How do I light a group of extras on a dance floor?

[Rowland Kimber]

Hello,

 

I'm shooting a music video focusing on a dance area about 30 wide / 20 deep. The extras/dancers (20-30) will be placed towards the back in a slight ark surrounding the main artist who will be in the center singing to camera.

 

The director wants a cool funky style like: nelly furtado 'Promiscuous Girl'

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=266cihhiNcw

 

I will need a wide/mid/close-ups.

 

My Lighting Proposal:

 

1x large hmw as a top/key light, behind the camera

2x fills either side, not sure what light to use

1x back light, or not?

1x keno diva light for close-up to pick out faces for close ups

 

To get the color effects would I use different colour gels over the lights?

 

Thanks, hope you guys can help!

 

Rowland

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

There are various setups in a club in that video, not sure which look you're going for.

 

The green, blue or gold setups?

 

Either way, they all seem pretty simple. On some of these shots, a backlight would have made them a bit more interesting and stylized, you could consider it.

 

ps- I don't understand what happened to Nelly Furtado (and I'll include Gwen Stefani in this), I dig the more free spirited rocker versions of them as opposed to the club hitmakers. :)

[Rolfe Klement]

it is often a nightmare setting up the shots like these

 

My trick is to take about 10 or 15 spot lights (650W fresnels etc) on full spot and place them in a wide 10meter semi circular arc fairly high above the talent then just shine them in towards the centre point of the arc.

 

Now move the main talent downstage from that center point - towards the camera about 2 meters

 

Then light the main talent the usual way (kinos, ringlight and 2 back kickers)

 

works quickly, dancers can adapt - the cutaway shots are often so quick no one can make head or tail anyway

 

thanks

 

Rolfe

[John Carreon]

I would also stress that art dept and costuming are very important in this video...each "color scene" has all the people dressed in shades of that color which helps make it pop out even more.

 

I think people often overlook this aspect of cinematography...

 

Thanks,

 

John

[Rowland Kimber]

it is often a nightmare setting up the shots like these

 

My trick is to take about 10 or 15 spot lights (650W fresnels etc) on full spot and place them in a wide 10meter semi circular arc fairly high above the talent then just shine them in towards the centre point of the arc.

 

Now move the main talent downstage from that center point - towards the camera about 2 meters

 

Then light the main talent the usual way (kinos, ringlight and 2 back kickers)

 

works quickly, dancers can adapt - the cutaway shots are often so quick no one can make head or tail anyway

 

thanks

 

Rolfe

 

Thanks for the advice Rolfe. If I couldn't get hold of 10-15 fresnels, would u recommend using 2 hmi's and flooding the whole thing, or would that just look boring?

[Rolfe Klement]

the more seperate hard light the better- you can even use cheap theatre lights. I am sure you can rent about 10 of them for almost nothing

 

Lighting with 2 HMI's...

You could hard edge light everyone from the side and use the other HMI as a frontal book light - for nice softness

 

thanks

 

Rolfe