CHAPTER 6

LIGHTING

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

Explore the Properties of light; Understand the Traditions and

Options for creative Lighting Design; Survey Equipment used to Supply

and Control light; Achieve a Foundation to Translate

your concepts to screen through Lighting design.

ELEMENTS OF LIGHTING

Amount Footcandle Lux (10.75 lux in one footcandle) Inverse square ruleDirection “Throw” of the lightQuality Incident light Diffused lightColor

LIGHTING INSTRUMENTS

MODELING LIGHT

Three-Point Lighting

Key light

Fill light

Back light

MODELING LIGHT

Four-Point Lighting

Background light

LIGHTING DESIGN

Base illumination Available light Motivating light Practical lights Spill Eye light Kicker light Contrast ratios

COLOR

Visible light

Starts at 700 nanometers and ends at 400 nanometers

Color affects mood

COLOR

COLOR THEORY Subtractive color Primary colors:

Yellow, Cyan, and Magenta

Additive color Primary colors in light:

Blue, Red, and Green

COLOR

COMPLEMENTARY COLORS

Yellow for Blue

Cyan for Red

Magenta for Green

COLOR

COLOR TEMPERATURE

COLOR

Mixed Lighting

Filter the windows with orange gel

Filter the artificial lights with blue gel

Use HMI lights, which are balanced to match daylight

LIGHT METERS

Reflected light meters

Incident light meter

Light meters need to know… Camera shutter speed Exposure index (EI) Amount of light

EXTERNAL MONITORS

Field monitor

Waveform monitor

Vectorscope

FILTERS

Lighting Filters Diffusion filters Color correction filters Special effects color filter

Camera Filters Ultraviolet filter (UV) Neutral density filter Polarizing filter Special effects filters Graduated filters

Postproduction Filtering

LIGHTING ACCESSORIES

Scrims Dots Cucoloris Umbrellas Reflector boards and bounce cards Grip stands Gator grips Gaffer tape

POWER AND SAFETY

A/C current 15 Amp circuit running 120 volts can power about 1,440 watts

GeneratorsBatteriesSecure cablesKeep light stands and production

gear out of traffic

THE LIGHTING TEAM

Director of photography

Gaffer

Best boy

Grips

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reflectors and bounce cards

Magic hour

CREATIVE APPROACHES

High-key lighting

Low-key lighting

Pools of light

Shafts of light

SAMPLE EXERCISES

1. Try a Three-Point lighting set-up and record the design on Videotape. Add a background light to expand the experiment to a four-point lighting scheme.

2. Light a human subject Three Different Ways. For each of the three set-ups try to achieve a feeling that matches the artistic styles of Realism, Expressionism and Impressionism.

3. Spend a day shooting test footage of an Outdoor Environment. Document how the light changes Throughout the day.

Copyright 2008 Taylor and FrancisCopyright 2008 Taylor and Francis