HD at a Night Bonfire

[Bob Hayes]

I?m shooting a project on Varicam HD. Some of it takes place at night around a large Bonfire. Any ideas about how to expose and light it? I?m concerned about the fire blowing out or the lights that light the background not being bright enough.

 

Bob

[Mike Brennan]

I?m shooting a project on Varicam HD.  Some of it takes place at night around a large Bonfire.  Any ideas about how to expose and light it?  I?m concerned about the fire blowing out or the lights that light the background not being bright enough.

 

Bob

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Bob, I did a bonfire on HD last year. It was a huge affair around 50 feet high.

The light from the bonfire was enough to light spectators.

In respect of a smaller bonfire the same balance as film should be required.

Flames in general are about as bright as winter sunlight. If you want to see flames and subject in same frame you ned to balance. You could try grads in an appropriate frame if you are on a limited budget

Fuel that burns at a low temperature has a richer flame.

 

Knee saturation (does varicam have some thing like this) will give you colour in the highlights of the flames.

Balance it as though it were film and then add another stop for the talent.

You can really nail the exact exposure of the flames with a good monitor.

 

 

 

Mike Brennan

[Michael Nash]

I'd light it the same way you would for film, just maybe add more light if you want to retain more color in the flames. I've shot plenty of video with night flames and it's never bothered me that they "white-out" a little bit. There's always enough "corona" or glow from the fire with orange in it to sell the idea of fire.

 

But otherwise the usual tricks apply: add off-camera lighting gelled full CTO, punching through or around the bonfire to the subjects on the other side. Usually takes two sources, cross keyed. Use with or without flicker to taste.

[Leon Rodriguez]

Bob,

Not dead sure but I'll brainstorm on it with you. I think I would over light talent a bit with the fire color and of course establish the fire as the source direction and stop down the whole thing together. Put some movement in front of the source to make it flicker. If it's still blowing out you could turn a .3 nd grad sideways and frame the hot spot to the side. Or you could use a pair of scissors and cut an ND or gray gel so that the line is obsured by a tree or darkness. Or you could position talent or an object in front of the hot spot but still get the part of the fire that doesn't blow out. I'd measure the color temp. I't's probably going to be in the 2000's. Just thinking out loud here. Hope it helps.

[Bob Hayes]

I'm loving the idea of using an ND grad!