Lighting bedroom - cool to warm

[Jabril Muse]

Hi All!

 

I'm shooting a scene in two weeks which will be one long take.

 

The scene is in a bedroom. A man faces a window next to his desk. The camera is set-up facing him, we will see to the back of the room. Picture a hotel room layout. I would like the look to go from this http://www.gmanreviews.com/wp-content/uplo...ael-Douglas.jpg

 

to http://media.theiapolis.com/d8-i13I-k9-l14...idris-elba.html

 

This would happen half way when he switches on his desk lamp.

 

What is the best way of achieving this? What type of lighting would I need and where? How much of this can I do in post and still have the same quality as the images above?

 

I'm shooting on a DSLR with Nikon prime lens. What's the best setting for ISO, white balance and exposure?

 

Any input would be much appreciated thanks!

 

Jabril

[David Rakoczy]

Per the rules of this forum, please don't double post. It only wastes peoples time and scatters the conversation.

[Satsuki Murashige]

Yes, please do not double post.

 

I would just set the white balance on your camera to somewhere between 3200K and 5600K, say maybe 4200K or 4500K. This will make the natural daylight coming thru the window blue and the tungsten lamp warm.

 

If you want a greater difference in color temp, then set the WB to 3200K and put the tungsten practical on a dimmer. This will make the daylight even more blue. If you can find a lamp with a warm-colored shade, then that will help push the light more orange too. Then gel any tungsten units you use to supplement the practical with 1/2 CTO or something like.

 

However, you do realize that once the actor turns on the desk lamp, there will still be blue spill from the window in the background of your shot, right? Unless he walks into another dark, windowless room to turn on the lamp. The "warm look" shot you posted is a night interior with the lighting all motivated with tungsten practicals, that's why it looks the way it does. The "cool look" shot is a day interior all motivated by ambient daylight.

 

It would be very difficult to realistically motivate the change without confusing the audience as to the time of day, unless you specifically want the effect of a sudden day-to-night transition.

[Jabril Muse]

Yes, please do not double post.

 

I would just set the white balance on your camera to somewhere between 3200K and 5600K, say maybe 4200K or 4500K. This will make the natural daylight coming thru the window blue and the tungsten lamp warm.

 

If you want a greater difference in color temp, then set the WB to 3200K and put the tungsten practical on a dimmer. This will make the daylight even more blue. If you can find a lamp with a warm-colored shade, then that will help push the light more orange too. Then gel any tungsten units you use to supplement the practical with 1/2 CTO or something like.

 

However, you do realize that once the actor turns on the desk lamp, there will still be blue spill from the window in the background of your shot, right? Unless he walks into another dark, windowless room to turn on the lamp. The "warm look" shot you posted is a night interior with the lighting all motivated with tungsten practicals, that's why it looks the way it does. The "cool look" shot is a day interior all motivated by ambient daylight.

 

It would be very difficult to realistically motivate the change without confusing the audience as to the time of day, unless you specifically want the effect of a sudden day-to-night transition.

 

Apologies, wasn't aware of the double post policy.

 

But thanks Satsuki! That a lot of information to consider! I really appreciate your advise.

[Andrew Wilding]

 

at the 2:15 mark in this youtube clip from Tarkovskys The Mirror the exact opposite of what you intend to do is achieved (warm interior light giving way to cold exterior light.) Maybe this can inspire you?

[Jabril Muse]

 

at the 2:15 mark in this youtube clip from Tarkovskys The Mirror the exact opposite of what you intend to do is achieved (warm interior light giving way to cold exterior light.) Maybe this can inspire you?

This was really good! Thanks for this, it gave me some ideas. Appreciate it!