Shooting at noon in CA

berlinfool

berlinfool

Well-known member
I'm going to shoot a little short at noon in Griffith park tomorrow and I'm freaked out by the hard sunlight.
I did some tests today and it's not pretty.
Anyway - we're going to shoot it.
My plan is to use a screen between the sun and the actors and also a reflector to even out exposure.
Backgound stays tricky.
Today I put the zebras on 85% and and adjusted the aperture and ND Filters untill they disappeared from the actors faces.
I'm going to keep the sky out of the frame and going to use the darker hill side as an background.
Any more ideas?
I need to play it save, since we're spending some money.
 
I think you have thought of just about everything here. An ND grad filter is your friend.

How will you compose the shots? That would be useful info for people to see any further options.
 
berlinfool said:
I'm going to shoot a little short at noon in Griffith park
My plan is to use a screen between the sun and the actors and also a reflector to even out exposure.
Click to expand...

Not sure if what you call a screen is what I call a net, but yes, I'd use a single or double net with bounce fill in front and maybe a shiny board behind.

bt
 
How will you compose the shots? That would be useful info for people to see any further options.
Click to expand...
I have some wide masters, medium and close shots.
Some of it is static, some are tripod pans and I'm also going to shoot some handheld shots while walking with the actors (!).
I didn't want to mix handheld with tripod but the director insisted.
 
Not sure if what you call a screen is what I call a net
Click to expand...
I don't have a net - it's a translucent fabric on a photoflex frame.
What I noticed today is that its filtering effect is a bit too strong.
Do they have nets at studio depot (Mole-Richardson) on La Brea?
I could pick it up on the way to the shoot - how would I attach it to my frame?
 
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Berlin, I think you may be referring to a silk?

Anyway, no doubt mole will have "6 by" (and 8x8 and 12x12 and so on) nets etc, you can check the website to make sure, but you might want to look into renting. Have you checked out Wooden Nickel?

After re-reading your post I think the smallest frame you want to consider is a 4x4. I use these for stand ups and interviews. If you're covering any kind of action this will be insufficient for you. You may consider using 6x6, 8x8, 12x12, 20x20, etc. These are tied to sqaure frames and mounted on heavy duty stands.

If this is a little guerilla shoot and you go with the 4x make sure to get sand bags to hold your stand in place, it gets windy out there and you don't want anyone getting hurt.

Disclaimer: I'm not a grip, just a cameraman. Always make sure to hire or consult a professional before using professional equipment.
 
ALso, if it's guerilla shooting, be ready to be kicked out without a permit. I speak from experience.
 
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