Best way to shoot Day for Night on video?
- Thread starter flckfreak
- Start date
I've never tried it with video, but used to do it with super8 film back in the day with acceptable results. We used a blue filter (with video you might be able to cheat the white balance enough by balancing on something orange) and avoid shooting the sky, as that spoils the illusion. Underexpose just a little, and it works best if there is direct backlight or edgelight on the subjects (cloudy days are bad, and avoid shooting directly frontlit) Experiment a bit. Tape is cheap.
Maybe plan a couple of lockdown shots with the sky framed in the shot, and matte out the existing sky and add a moon and stars. You could maybe enhance the blue in post if needed. As I said, I've never tried it with video, but if I were going to experiment, that's how I'd start.
I just shot a scene in mid-afternoon that i intend to make day for night.
Here are a few things that would have helped me to know before i did it.
Underexpose your image slightly. Cant stress how important that is.
Get the lighting right and try not to get the sky in the shot (mentioned above)
Increase the contrast and color correct the image blue.
the cu shots of my actors are fine but at somepoint during the rished shoot the sun came out and went back in again. This has left me with some shots with an intense area of white where its edgeing on overexposure which i can just about get away with for the stylised look im going for.
But those shots dont carry of the day for night look so well. Im still fiddling with them to see if i can get them right.
Here are a few things that would have helped me to know before i did it.
Underexpose your image slightly. Cant stress how important that is.
Get the lighting right and try not to get the sky in the shot (mentioned above)
Increase the contrast and color correct the image blue.
the cu shots of my actors are fine but at somepoint during the rished shoot the sun came out and went back in again. This has left me with some shots with an intense area of white where its edgeing on overexposure which i can just about get away with for the stylised look im going for.
But those shots dont carry of the day for night look so well. Im still fiddling with them to see if i can get them right.