Lighting Night Exteriors

[Mvadik]

We are shooting some pick-ups for a feature- a night exterior on a road for a car chase and crash. Have had different people suggest a few HMI 1200s or 2 4ks hung high and back. Basically we are just trying to get moonlight look, but want to make sure it is bright enough to capture the crash. We're shooting on the panasonic 3000 24p, with 3 hvx200s as B cams.

 

Any suggestions on light plot or gear would be much appreciated.

 

PS: If this sounds remedial - it probably is BUT our DP took a music video which conflicts with the shoot and we can't push for a ton of reasons. - Thanks again

[Steve McBride]

Use the HMIs (1200 or 4k) and point them up into an ultrabounce so that you get a nice fill over the entire scene. Use different angles on the lights to get a broader range for the fill. You can either do that or rent some balloons to have over the set.

 

Just make sure you don't go too crazy with the light and make it too bright, use what you have for practicals (headlights, taillights, dashboards, flashlights, etc.).

[Daniel Porto]

Use the HMIs (1200 or 4k) and point them up into an ultrabounce so that you get a nice fill over the entire scene. Use different angles on the lights to get a broader range for the fill. You can either do that or rent some balloons to have over the set.

 

Just make sure you don't go too crazy with the light and make it too bright, use what you have for practicals (headlights, taillights, dashboards, flashlights, etc.).

 

Depends if the moon is out or not. You can still use shadows and don't necessarily need to use fill light (I prefer contrast at night.... and at all times) but obviously these shadows shouldn't be too hard and too bright like Steve said otherwise you might loose a sense of realism (but of course up to personal opinion). I remember David Mullen once saying something along the lines of that it is not by how much you light but how much you underexpose.

[David Rakoczy]

PS: If this sounds remedial - it probably is BUT our DP took a music video which conflicts with the shoot and we can't push for a ton of reasons. - Thanks again

 

 

How does your DP want to light it?

 

 

 

p.s. Please change your screen name to your real name per the forum rules.

[DJ Kast]

here's a link to a lightsource I've used, and was pretty happy with.

 

http://www.airstar-light.us/GSE_paramount.html

[Ram Shani]

Mvadik

 

pleas use your real name!

 

like all of us here