handheld spotlights for a night scene

[Timothy OBrien]

I'm shooting a scene where a character is in a field at night being followed by the camera. I want to light them but not the field, and to have a light or lights in front of them facing the camera to create some flares and put a ring of light around the outline of the character. The character will be moving at a pretty quick pace so everything needs to be portable. I'm not worried about having a uniform light the whole time, it can be somewhat sloppy and artificial. As long as I would be capable of getting an exposure of the character and the light streaks.

 

I was thinking of buying maybe four or five rechargeable handheld spotlights like you might use on a boat at night. Something like this:

 

http://www.foxruntools.com/2-millioncandle...espotlight.aspx

 

I'm shooting on Vision 2 500T 16mm with an Arri SR1.

 

Are there any filters I should use with this light? Any that will boost the light streaks?

 

I'll be doing a test of the scene this weekend. Any suggestions for a better alternative to the light? Tips?

 

Thanks.

[Satsuki Murashige]

Why not rent 12v Dedos with battery belts? Try a streak filter, they're basically optical flats with fine horizontal scratches.

[Rob Vogt]

Or a battery operated sun gun

[James Brown]

Tips?

 

12 volts Dedo or Sun Guns are great as discussed. Light Panels for a softer source. One thing that is quite nice is when you get a couple of people out of frame with small soft silver boards and shine the light into them, hide some small boards and poly in the grass so when the characters walk through the field there is a whole bunch of light play. Depends on how realistic you want it i guess? Could work with a china ball on a boom pole over the front of the character - put the lamp into a slider and have it come up and down intermittently as they move the flashlight.

 

Just a thought.

 

Cheers, James.

[Timothy OBrien]

Wow, thanks for all the info everyone!