newbie lighting question regarding mixing pro lights and regular lights

[Clint Nitkiewiz Hernandez]

So, I will be using some 500w(2) flood lights, with the 3200k bulbs, so I consider these pro. Also a frosted shower curtain acting as my softbox, with a few other free (250w) flood lights.

Now then,

there are obviously household bulbs around the house, so when I shoot my drama, feature film,

should I turn the lights off that are available in the house, such as the light switch with the standard bulb on the ceiling which often times looks quite yellow, orangeish, video looking, or should I leave it on, and use the other light in addition?

Or do I put filters in front of those lights, or what do I do with say the standard lights in houses, use them, or shoot light at them as if light was coming from its source?

Also just as far as regular ikea 20w lamps and stuff, can I use these, or do they need filters, and so on?

I know I can do whatever I want, but the results I want, is for my film to screen in 2000+ theatres, and well want the best quality with what I can work with.

So what could I do with the standard lights and extra lamps, toss them and use my 3200 lights only?

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

So, I will be using some 500w(2) flood lights, with the 3200k bulbs, so I consider these pro. Also a frosted shower curtain acting as my softbox, with a few other free (250w) flood lights.

Now then,

there are obviously household bulbs around the house, so when I shoot my drama, feature film,

should I turn the lights off that are available in the house, such as the light switch with the standard bulb on the ceiling which often times looks quite yellow, orangeish, video looking, or should I leave it on, and use the other light in addition?

Or do I put filters in front of those lights, or what do I do with say the standard lights in houses, use them, or shoot light at them as if light was coming from its source?

Also just as far as regular ikea 20w lamps and stuff, can I use these, or do they need filters, and so on?

I know I can do whatever I want, but the results I want, is for my film to screen in 2000+ theatres, and well want the best quality with what I can work with.

So what could I do with the standard lights and extra lamps, toss them and use my 3200 lights only?

Usually when practicals are seen in a film (table lamps, candles, etc), they have been replaced with lower wattage bulbs with appropriate color temperature. They are low wattage as to not blow out obnoxiously bright when photographed by the camera. The light that the practicals 'cast' on actors or background is often cine lights off camera doing the job of the practical, for better look and control. Meaning that candle light on George Clooney's face isn't really coming from that candle on the table, just seems like it.

As far as your Ikea lights, you must find out the color temperature of them. Have you done tests? Do they look noticeably different in color temperature then your cine lights?

Here are some methods to deal with off color temperature practical lights:

The easiest method, would be to purchase the appropriate wattage lights of your choosing in the desired color temperature. Find out how much wattage you need the practicals to be (based on how you are exposing the film), and find a 3200* version of that bulb. Most bulbs can be bought knowing its color temperature.

The second method is gelling. This usually takes a talented PA with scissors. Lamp shades are great because you can gel away inside. I would not recommend gelling on the bulb. The gelling will vary on the type of practical.

A third option, (usually used when practicals highly outnumber the amount of film lights) is to find out what temperature the practicals are, and then gel the cine lights to match. After this is done, white balance to the scene.

For the poor mans solution... at absolute last resort... you could compromise your white balance between the two temperatures to get both as close to correct as possible and fine tune in CC. Not recommended, but might be a decent solution if the practicals are not very far from the cine temperature.

 

[Clint Nitkiewiz Hernandez]

Thanks.

Thanks.

Wow thanks so much Ryan, I was never taught any of that, that is real great info.

"For the poor mans solution... at absolute last resort... you could compromise your white balance between the two temperatures to get both as close to correct as possible and fine tune in CC. Not recommended, but might be a decent solution if the practicals are not very far from the cine temperature."

So what about scenes with candles and orange lights inside, and the character walks outside into the blue filters with a moonlight look all in one shot. Or even when you see cold lighting falling on a shoulder of a character but warm candlelight on their face, do you white balance to the warm or cold?

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

My previous examples were in an effort to make everything match or as in the last resort, get a compromise between the difference of the two.

Certainly the use of different color temperature lighting units has been successfully used since the dawn of color cinema. Just make sure it's justified. In the example you just posted, it is certainly justified because of the moonlight.

It is perfectly fine to have the camera balanced to tungsten on an interior, and have exterior lights to replicate moonlight. This can be done by adding a form of CTB on a tungsten light, or by using an HMI, which will have a blue cast when the camera is set to tungsten white balance.

 

[FBAS]

So what about scenes with candles and orange lights inside, and the character walks outside into the blue filters with a moonlight look all in one shot. Or even when you see cold lighting falling on a shoulder of a character but warm candlelight on their face, do you white balance to the warm or cold?

You can also use the camera preset and adjust your lighting until you like the colors you're seeing. This is basically what they do with film, because film is only available in either daylight or tungsten, nothing in between. (*edit* of course there's filters for film cameras that make defined mired shifts, so actually you can kind of w/b a film cam, it's just not near as easy as with a video camera)
I just shot an interview today with daylight coming in from the windows, I set the camera to tungsten preset, gelled my on-camera light with cosmetic rouge and tadaa: warm skin tone, blue background - and all that run'n'gun style with only an on-camera light.