Lighting with Redheads for dummies

[Gregg MacPherson]

Asking because many people told me that they set their diffusions on fire with redheads......... What about soft diffusion paper, can you recommend anything that can be put directly on the barn doors?

 

We used to use a diffusion matereal called "spun" on the barndoors. It was basically spun glass fibres. The Lee stuff was called "tough spun", full, half or 1/4 (214, 215, 229). It's pretty indestructible, but like any fine glass fibre felt it will shed fibres if you bend and scrunch it much. Later I found that the composites industries used fine glass tissues that were almost the same. If you wanted to try some, visit a fibre glass suply shop and get samples. Cheap.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

I love tough spun.

[Brian Drysdale]

Thank you Brian. I'm using R7s bulbs. What if I wanted to use Redheads to light a scene, wouldn't 3x 800w be too much?

 

It depends on the scene, you tend to use diffusion and bounce cards with Redheads. Also, if you put CTB gels on, you'll be after every watt going.

[Vadim Joy]

I see, maybe it's better to keep them 800w afterall. But I think it's good to have lower wattage bulbs in case you need them, since dimming light will introduce color chance.

Are those 150w and 200w lights any useful or just used to light background?

[Brian Drysdale]

You can use ND filters or wire scrims to reduce the light output from the Redheads. Which 150w and 200w lights are you planning to use? There are a number available, small Fresnel spots are great for a number of things, as are Dedolights.

[Vadim Joy]

I was actually planing on replacing 800w bulb in redhead with 150w one.

[Brian Drysdale]

You risk damaging these lamps every time you change them, plus you need to let the cool down before doing it. I can't see any real advantage in doing this, if you want to use a lower wattage lamp I wouldn't go any lower than 500 watts with a Redhead. Leave the lower wattage lights to something that's precise and controllable.

[Vadim Joy]

The problem is that I don't have money for something precise, I could have bought it straight away if I had.

[Brian Drysdale]

I would keep the Redheads as good work horses, get some DIY flags, diffusion frames etc and experiment with them. They've enough light output for some nice soft lighting effects, which the smaller wattage lights aren't so good at.

[Vadim Joy]

Maybe you are right. I already have flags and some lee gels. I have ctb, cto. Should I aquite any other gels?

[Brian Drysdale]

Some diffusion - standard 216 white diffusion is useful, you can go for the less strong ones if you like, also many people like using spun . 1/2 & 1/4 CTB & CTO are useful.

[Vadim Joy]

I wonder about all those 1 to 10k lights, they are huge. I never worked with one yet. Are they practical for something like background lighting only?

[Vadim Joy]

I can't see any real advantage in doing this, if you want to use a lower wattage lamp I wouldn't go any lower than 500 watts with a Redhead. Leave the lower wattage lights to something that's precise and controllable.

Robert Rodriguez and many others used normal clamp lights (dish lights), and were doing just fine with controlling them without dimmers and focus mechanism.

[Freya Black]

The traditional low budget diffusion material for hot lighting is baking paper. The stuff you put in the oven. I've only used it on 500w lights tho and not as high as 800W! To be honest if you are trying to diffuse the light there is something to be said for hanging a larger piece of baking paper further away from the lamp head because this kinda gives you a larger light source, and hence softer.

 

You need to use your noodle about this kind of thing. For instance when people mention shower curtains for diffusion they definitely don't mean putting them directly onto your lights! You shine the light through them from a distance, and you also want to do that because again a larger light source is a softer light source.

 

Lighting Gel is amazing stuff because it looks like coloured plastic but is actually incredibly heat resistant. Don't get confused by that tho because it's magical. Normal coloured plastics will just melt because it doesn't contain the secret sauce or something.

 

Freya

[Brian Drysdale]

Robert Rodriguez and many others used normal clamp lights (dish lights), and were doing just fine with controlling them without dimmers and focus mechanism.

 

You can use a large range of normal light fittings for lighting, especially those with small halogen lamps. However, they're not as flexible and can take a bit longer to control the light, which comes a factor when you've got limited time on a more expensive production. You should bear in mind that a number of film lights started out as something improvised by a gaffer or DP in the past for a particular job. You don't need to use dimmers, there are other of methods to control the amount of light produced.

 

The Lights you're mentioning can be use to supplement your Redheads.

[Freya Black]

The lights used on El Mariachi (I'm sure Robert isn't using clamp lights so much any more!) were clamp lights with normal incandecent photo light bulbs. I'm not sure if you can still buy those bulbs or not. They might be still available because they are a specialist thing. I know Robert had issues with them burning out too quickly on the shoot too. He also speaks a little bit about some of the lighting continuity issues he had, but sometimes you just have to make do and Robert was very good at that kind of thing as he had a lot of experience.

 

Freya

[Freya Black]

 

You can use a large range of normal light fittings for lighting, especially those with small halogen lamps. However, they're not as flexible and can take a bit longer to control the light, which comes a factor when you've got limited time on a more expensive production. You should bear in mind that a number of film lights started out as something improvised by a gaffer or DP in the past for a particular job. You don't need to use dimmers, there are other of methods to control the amount of light produced.

 

The Lights you're mentioning can be use to supplement your Redheads.

 

Fairy lights are a popular and handy addition to have too and you can pick them up from pound shops! :)

 

Freya

[Vadim Joy]

What is the electricity consumption rate of one 800w light in US? Also, is it possible to plug x3 800w lights in one circuit without risk of blowing it?

[Will Barber]

A normal 15A circuit could take two 800w lamps. You'd pretty much need a 30A or higher circuit to run 3 at once, and I rarely see those.

Of course, that's in the US on a 120V circuit, if you're not from here it may be different.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Will Barber

[Freya Black]

What is the electricity consumption rate of one 800w light in US? Also, is it possible to plug x3 800w lights in one circuit without risk of blowing it?

 

It still consumes 800watts it just draws more amps to make up for the lower voltage (assuming we are talking 120 volts standard household mains)

 

Freya

[Vadim Joy]

Let's talk cash. If I bring those lights on location owner probably will ask me to pay for electricity.

[Will Barber]

Then somebody better get out a checkbook, it's hard to make a film with no electricity.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

It would be a few cents. Really; the power consumption of such little wattage for a day is barely a blip on a power bill-- especially if you're @240v where the Amps are essentially halved-- though depends what your mains are in your country.

[Vadim Joy]

Thank

 

It would be a few cents. Really; the power consumption of such little wattage for a day is barely a blip on a power bill-- especially if you're @240v where the Amps are essentially halved-- though depends what your mains are in your country.

Good to know.

[Vadim Joy]

Do you mind guys sharing your most common light wattage you use?