Hey everybody. I just read a book telling me if you are working with a low budget go out and buy two 500w halogen worklights with tripods and reflect the light off some foil on to the subject. Amazingly enough this improved the overall lighting 100x. It was a great improvement for $30. Does anyone know any other lighting techniques for cheap that I should consider when I am filming my next film...? Thanks, Jack
Lighting Help
- Thread starter JackRyanLangston
- Start date
I've posted tons about lighting around here...I run with ACDelco Clamp lights (Won't fall apart) with GE soft white compact flourescent spiral screw-in bulbs (~$20 / light+bulb) clamped to stands or whatever is available (or held up by someone since the flourescents generate so little heat). Google for 3 point lighting, rembrandt lighting, short lighting and other various portrait lighting techniques.
Foamcore boards for bouncing light around the set, silver fabic to clothespin to the foamcore to bounce hard light with out softening, black fabric clamped to act as negative fill (flags). Lots of stands to clamp stuff to...spring clamps are about $2/ea at Home Depot.
Nose should cast a shadow at a diagonal under the eye (so main light up 45deg and to the side 45deg).
Light on the other side (or bounce the other lights with foamcore) and down at a smaller wattage or farther away to fill in the shadows so the lattitude isn't as great.
One hard light above and behind to cause an outline against the background to define the shoulders and hair.
Try to get the lights to glint in the eyes of the subjects. Catch lights (low wattage lights - like a penlight) can be added to make glints in the eyes as well. If the angle is right on these, you can get the iris to glow and really pop the eyes (your actors will love you for this).
Light the background as well...these lights can be gelled to color the backgrounds interestingly.
Play around and make mistakes...lots of tests.
Visit and add to this thread: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=9597
Foamcore boards for bouncing light around the set, silver fabic to clothespin to the foamcore to bounce hard light with out softening, black fabric clamped to act as negative fill (flags). Lots of stands to clamp stuff to...spring clamps are about $2/ea at Home Depot.
Nose should cast a shadow at a diagonal under the eye (so main light up 45deg and to the side 45deg).
Light on the other side (or bounce the other lights with foamcore) and down at a smaller wattage or farther away to fill in the shadows so the lattitude isn't as great.
One hard light above and behind to cause an outline against the background to define the shoulders and hair.
Try to get the lights to glint in the eyes of the subjects. Catch lights (low wattage lights - like a penlight) can be added to make glints in the eyes as well. If the angle is right on these, you can get the iris to glow and really pop the eyes (your actors will love you for this).
Light the background as well...these lights can be gelled to color the backgrounds interestingly.
Play around and make mistakes...lots of tests.
Visit and add to this thread: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=9597
To add, I usually try to get the nose shadow to go at an angle towards the opposite side of the mouth. Think (\) if the key light is on the subject's upper right side (while facing cam).
I second the rim effect- outline. Very cool way to add depth.
I just recently got introduced to eye-lighting on CU and medium CU shots. Ive noticed it really makes the "hot female that slays the monster" typecast look extremely gorgeous. Its great. imo (Yeah, my last short was a horror)
I second the rim effect- outline. Very cool way to add depth.
I just recently got introduced to eye-lighting on CU and medium CU shots. Ive noticed it really makes the "hot female that slays the monster" typecast look extremely gorgeous. Its great. imo (Yeah, my last short was a horror)