Skirting a Chinaball
- Thread starter John Chia
- Start date
Andrew Brinkhaus
Veteran
Wrap your china in duvetyne, with some extra at the bottom so you can roll up/down the skirt according to how spotty or flooded you want the light to be.
Black garbage bags work if you want to go cheap and simple. You can tape as many of them together as you want, throw them away when you're done. If you want to make sure you completely block any light from passing through, get thicker bags. Thinner bags can also knock down the light output as well.
thanks for your input guys! Using duvetyne will be more elegant. Using the garbage bags is a genius idea since I can choose to let some light thru.
I need to skirt this cause the ball is giving my balding talent spectacular speculars. I'm actually using this in a studio environment
I need to skirt this cause the ball is giving my balding talent spectacular speculars. I'm actually using this in a studio environment
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
For what you just described as the problem, perhaps using a dot and finger kit will help. I guess it depends on the relationship between actor and light, as well as movement within the frame.
Hahaha, or dulling spray.
Hahaha, or dulling spray.
puredrifting
Major Contributor
The most elegant way is to use a Chimera lantern. They come with built in skirts and velcro for letting the skirts down or raising them up.
On a traditional China Ball, I usually end up floating a 2x3 solid over the ball, then clipping the Duvetine to the frame of the flag. Same idea as the Chimera but a lot more of a PITA to rig. The Chimera shallow lanterns rock and are not that expensive plus they are easier to just stick a real video light onto with a speedring, rather than messing around with a mogul base and the fragile china ball. They are easy to tear.
China Ball = cheap and it works but fragile and a pain to rig
Chimera Lantern = more expensive but quicker and easier.
The end result is about the same if you know what you are doing.
Dan
On a traditional China Ball, I usually end up floating a 2x3 solid over the ball, then clipping the Duvetine to the frame of the flag. Same idea as the Chimera but a lot more of a PITA to rig. The Chimera shallow lanterns rock and are not that expensive plus they are easier to just stick a real video light onto with a speedring, rather than messing around with a mogul base and the fragile china ball. They are easy to tear.
China Ball = cheap and it works but fragile and a pain to rig
Chimera Lantern = more expensive but quicker and easier.
The end result is about the same if you know what you are doing.
Dan
@Ryan Patrick O'Hara : I never knew this dot and finger kit existed. Sounds like something I could use for my puppet film!
@ puredrifting : I wish I had the luxury of getting a chimera lantern. But I'm out of budget . using a low cost chinaball is perfect since its about the least important element. Most of the budget went into more crucial stuff behind the camera and proper kinos. Besides, my chinaball is and will be permanently fixed on the ceiling
@ j : i love this idea!!!!!!!!!
to all: I really appreciate all your responses. thanks sooo much
@ puredrifting : I wish I had the luxury of getting a chimera lantern. But I'm out of budget . using a low cost chinaball is perfect since its about the least important element. Most of the budget went into more crucial stuff behind the camera and proper kinos. Besides, my chinaball is and will be permanently fixed on the ceiling
@ j : i love this idea!!!!!!!!!
to all: I really appreciate all your responses. thanks sooo much