What are some good uses for these gels?

[David Calson]

187 Cosmetic Rouge - http://www.filmtools.com/s1cosroug.html

 

791 Moroccan Frost - http://www.filmtools.com/leegelsheet716.html

 

775 Soft Amber Key 2 - http://www.filmtools.com/leegelrol775.html

 

188 Cosmetic Highlight - http://www.filmtools.com/31-lee-s188.html

 

I'm starting to interview shoots, buying a gel pack with these included, they warm up the skin, make it look more pleasing perhaps? thanks.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

Can't think of any reason to use the rosey colored gels, unless I'm really going for a dynamic image. Maybe if you're interviewing a greenskinned martian, they would help ;)

 

But generally with your key lights, you want to stick to either straight tungsten or daylight or a cocktail of both (like a 4 bank Kino with both daylight & tungsten tubes) for some nice natural skintone. Occasionally I'll warm it up with a 1/4 CT Straw or CTO rather than the Amber gels you posted because I know precisely what they do, but I wouldn't go more extreme than that if you're just doing basic interview stuff.

 

Apart from that, learn to use diffusion gels to get what you want, cosmetically. 250 is a nice grade that I use often, and 216 works well when you're really trying to fill in some wrinkles. And if you have the budget, it's best to work with 4x4' frames of diffusion so you can cover a larger area and soften the light up even more by walking the frame close to the actor.

 

A lot of DP's who do interview work make use of softboxes A LOT because they're simple and produce a really nice soft source. I own some Photoflex softboxes which I use quite often.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Exactly what Jonathan said. Stick to diffusion and your basic gels most of the time. Sometimes got a little crzy with + or - green if you want some effects like a "slickly" color to lights, CTO and Straw are nice, so is Amber on occasion. I have some 099 Chocolate I use on occasion.

I also like to "warm up" tungsten lights just a little bit on talent for a little more of a golden skin tone, with 1/8th.

 

Also, if you're buying gels on the cheap go with 1/2 CTO and CTB, in my opinion it's more flexible to have 'round than a full or a 1/4.

[David Rakoczy]

187 Cosmetic Rouge - http://www.filmtools.com/s1cosroug.html

 

791 Moroccan Frost - http://www.filmtools.com/leegelsheet716.html

 

775 Soft Amber Key 2 - http://www.filmtools.com/leegelrol775.html

 

188 Cosmetic Highlight - http://www.filmtools.com/31-lee-s188.html

 

I'm starting to interview shoots, buying a gel pack with these included, they warm up the skin, make it look more pleasing perhaps? thanks.

 

 

Those are generally a combination color shift and diffusion Gel. They can do some interesting things depending on the skin tone, make up and processing being used. Cool they are included... test them.

[David Calson]

Hey thanks for all your responses

 

I got a swatch book and grabbed my camera light. I saw a nice difference. Shooting tungsten through some 216, I looked pretty pale, but the soft amber warmed me up without looking orange, but more skin tone peachy, these might come in handy...