Controlling Sunlight through Windows

Sam Javor · December 30, 2004

I have one quick dilemma with sunlight though windows.

Obviously I don't want the halo of light to blank out everything near it so I assume I would set the iris to the window and then add light to the room. However is there a way to dim the light coming though the window? (besides closing the curtains :) ) The out side would be viewable so I don't think a curtain out side to produce a shadow would work. Just something to apply to the glass itself that is realitivly see through.

David Mullen ASC · December 30, 2004

Just something to apply to the glass itself that is realitivly see through.

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It's called ND gel. Probably ND.60 (two-stop loss) or ND.90 (three-stop loss).

Sam Javor · December 30, 2004

..and they're basically held in place with water/soap and a little scotch tape right?

David Mullen ASC · December 30, 2004

..and they're basically held in place with water/soap and a little scotch tape right?

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You can squeegee them onto the glass with some water (and soap, I guess -- don't know, never had to do it myself) or tape them onto the glass with snot tape, or tape them to the outer window frame (pull it tight so it doesn't ripple in a breeze.) GAM also makes ND rolls with a light adhesive.

Even more expensive are ND hard acrylics, which are rigid plastic sheets approx. 8'x4'.

Justin Hayward · December 30, 2004

or tape them onto the glass with snot tape, or tape them to the outer window

If it?s snot tape, than what is it?

You could also just flag off the windows and light it however you want.

Chris Keth · December 30, 2004

If it?s snot tape, than what is it?

You could also just flag off the windows and light it however you want.

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It's not only light directly entering the windows that's the problem. Anything you see outside (trees in the distance, a yard, a baeball field, etc) will be very bright and overesposed if you don't do something. NDing the windows will bring down the effective contrast level (which is all the film cares about as far as over/under exposure) to something within the ability of the film to reproduce.

DavidSloan · December 30, 2004

Pretty much what David said. ND the windows, and you'll be fine. Just make sure whoever does it, knows how to do it well.

Nate Yolles · December 30, 2004

I'd go with the ND, but depending on focus you could stretch a 6/9/12by over the window. So the question would be, when using a 12by double (or other net) in frame, how far out of focus does it need to be in order to not see the bobinette?

Edited December 30, 2004 by Nate Yolles

David Mullen ASC · December 30, 2004

I'd go with the ND, but depending on focus you could stretch a 6/9/12by over the window. So the question would be, when using a 12by double (or other net) in frame, how far out of focus does it need to be in order to not see the bobinette?

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Trouble with the Double Net on a large frame is that (1) it throws the background view out-of-focus (which can look romantic); (2) any beam of sunlight hitting it would wash it out; (3) it only cuts the light by one stop, which may not be enough. However, I have tried this trick on occasion just to knock down a flarey window in the far background.

Snot tape is this stuff on a paper tape roll that leaves a residue of gummy, sticky stuff behind after you peel away the tape.

michael brierley · December 30, 2004

Roscoe and Lee both make a silver/black net that you can staple or tape onto the outside of the window and it cuts the exposure down by two stops- I think it's called Roscoenet or Lee Scrim. It works really well, and is invisible through the lens.

Justin Hayward · December 30, 2004

Snot tape is this stuff on a paper tape roll that leaves a residue of gummy, sticky stuff behind after you peel away the tape.

If it?s not tape? Sorry, stupid joke.

Bob Hayes · December 30, 2004

Choosing the time of day can greatly change the outside exposure. See if you can shoot when the background is primarily back-lit. Doing this might bring your outside exposure down two or three stops.

NathanielR · December 31, 2004

I did a show in Italy under the bright mediterranean sun this summer and one of the locations we had was this hair salon with about 12x6 ornate picture windows. We shot in the location every sunday (the only time we could get it) for the four weeks of shooting in Genova. We were shooting with the dvx-100 and obviously could only handle about two or three stops over before becoming completely blown out. And during the day, the sun was hitting the buildings opposite at an f64 at noon, and changing about four stops during the day. So I had to apply a sheet of nd6 and and a sheet of nd9 to each window, and adjust them during the day. Doing that to 4 windows over 4 seperate days was an absolute pain...but I learned something about gelling windows!

The best way I found to gel was to constantly adjust the gel, smoothing it out, applying and reapplying tape strips. If you do it right, it'll stay forever. It just takes a lot of time and a lot of patience.

I hear there's a patented gel cutter out there somewhere...not a bad idea.

J. Lamar King IMPOSTOR · December 31, 2004

I've been working in a house all week with a very small kitchen, small entry hall with window in door and a tiny bathroom. We don't have enough crew or time to apply gell even to those windows. So I've been using open scrims to knock the light down outside of them. The bathroom and front door are OK because they have pebbled glass. I've been pulling down the mini blinds in the kitchen and cracking them open a bit and it hides the net pretty good but it does have a blurry look to it. The window is small and at the back and I only scrim it far enough to take out most of the blowout but not all.

Sam Javor · January 2, 2005

Thanks for the replys! Most likely I will be applying the gels as:

1. I live at the house we're shooting at

2. I'm the only technically oriented person of the bunch :)

The sheet of acrylic would be best but I doubt I could get one in time on what remains of my "budget" ($500 remaining)...and still have to build the camera pedistal. The windows are small bathroom windows that will be directly behind the actor. The window faces south, so though the sun will be pouring in the enviroment outside will be backlit. We hoped to actually shoot at night to avoid this but the scheduling can't work out.