Hallway

[Kyle Geerkens]

I'm about to do a shot with a dolly back following the subject down an appartment hallway.

 

and ive heard that these are notoriously difficult, and im starting to agree!

 

i dont have the access to light from inside other tenants doorways so here's what i was thinking i would do?

 

i have to keep this simple and the track is about 7 seconds long at a slow walking pace.

 

 

im thinking i will affix a soft source 250 on the dolly above the eyeline and use a barrauda pole to hang another one above and behind the subject as a backlight motivated by the overhead lights in the middle of the ceiling

 

 

do you think this will work?

 

 

Thanks

[Adam Frisch FSF]

They are tricky.

 

Try to build the lights into the set or/and beef up existing lighting. That's usually the only way on long corridors unless you're on a set. You can try to swing a light on a pole from the dolly, but chances are it's going to end up compromising your framing and it's hard to make it interactive with other sources in frame comvincingly.

[Steve Zimmerman]

If you don't see the ceiling in the shot you could hang chinese lanterns along the ceiling, taping or tying up the stingers or extention cords. Use tungsten photoflood bulbs if you are concerned about color temperature, or higher wattage household bulbs for a warmer look.

[Paul Bruening]

It would be much easier on you if the director would dump the dolly and find another way to achieve an effective shot.

 

Just a thought.

[Luke Prendergast]

If the ceiling is out of shot I like to bounce something big and spotted off it.

[David Mullen ASC]

I've had the art department put fake header beams in hallways to hide lights behind them -- sometimes you can get away with some foamcore painted to match the walls and ceiling.

[Paul Bruening]

Hey,

 

David's suggestion is really good. I remember the barracks scenes in Stripes They used the rafters to hide lights and still get up-angles. I'd go with David's idea. In fact, I'm going to steal it and use it myself.

[Jeremy]

What kind of natural lighting is in the hallway? And how can you augment it? Flourescents? Tungsten? I lit a 120 ft long hallway by replacing the flourescent bulbs that were overhead, and then every now and then had a fixture out, so the character would run in and out of darkness. I also hid 650s behind a wall indention and bounced them into the ceiling which added some nice bright patches for the character to walk through as well.

 

Each hallways is different, but start by seeing what natural light you have and go from there!