoot to invest later, perhaps.