Simple way to darken walls?

[Colin Theys]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm going to be shooting a quick project in an abandoned old municipal building. It's got a great, decayed old look, but the walls were all painted white back in day and the rooms are a bit small to easily control spill well. All the white makes me unhappy.

I'm trying to think of a way short of painting everything to make the walls darker without completely destroying the aged texture and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with such situations that might give me any new ideas. I was thinking of getting my hands on a paint sprayer and blasting everything with a thin coat of watered down dark paint or stain of some kind. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

Thanks,

-Colin

[Saul Rodgar]

The only ways that I know of dealing with your problem are two: painting the set's walls before you shoot or doing it digitally after the fact. It usually is far easier -and cheaper- to do the former than the latter. All of the 10 plus features I have been part of have done it that way - and if they can't afford to paint the walls of the set, a new set with non-white walls is found.

[Colin Theys]

The only ways that I know of dealing with your problem are two: painting the set's walls before you shoot or doing it digitally after the fact. It usually is far easier -and cheaper- to do the former than the latter. All of the 10 plus features I have been part of have done it that way - and if they can't afford to paint the walls of the set, a new set with non-white walls is found.

 

 

Hey,

 

I'm afraid that we're going to have to end up painting, but I'm trying to find a way around it, not because we can't afford it, but because the existing place already looks so great. We're trying to create exactly what we've already got... but not so bright. If we painted, the walls would look new and we'd have to go through and mess them all up from scratch, while we have a beautiful array of stains, scratches, graffitti, burns, etc. already in place that I would love to keep if possible.

 

Thanks,

-Colin

[David Rakoczy]

Easy.. increase your Key to Fill ratio...

 

Light to a much higher Stop and cut it where you want the walls darker... even Black!

[Chris Keth]

Easy.. increase your Key to Fill ratio...

 

Light to a much higher Stop and cut it where you want the walls darker... even Black!

 

This is a good answer. It is MUCH easier if the walls are something other than white, though. With white walls it is possible, but difficult and time consuming.

 

I would save yourself the headache and paint the walls. You can use cheapo paint, it all looks the same on camera.