Shadows on actors face

[Ewan L]

I'm wondering when this is best used for. I'm thinking of doing a horror short. I've picked up a few tricks along the way regarding cinematography, lighting in particular. I realize that shadows aren't a good thing to have under your subjects eyes, or blocking out key parts of their face.

I've seen it used in a few horrors before, not necessarily when the person is in a dark room, but out in a well lit corridor.

I'm just wondering when is the best time to use this kind of shot in a horror? It can apply to any character.

Thanks.

 

[Paper_bag]

Off the cuff here... There's no particular reason you can't have shadows on someone's face, or use backlight only and leave their whole face in shadow! It just depends on what suits the story. So, two things to bear in mind when lighting someone's face are the amount of shadow compared to light, and the contrast between the darker and lighter sides. Storaro is wont to talk about light representing clarity and knowledge, and it being symbolic which way a character is facing with respect to the light.

Traditionally, down-lighting is considered ugly, particularly on eyes (adds bags; can make eyes themselves look hollow and spookily dead), and people don't like to shoot exterior scenes or photographs at midday, when the sun's coming straight down. So there is that aesthetic consideration. Also, audiences seem to want to see eyes clearly, and feel uncomfortable when even one eye is blacked out; eyes are mirrors to the soul, etc. Having dark eyes literally blocks audience's access to characters' thoughts/emotions, not just symbolically. So, if you pick up a film with dark lighting, often there will still be a light at least reflected in both eyes of the actor. A famous exception is Godfather -- Gordon Willis using overhead lighting to make Brando seem more aloof or mysterious (though, from memory, I think you can still see his eyes most of the time -- it's just that, often, the lighting that sets the mood is from above).

When is the best time to use down lighting? Surely depends on what you're trying to say, what the story/scene is about, and what justification in the reality of the film you have for it (lighting should be motivated; shouldn't ordinarily come from nowhere). There's a lot of variables. What does downlighting mean to you, what can you make it mean, and what does it mean in the context of the piece? Are characters downlit when you're unsure if they're friend or foe, then gradually normally lit as you come to know them? Are sinister characters or villains downlit the entire time? Are characters downlit when their demonic side is revealed?

The other semi-unusual sort of lighting you'll see in horrors is lighting from below. I think Barry Green and David Jimmeron talk about the devil and suggest that this is what people are reminded of (not sure if this is true, but anyway...).

 

[Ewan L]

Off the cuff here... There's no particular reason you can't have shadows on someone's face, or use backlight only and leave their whole face in shadow! It just depends on what suits the story. So, two things to bear in mind when lighting someone's face are the amount of shadow compared to light, and the contrast between the darker and lighter sides. Storaro is wont to talk about light representing clarity and knowledge, and it being symbolic which way a character is facing with respect to the light.

Traditionally, down-lighting is considered ugly, particularly on eyes (adds bags; can make eyes themselves look hollow and spookily dead), and people don't like to shoot exterior scenes or photographs at midday, when the sun's coming straight down. So there is that aesthetic consideration. Also, audiences seem to want to see eyes clearly, and feel uncomfortable when even one eye is blacked out; eyes are mirrors to the soul, etc. Having dark eyes literally blocks audience's access to characters' thoughts/emotions, not just symbolically. So, if you pick up a film with dark lighting, often there will still be a light at least reflected in both eyes of the actor. A famous exception is Godfather -- Gordon Willis using overhead lighting to make Brando seem more aloof or mysterious (though, from memory, I think you can still see his eyes most of the time -- it's just that, often, the lighting that sets the mood is from above).

When is the best time to use down lighting? Surely depends on what you're trying to say, what the story/scene is about, and what justification in the reality of the film you have for it (lighting should be motivated; shouldn't ordinarily come from nowhere). There's a lot of variables. What does downlighting mean to you, what can you make it mean, and what does it mean in the context of the piece? Are characters downlit when you're unsure if they're friend or foe, then gradually normally lit as you come to know them? Are sinister characters or villains downlit the entire time? Are characters downlit when their demonic side is revealed?

The other semi-unusual sort of lighting you'll see in horrors is lighting from below. I think Barry Green and David Jimmeron talk about the devil and suggest that this is what people are reminded of (not sure if this is true, but anyway...).

Thanks.

I knew it generally was considered ugly (downlight lighting), which was why I was hesitant to shoot a shot using it. Like you've pointed out though, it can be effective for making a character more sinister and mysterious, which is exactly the effects I want to create.