flicker effect

Olivier Egli · July 19, 2004

I am shooting a new video in a psychiatric house.

Therefore I want to use a very flickery light style. All my rental house has to offer are flicker free FL tubes which wont probably help when shooting crystal sync, 25 frames/sec with the SR2.

My main lights are 9 K dinos hanging form the ceiling for general fill and kicker and some 2K apollos for highlights, modeling lights and additional keys. Now I also want to add this flicker like effect and sustain my cyan like look (achieved by filtration and grading).

Anyone an idea?

Olivier Egli · July 19, 2004

whyt do you think, would a mercury vapor lamp help the effect?

or is it safer to do it in post as well?

David Mullen ASC · July 19, 2004

You need to either shoot off-speed with AC-discharge lights with ordinary ballasts, or use tungsten lights on flicker boxes, or both. I've never put anything as big as a Dino on a flicker gag though -- I don't even know if it's possible. If so, you'd need a bunch of flicker boxes.

Post would create an overall image pulsing but not some lights flickering more than others.

I'm not sure why you need to worry about post being "safer" -- the worst thing that could happen on the set is if the flicker wasn't strong enough and you had to augment it in post.

Eric Steelberg ASC · July 19, 2004

As David suggested, replace the dinos with HMI/magnetic ballasts, shoot in slow mo, like 50, and if there is any performance just have the playback sped up by the same amount as the film that way when you play back at 25 the music will be in sync. Or you could shoot at something like 16 and transfer at that speed as well giving a nice slow shutter effect and still have the flickering lights.

9k Dinos for fill and ambiance?!? That's a hell of a lot of "horsepower" for a location. You should have no problem getting deep focus.

Olivier Egli · July 19, 2004

I know about the horsepower of the dinos. the thing is that the room will be extremely bright and almost blow out compared to the dark skin of the actors which will be just a bit over key.

I also want directional light so it is obvious where the light is coming from. the walls are an even painted white which should reflect the light coming off the silver floor in a way that you think the walls are glowing. thought of going 3-4 stops over key on the walls as I dont need details on them (they dont have any).

would you suggest anything else than my 9Ks with frost for this purpose? A reading got me 500 Fc, 125 would be my key... would I be better off with just a few 2Ks hanging off the ceiling with heavy diffusion?

Eric Steelberg ASC · July 19, 2004

You can look into 6k coops which will give you a bit softer light and they'll be easier to rig as they're meant for hanging. Keep in mind though they will make your set HOT...just like the Dinos will. Everyone's going to hate you. Do not underestimate this fact. Be prepared. 2k space lights would probably do the trick as well.

Olivier Egli · July 20, 2004

I know, if I wanted the task to be fulfilled easily and comfortably I would have to rig a dozen of 3 bank kinoflos, which would also give me the desired look. But here it is a question of budget and time. I think we have access to scoops or skylights, I will have to check with the gaffer today.

Anyways, I am mostly looking into getting the THX/ 2001 space odyssey in the final room look. It was also acheived with underneath lighting, which I cant do in this one (budget!).

Does anyone else have a suggestion to get this low contrast, diffused, evened out whiteish look to the room? There will be a nurse and a male nurse and a physist in it that will also bloom, but the main actor and his wife have a much darker wardrobe and no fill in the face in order to seperate them from the rest.

for close shots with shallo dof should I try to create more light and shadow pools to help give it a compressed feeling?