sea cave lighting on no-budget ?

[Randall_Oelerich]

If I wanted to light the inside of a sea cave to film a couple of actors in it, what is a doable cheap way to do this? I would use my Canon VIXIA HF100 with an underwater housing, wear a scuba suit to stay dry and warm, actors would kayak into the cave. Wondering if I could pull it off by just having a couple of assistants in their shining some high wattage waterproof flashlights onto a white reflector board to get bounced diffused lighting of the actors? Or some other way? This would be part of my first indie feature film, and I would not have big buget money for expensive waterproof studio lighting and batteries or however Hollywood does it. Any ideas? Or does my idea sound doable?
Randall

 

[PerroneFord]

Where are you filming this?

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

The north shore of Lake Superior, e.g. this location would be the easiest and closest to the main location:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOHOU2p7s54
But sea caves of the Apostle Islands seem better lit, but would require travel a few hours from my city and the main location where the rest of the film occurs; still, light looks better and visuals looks much better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3Y-kbqpRx8&feature=related
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=apostle+islands+sea+caves&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
No nasties to worry about (no sharks, etc)., all clean but very cold freshwater.

I have an indie film I am writing that would take advantage of these cinematic locations as well as others in the area where I live (Duluth MN).

Where are you filming this?

 

[Mattykins]

Can't those things be really dangerous?

I don't frequent sea caves. But I would put safety first before anything. That said - I don't see why reflection won't work. You would need to gel the flashlights though. Which is easier said than done.

You need to get an accurate color temperature reading on the flashlight and then gel to whatever light source you want to achieve. I assume daylight. It would take a little bit of work. But a bounce would do it. For what it's worth - it's how I would do it.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

Thanks for the tips, all good. These sea caves are on Lake Superior, so no tides or sharks or other nasty critters to worry about (maybe a hungry lake trout nipping at a toe LOL), no being boxed in by ocean waves, tides. Some safety concerns to be sure, but a whole lot safer I should think than actual sea caves along a sea or ocean.

Can't those things be really dangerous?

I don't frequent sea caves. But I would put safety first before anything. That said - I don't see why reflection won't work. You would need to gel the flashlights though. Which is easier said than done.

You need to get an accurate color temperature reading on the flashlight and then gel to whatever light source you want to achieve. I assume daylight. It would take a little bit of work. But a bounce would do it. For what it's worth - it's how I would do it.

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

If I wanted to light the inside of a sea cave to film a couple of actors in it, what is a doable cheap way to do this? I would use my Canon VIXIA HF100 with an underwater housing, wear a scuba suit to stay dry and warm, actors would kayak into the cave. Wondering if I could pull it off by just having a couple of assistants in their shining some high wattage waterproof flashlights onto a white reflector board to get bounced diffused lighting of the actors?

Don't know how 'cheap' it is to setup with dive gear for everyone, going to location, etc. but I would probably think about setting up a 'studio' shot, and only go to the actual location to pick up 'cutaways' to give the impression of the talent being there.

Flashlights to me would not have enough umpf to do it well.

So, some sort of 'rock background' wetted down, some water in a kid's pool, white plastic or other water proof 'board' at the bottom of the pool, and high wattage lights shining into the pool, then adjust lighting to give the cave effect.

 

[J.R. Hudson]

If shooting the kayaks entering, I'd expose for the daylight and shoot the subjects in a sillouette. For actual dialogue and close up's I'd shootthem turned towards the incoming light.