Fuji Eterna Vivid 160T VS Lighting Issues

Frederico Beja · February 26, 2008

Hi

I need some advice on this matter.

I'm shooting an intense and very character driven film.

I'm looking for a Hi Con and Hi saturation, with the sharpest image.

Hard Candy could be a good example...

After doing some research, I ended up falling in love with the Fuji Eterna Vivid 160T stock (pretty much all of the film takes place indoors).

But now I have a problem... Although this stock has the mood I'm looking for, it requires lots of lighting.. And because this is a low budget film, I only have one 2k, three 1k, and some 750s and 500s...

Plus, I'm using an Arri SR2 (16mm), with a zoom lens that only allows me to go as wide as a T2.8

The good thing is that I'm planning to get deep shadows vs hot lights (on faces), because of the nature of the film, with lots of long lenses and CU, so I could walk in some lights, but I still have a problem with a few wide shots I have.

You thought things couldn't get any worse? Well... they can. I wanna shoot inside with day time looks, with light rays coming from windows (and I don't have HMIs...)

Now what? Should I stick to this film stock (will I get enough from the lights I have), or should I consider the Eterna Vivid 250T? (this might work, but I'd really love to use 160T...)

Oh, and renting more lights is out of the question, the budget is really tight...

Let me know what you guys think, if you have any experience with the 160T let me know how you did your lighting!

Thanks!

Oron Cohen · February 26, 2008

You thought things couldn't get any worse? Well... they can. I wanna shoot inside with day time looks, with light rays coming from windows (and I don't have HMIs...)

Thanks!

Hi,

for me your lights (2K,1K...)are to small to create the "rays of lights" affect. even if you will use a 500T stock it's not enough lights if you want to light from outside the room, also you will need to over expose a little bit(to get richer blacks) what will lower the sensitivity even more.

I think you need to think in a different way, in the low budget film maker way...what I mean is that you need to use your tools and not fight with them...

Oron.

p.s- I shot recently with the vivid 160T and I agree it's beautiful:-)

Edited February 26, 2008 by Oron Cohen

Frederico Beja · February 26, 2008

I think you need to think in a different way, in the low budget film maker way...what I mean is that you need to use your tools and not fight with them...

Hi Oron

Thanks for your reply!

Yeah, I know what you mean.. If I keep the Close-Ups and tight shots, I can work with what I have.

My problem are the wide shots.. Should I consider use the 160T for the CU, and a faster film (250T) for the wide shots, and then work the color correction in telecine?

Chris Burke · February 28, 2008

Hi Oron

Thanks for your reply!

Yeah, I know what you mean.. If I keep the Close-Ups and tight shots, I can work with what I have.

My problem are the wide shots.. Should I consider use the 160T for the CU, and a faster film (250T) for the wide shots, and then work the color correction in telecine?

Here is a still of a short I did. The stock is Eterna 250T. Super 16. We really didn't have a huge light kit either. Sorry to the low quality of these frames.

Adrian Sierkowski · February 28, 2008

Chris, I absolutely love your bar shot! What were you using for it lighting wise? I'm assuming those overhead practicles are just for show.

Mike Simpson · February 28, 2008

Thats a pretty rough light kit. Have you considered spending your money on lights rather than film? Film looks great and all but you dont wanna spend all your money on it and not have the equipment to expose it.

I feel dirty for suggesting this...

Oron Cohen · March 1, 2008

Hi,

Sorry to say this, but I think even 500T won't be enough for a wide shot, if you want to create a ray of light effect.

Personally I would have 2 solutions for this kind of problem:

1- I would pick out a location that have a time in the day when direct sunlight enters through for a few hours of the day and then plan the shooting schedule around those hours.

2- the other solution is just to drop the "ray of light" effect and go for another lighting set-up that will be more suitable for your lights.

Hope its help,

Oron.

P.s-

Of course you can just convince the producer to rent a 6K HMI with a small generator?

David Auner aac · March 1, 2008

Now what? Should I stick to this film stock (will I get enough from the lights I have), or should I consider the Eterna Vivid 250T? (this might work, but I'd really love to use 160T...)

Try pushing 1 stop. That would give you 320 ISO but increase grain and make the stock more contrast. I have no personal experience with 160T but I know that Fuji's reversal stocks (it was Provia F100 and Velvia100F IIRC) keep up quite well when pushed.

Cheers, Dave

Chris Burke · March 1, 2008

Chris, I absolutely love your bar shot! What were you using for it lighting wise? I'm assuming those overhead practicles are just for show.

I was the director/producer for this one. Although I was very involved in "look" and I had very clear visuals in mind going into the project. We used the Eterna 250T as our only stock for the whole shoot, many interiors and exteriors, day and night. We did not have much money at all and could not afford a huge light kit nor the grips. The piece really lent itself to a higher contrast lighting with lots of shadow, so we really didn't need lots of lights. In the bar, he used 650s and 1k fresnels I think. The praticals were mostly for show, but the walls sconces were functional in that we used them to show off the red walls.

I have a few more stills I can show, but I seem to have run out of space on the server. I can't seem to figure out how to delete previous stills I have uploaded, does anyone know how I do that?

chris