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Post one of your setups


DavidSloan

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Hello folks,

 

This is my first post, and reading through this thread I've been amazed. I am by no means a professional. I also have zero background with real lighting. I am, firstly a director and an actor. Regardless, I figured I might as well jump in here and share three shots of my own. I am very much a fan of stark, dramatic lighting, ala The Godfather. These are stills from an unfinished project that I was working on, myself, with my XL1s. That is me in the shots. For the computer desk shots in the corner I simply used the practical light on the desk.

post-7213-1120006297.jpg

post-7213-1120006325.jpg

 

For the still with my head in my hand, I turned the exposure way down so I could keep the lamp on the desk as it was. To compensate, I used a metal scoop lamp with a 40w about 6 ft behind me.

post-7213-1120006260.jpg

 

I realise these are not up to par with the rest of the footage you folks shoot, but I'm here to learn as much as I can.

 

 

Mark Mushakian

http://www.backstage.com/backstage/resume/...t_id=1090541064 A Shameless Plug :)

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I'm generally happier if I can get away with lighting a face from one side with a big soft light and no fill...  Few things are as beautiful as a face lit by a window, ala Vermeer.  I think a lot of us would love to just use one light coming from the perfect angle for a scene.

 

One type of light I wish were easier to replicate is dappled sunlight, where the sun comes through high leafy tree branches becoming a pattern of out-of-focus circles dancing about.  I love light that is moving in some way, or changing.

 

I totally agree with this. Lighting doesn't need to be complicated, some of the most beatiful shots are made from one source (i.e. candle, fireplace, window, etc.).

 

I especially love the film noir look with dark deep shadows, and I dislike flat tv "sitcom" lighting.

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One type of light I wish were easier to replicate is dappled sunlight, where the sun comes through high leafy tree branches becoming a pattern of out-of-focus circles dancing about.

 

Have you tried this before? This is something I?ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven?t had the opportunity (or reason). My apartment is filled with this light around 7pm and I catch it on the sidewalks in the mid afternoon. It?s beautiful. I'm curious what it would look like with a little atmosphere indoors.

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I think they are ok, practicity is good chance to work common sense issues

Did you had a star filter on? or was ccd handling direct light ? if so the first one, please dont use this!!! next time try to move any reflective item - in this case will be the laptop, so It doenst have that "distracting " reflections from light sources, let the screen be portrayed for light values itself, then place light values from sources as they should be. Best method for this is try reading luminances, with a spot meter ( well thats just my method )

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Okay, here's one of my latest - my first experience with the Sony HVR-Z1U HDV camera. I measured the Z1U at 125ASA with my choice of creative settings so this camera needs a bit more light than most pro-sumer video cameras.

 

"Quest" is a speculative excerpt from a feature script. Director, Tim Caswell, designed and built a set with an eye to manipulating the image in post. With input from me he added surrounding light panels to provide a means to light the set from "practicals." Careful blocking and continuous tuning with scrims and nets further refined the practical keys. Every close-up involved additional talent modeling with soft-box and hair lights.

 

Post-pro grading and manipulation further refined the image to achieve the director's desired look.

 

Here are some low-rez frames:

 

quest_12g_1.jpgquest_06a2_02_1.jpg

 

quest_12c_08_1.jpgquest_15b.1_02_2.jpg

 

The lighting diagram and full-rez frames can be found here:

 

Quest Photography

Edited by mmorlan62
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Michael Morlan,

 

Were you happy with the Sony Z1? I couldn't help but notice a good degree of video noise in some of the full rez stills as well as an overall softness to the image found particuarly in this image.

 

The frame you reference is after creative manipulation which included;

 

o reduced saturation;

o level adjustments to crush blacks and blow out whites;

o slight bit of noise added.

 

There seems to be this ongoing tendency to munge up a perfectly good frame. ;-)

 

For a better idea of the Z1U's image, take a look at the camera original frame and frame after "best-color" grading:

 

Camera Original Frame

Best-color Frame

 

(Of course, all of these images have had pixels added horizontally as the still frame was stretched to fit a 1:1 pixel aspect ratio.) I'll post a camera original frame without stretching for an even better reference.

 

To answer your question: I was quite pleased with the image coming off the Z1U. The glass isn't an $8000 prime but it's pretty damned good for a pro-sumer zoom. Color is pretty good and I was damned surprised by the camera's latitude - near 9 stops - not bad for video. All this from those damnable 1/3" chips, so decent control over depth-of-field is a challenge. Generally, the iris was wide open for this shoot. I'm sure the lens is sharper at a more central stop but I needed as shallow a DOF as I could get.

 

My only other criticism is that the camera is 1080i. While the Japanese favor that format, it doesn't have much use in Europe and the U.S. From some articles I've read, de-interlacing should result in around a 850p image (after the Kell Factor and detail lost to interoplating fields.)

Edited by mmorlan62
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Hi,

 

Well, that at least answers the question as to whether HDV can actually look any good. The compression artifacts are few to none; yikes, I'd better see about getting hold of one of those...

 

Phil

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Hi,

 

Well, that at least answers the question as to whether HDV can actually look any good. The compression artifacts are few to none; yikes, I'd better see about getting hold of one of those...

 

Phil

 

 

HDV suited this project because the director wanted all shots to be locked down, evoking 1950's low-budget sci-fi. But, the HDV MPEG2 codec starts to get stressed by lots of movement, so be sure to test a camera with the production aesthetic you desire.

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  • 5 weeks later...

WHAT HAPPENED?

DID WE STOP LIGHTING SCENES?

 

LETS START POSTING... GREAT THREAD!!!

 

 

 

Here is a shot I did for one of my close-ups. I wanted it to look soft, warm and elegant.

I used a 500watt photoflood with a Opal at 3200 degress kelvin as the key light coming from the right. I really didnt want any fill so I used a kicker/backlight at a 10 o'clock position using a 250 watt photoflood bounced of a silver reflector with a 1/2 blue ctb.

Oh, I also used a 812 filter and a 1/2 black promist.

 

post-5236-1123732446.jpeg

 

What do you think?

 

thanks

Edited by Ckulakov
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I'll take morning light through a window to light her face at 45 degrees. Then

throw some catch light at her(1/2 less intense) off to the side of the camera,

positioned so we see sparkle in both eyes,thus providing both catch and fill

light. Really just a modified type of butterfly lighting. I think its a sin to use too

many lights,overlight I mean. I like idea of window light being dominant. Sweet

Jesus,there really is no end to it you know! You could have 20 lights and a name

or reason for each one. Your back light could be your key! You could add an acc-

cent light to an earring, or a broach around her neck(snoot it).

 

Greg Gross

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Thanks for the kind words everyone!

 

The setups were fairly straightforward. Stills 1 & 2 were keyed with 1k tungsten fresnels through 4x4 frames of 216, from behind in a back cross light. In still 2 there were some hard sources (150w worklights) scattered about in the background. In still 1 there was some low angle frontal fill from a Kinoflo, and some roving hard light beams (300w fresnels) to suggest moving lights in the club. Both setups were heavily smoked. Still 3 was lit with a ringlight and two kickers. The kickers were a bit harder than I would have liked, but we were fighting an unmoveable deadline to wrap. A lot of nuances went out the window towards the end of that day!!!!

 

There were some night exteriors on the shoot as well. Hopefully I can post some of them up, when I get them.

Edited by Stuart Brereton
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  • 1 month later...
I don't know about anyone else but I think that this lighting set - up is'nt really all that good.  I thought this forum was about advise from professionals. Sorry Mr. Haas but I really don't think you should be giving out any advise to someone. 

 

I'm not professional or anything, but I think I have good taste, and this left me with a horrible taste in my mouth, I hope the whole movie is'nt like this or else you have a problem!

 

Maybe I'm too harsh...but it seemed a bit out of focus as well.  I suggest you get a much better 1st A.C. who would see that.  I know some good one's if you want.  A Really good Gaffer as well, maybe he can help you with lighting as well.  Maybe add a bit more fill or something? 

 

Please will someone add something new to look at, I'm kind of depressed now.  I thought I was going to see something worth while to teach and help me.  Well at least I learned what NOT to do. 

 

Mr. Haas, good luck with your career!

 

 

Brett,

I am sorry you didn't like the shots I posted, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

However you have obviously missunderstood, neither of these are frame grabs, and as my 1st AC didn't pull focus on the still photographers little digital stills camera your point is invalid and shows a lack of understanding of filmmaking, as does the tone of your post.

When you graduate from film school you will realise that being able to voice your opinion and creative thoughts in a constructive and helpful way is a vital element to being included in a professional film making crew. I have come across a few people in the industry who have been very rude and obtuse in giving their opinions on-set and none of them have lasted very long working with other professionals. As David rightly said, this forum is not only for professionals, and although I do not consider myself by any means as accomplished as many of the people on this forum, I have got three feature credits as D.P and have shot countless shorts, music videos, and adverts etc..I have worked for many different Directors and producers who have all been happy with my work, enough to keep hiring me for upcoming projects.

I think this is sufficient at least to be able to partake in a trade of information in which I can learn from more experienced people on the Forum (such as David etc.), and people less experienced (like yourself) can hopefully learn from my experiences. When I get the chance I will post actual frame grabs (as opposed to stills from the stills photographer) from this short, Then you can truly give your opinion on my work (and that of my AC and gaffer who are both outstanding professionals).

Cheers.

Tomas.

 

Hello everyone,

I had forgot about this thread, but as promised here are some actual FRAME GRABS (from the production camera, not still photographers camera!) for everyone (including Bret) to critique.

Enjoy.

Tomas.

post-4583-1127543235.jpgpost-4583-1127543354.jpg

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Hello everyone,

I had forgot about this thread, but as promised here are some actual FRAME GRABS (from the production camera, not still photographers camera!) for everyone (including Bret) to critique.

Enjoy.

Tomas.

post-4583-1127543235.jpg

I really like the way you got the glasses on the bar to pop out without being obvious. How many seperate lights are backlighting them?

 

I'd forgotten about "Brett". What a laugh. Thanks for reminding me. I don't think that really counts toward you having been publicly dissed as he had no idea what he was talking about.

 

Off-topic, but I've been wondering Tomas: In what way, if any, are you related to Rem Koolhaas, the architect? I was pulling for his design at ground zero in NY. I think he was much less likely to get steamrolled by David Childs the way Liebeskind was.

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post-8298-1127568964.jpgpost-8298-1127568994.jpgpost-8298-1127569020.jpgpost-8298-1127569041.jpgpost-8298-1127569075.jpgpost-8298-1127569105.jpgpost-8298-1127569137.jpgpost-8298-1127569195.jpg[attachmentid=670[attachm

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nt=671:attachment]post-8298-1127569261.jpgpost-8298-1127569286.jpg

 

ENOUGH OF MY GRABS FOR TODAY i GUESS?

 

I ve got really jealous with all this wonderfull work u have posted here , but no envy anyone, Just got the motivation to post some of my frames too.

Any judge will help me get better.

Dimitrios Koukas

post-8298-1127569217.jpg

post-8298-1127569239.jpg

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