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Lighting question
- Thread starter Dillon
- Start date
That's not really an issue for the screenplay - if the room is supposed to be lit by a single candle, then that's how it is.
When it comes to actually shooting the scene, though, is when it gets trickier. Whoever is shooting the scene needs to be organised enough to give the illusion of having that one candle illuminate whatever is needed.
Use of off-camera lighting is not unusual at all. It's been done ever since the advent of photography.
Well, a cameraman with a good eye - and also access to a few bits of lighting gear.
Could be as simple as an off-camera desk-lamp, or a few cheap worklights fom Home Depot - or rented gear from your local rental house. You could probably nick some stuff from your buddy's production house. (Just read your other thread)
My last fun lighting gig was supposedly three cowboys around a campfire - only illuminated by the flames. It's exactly what it looks like; noone can see the 1KW lights offcamera, diffused & covered in blue gels. All part of the illusion.
If you storyboard your scenes well enough (and talk to your camera person in advance... heck, even take him/her to the set) that will help them a lot for prep.
Edit: Sticking with cameraman - 'cos it annoys the ladies.
Could be as simple as an off-camera desk-lamp, or a few cheap worklights fom Home Depot - or rented gear from your local rental house. You could probably nick some stuff from your buddy's production house. (Just read your other thread)
My last fun lighting gig was supposedly three cowboys around a campfire - only illuminated by the flames. It's exactly what it looks like; noone can see the 1KW lights offcamera, diffused & covered in blue gels. All part of the illusion.
If you storyboard your scenes well enough (and talk to your camera person in advance... heck, even take him/her to the set) that will help them a lot for prep.
Edit: Sticking with cameraman - 'cos it annoys the ladies.
you need a DP, its easy to light the scene off camera with different lights
If you watch movies where someone is carrying a candle or lantern and it goes out, do you ever notice that the candle goes out, but the light is a split second late to go out? That's because almost all of these scenes have supplemental lighting.
If you are holding the candle very close to the actor's face, you could probably see his face. To light a room, you're going to need other lights. I don't know if you've heard of china balls, but they have a light inside them and the whole ball emits soft, ambient light.
Another technique is to place colored gel sheets that mimick fire light and place a fan by them, so that the light has a flickering effect. This may be too loud to record the actual dialogue, but you could dub it, later.
Another way is to have the candle sitting on a white, gold or metalic base. Shine a tight spotlight down on the candle and the reflected light from the base will light your actors faces, from where the candle sits.
If you have a camera with nightvision, then the candle will be plenty. Depends on how you want it to look. I assume you're not shooting a GHOST HUNTERS episode.
If you are holding the candle very close to the actor's face, you could probably see his face. To light a room, you're going to need other lights. I don't know if you've heard of china balls, but they have a light inside them and the whole ball emits soft, ambient light.
Another technique is to place colored gel sheets that mimick fire light and place a fan by them, so that the light has a flickering effect. This may be too loud to record the actual dialogue, but you could dub it, later.
Another way is to have the candle sitting on a white, gold or metalic base. Shine a tight spotlight down on the candle and the reflected light from the base will light your actors faces, from where the candle sits.
If you have a camera with nightvision, then the candle will be plenty. Depends on how you want it to look. I assume you're not shooting a GHOST HUNTERS episode.
