Flags and Scrims

Jesse Rosato · September 2, 2004

I feel like I understand what a flag does, i.e. help prevent spill light from leaking into unwanted areas. But, is there a specific style or shape for flags? Is this a "build it at home" type thing? I hope this isn't as stupid of a questions as its sounding like right now.

David Mullen ASC · September 2, 2004

Flags are either use to remove or reduce light on the subject or to block light from hitting the camera or to create shadows.

They are usually made of heavy black cloth (duvetine) wrapped around a metal frame with a pin sticking out on one side to allow it to be gripped by a gobo head. There are LOTS of sizes and shapes. Common ones are 24"x36" 18"x24", 48'x48", etc. There are "blades" which are longer in one direction, like 12" x 48". There are really small ones called "fingers and dots". Some are "floppies" meaning they have an extra flap of duvetine folded up and held with velcro that can be pulled down. This is common with 48"x48" (4'x4') flags so you can effectively create a flag that is 8' tall by dropping the skirt down.

Sure, you can make you own flags out of anything opaque that can be held up by something. It's not uncommon to carry some black showcard or foamcore and cut it up to make flags on a shoot. Also you will have some rolls of black cloth that can be cut and used for this purpose (like to tape a black skirt to the ceiling around an overhead light to flag it.)

Phil Rhodes · September 2, 2004

Hi,

You can certainly make flags but the issue is what you're going to hang them from. I often get looked at very strangely by people when requesting six off C-stands, 18 sandbags, 12 clamp heads and arms etc but that's the amount of support kit it takes. The flags themselves are an easy homebuild but to hold them in the right place, particularly given even the slightest breeze, is much more difficult and expensive.

Phil

Kevin Zanit · September 2, 2004

I have goten odd looks when a list of gear had 28 C-Stands, and various grip parts totaling over a hundred items. It gets used extremly quick once you start making odd rigs and such.

Kevin Zanit

Michael Nash · September 3, 2004

When I got the G&E order for the last feature I gaffed, the DP's list only said six c-stands. In going through the order with him I said, "everything looks fine, except for 6 c-stands. That doesn't seem like enough." He said, "well, what do you think -- eight?" I kept my mouth shut since he was veteran DP, but I was thinking, "no, it should be like FORTY!"

We ended up with something like 15, and used every one of them.

Carlos M. Icaza · September 5, 2004

Michael,

Am currently shooting my short. On Thursday I went to my studio and I picked up all my 10 C-Stands. Then I told my director to pick some up for me while he was at a G&E rental house. He told me how many and I said I wanted another 15. We had a total of 25 C-stands, and *WE* were short a few. Grrrr.... Quickly one learns the call "Hollywood it".

C.-

Phil Connolly · September 6, 2004

I always order a couple of 8' by 4' black/white polyboads for every shoot I do. They are cheap and I always find reasons to use then, both as flags, reflectors and gobos etc..

They really useful because you can cut them quickly cut them to the size you need, on set. But they don't last that long (wear and tear etc) and you will still need C-stands to hold them in position.

Blackwrap is also good for makeshift tiny flags.

I also second Phil Rhodes comments about sandbags, you can never have enough - think how many you need, then get more.

One thing I've noticed the more shoots I do - the number of lights I spec isn't going up, but the number of stands/clamps/flags/sandbags is going up - I guess I'm learning.

Jesse Rosato · September 8, 2004

Thanks everyone. As always, extremely helpful.

Matt Pacini · September 15, 2004

One upside to making your own flags using foamcore & blackwrap, is that you don't need C-stands to support them.

They're so light you can use lightweight grip equip to mount them, gaffers tape them to stuff, etc.

Matt Pacini

Adam Frisch FSF · September 15, 2004

....As long as you realise that blackwrap is the most expensive thing ever made. It's the black gold!

Riku Naskali · October 5, 2004

One upside to making your own flags using foamcore & blackwrap, is that you don't need C-stands to support them.
They're so light you can use lightweight grip equip to mount them, gaffers tape them to stuff, etc.

Assuming you have something to tape them to :). I've been shooting in a lot of places where you have no mounting points whatsoever, and you cannot even tape anything to walls. Come to think of it, I seldom have the change to grip even any lights from ceiling, which kinda sucks usually.

Phil Rhodes · October 5, 2004

Hi,

Microphone stands work well as flag stands. They have the adjustable head and extending arm built in that you'd normally have to make out of C-stand bosses and stuff. Very lightweight so no good in a breeze - not only because they'd fall over, but because the clamps are not built to take any real strain. I guess you could sandbag the legs, though.

Phil