Daylight or Tungsten stock ?

Teegan Benson Smiths · October 29, 2011

Hi there I am film student from South Africa and I am trying to figure out which is the right filmstock for my next short film. The whole film is shot interiorly in an office, all scenes are shot in daytime. I only have access to tungten lights which I plan to balance with CTB to give me that daylight feel. I also hope on getting a few HMI'S. All office/hosiptal interiors have a whiteish light which is why I will be balancing my tungsten lights. What stock would be better suited for this setup tungsten or daylight?. Sorry guys I know this is probaly a basic one, its just starting to confuse me a bit. Any info will be a great help.

Brian Drysdale · October 29, 2011

You can go either way, you can put on a 85 filter when shooting daylight with tungsten, the choice is up to you. If Super 16, I'd go for the slowest one you can get away with.

Charles MacDonald · October 29, 2011

You can go either way, you can put on a 85 filter when shooting daylight with tungsten, the choice is up to you. If Super 16, I'd go for the slowest one you can get away with.

one loses less light when using a 85 to shoot tungsten in daylight, compared to using a blue filter to shoot Daylight film under tungsten light. By mixing both daylight and tungsten sources you will be unsing light which is in between. At the finishing stage, the person who does the colour balancing (different job name for film or video finish) will have to try and get the skin tones right.

BTW, be aware that if the room is lit with florescent lights that they often give a green cast as the phosphors do not provide all colours equally. There are "fl" filters which have a magenta look to take some of the green out.

Brian Drysdale · October 29, 2011

Indeed, I tend to use tungsten as the default stock unless I'm using a slow daylight stock. You're less likely to find yourself with an excess of daylight stock when you really need to shoot scenes under tungsten lighting.

Teegan Benson Smiths · October 30, 2011

Cool Thanx guy. That all makes perfect sense. What would you do if you didnt have access to fliters ( limitations of 2nd year film school). I am shooting on Super16. I plan to balance my tungsten lights with CTB and punch a few HMIS'S through the windows for natural daylight. I am needing that typical white office lighting, hence me balancing my tungtsens for interior.

1) What stock would read my whites better under this basic lighting setup?

Brian Drysdale · October 30, 2011

If you don't have any 85 filters, just use daylight stock. Although, you'd have to question a film school not having such a basic thing as 85 filters.