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Films to watch for best lighting

Hi

Just a beginner looking for some inspiration, any suggestions for some films to watch to expand my knowledge on lighting or even just amaze me?

Cheers
 
Like good editing, you shouldn't notice the lighting in a film. Do people realize the goal is to suspend belief?

That being said... Lighting in Hollywood is pretty on point. I can give you a list of any Hollywood films and the lighting will be good. It's only once I give you a list of indie films do you see the difference between good and bad lighting.

Go watch... The Godfather.
 
The lighting done on the three original Lord of the Rings films is very broad in terms of locale and setting, especially since some of it had to be blended seamlessly with other footage and both indoor and outdoor locations and green screen stages. It's far more convincing and subtle than The Hobbit films turned out to be, and the style isn't so strong that you make notice of it. It really does suspend one's disbelief due to its effectiveness in a story that does a good job of drawing you into its world.
 
Casablanca & Suspiria are both movies with excellent lighting that helped set the mood.

SkyCopeland - You are right to an extent; however sometimes lighting creates moods that are meant to be obvious. If you just want a scene to look good then yes the lighting shouldn't be obvious.
 
Like good editing, you shouldn't notice the lighting in a film. Do people realize the goal is to suspend belief?
.........

Yes, but... besides lighting that seems natural, there is also the film noir and the expressionistic approach where lighting can be far more theatrical, even to a point is can get over the top. But as long as it fist the world of the movie and makes sense in that universe it is ok.
 
Yes, but... besides lighting that seems natural, there is also the film noir and the expressionistic approach where lighting can be far more theatrical, even to a point is can get over the top. But as long as it fist the world of the movie and makes sense in that universe it is ok.

Ehhh I'd have to disagree. The lighting only seems natural in mainstream movies because we watch them. There is nothing natural about it. It's not how day-to-day life is lit.

If you were someone who watched film noir beyond the casual person trying it out, once again the best lighting would be the one you don't notice.

We can go so far as to say even stylized films like Sin City you shouldn't notice the lighting. Which in fact my first time watching the film, I didn't notice it.

With movies I don't really "catch" anything from watching the movie as a patron. It's only once I actually sit to watch a movie for research that I notice the specifics of the scene.

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Also, in terms of lighting I can show you a scene from any movie, and then give you 10+ different lighting plots to achieve that look. We'll never know what they actually did.
 
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