Low key lighting and attic

Valerio Di Filippo · March 3, 2014

Hello everyone.

I am shooting a short movie in the attic. I would like to achieve an isolation and loneliness mood but I had some problems because of the small dimensions of the room and the low ceiling. This is my gear:

2x Redhead 800w

several large CFLs (45w - 85w - 105w)

LED panels

paper balls

gels and diffusers

This is a screen of my firts lighting attempt.

http://i.imgur.com/6XAOoVx.jpg

I used a 45w CFL on a half-flagged china ball on the lef and a small snooted led bulb on the right, but I'm not satisfied. Any advice?

Thanks in advance

Edited March 3, 2014 by Valerio Di Filippo

Mark Kenfield · March 3, 2014

What does turning everything off except the practical lamp get you? I'd start from there and add more as needed.

Adrian Sierkowski · March 3, 2014

Yep; what Mark says. Turn off everything. Just use the table lamp, especially if they are wearing white. Maybe bring in a little bit of passive fill with a white card.

Alexandre de Tolan · March 3, 2014

Yes. And you can also change that bulb for an incandescent one and mix color temps.

One option would be a small LED panel gelled with 1/4 CTB motivating his laptop, accentuating not only the backlight you already get with that table lamp but also creating backlight where the table lamp won't easily reach (your character's right side).

Other can be one of your Readheads trough a window pattern or a venetian blind pattern hitting just the right/nearest wall and your character's back with some sort of leaf pattern moving randomly.

Or both for that matter.

Bill DiPietra · March 3, 2014

I'd also adjust the art direction. That wall is far too populated to give any sense of isolation. If it was in a large, vacant room and that was the only decoration on any wall and you were using a fairly wide-angle lens - ala Kubrick - it would work. But you have a limited space frame, here, which creates more of a claustrophobic feeling that an isolated one.

Alexandre de Tolan · March 3, 2014

I'd also adjust the art direction. That wall is far too populated to give any sense of isolation. If it was in a large, vacant room and that was the only decoration on any wall and you were using a fairly wide-angle lens - ala Kubrick - it would work. But you have a limited space frame, here, which creates more of a claustrophobic feeling that an isolated one.

That's a good point.

Adrian Sierkowski · March 3, 2014

I'm kind of OK with the Prod Design, depending on how it factors into the rest of the story-- e.g. if they are representational of the person's aspirations which they can never get. Also once you stop lighting the whole room it'll start to fall into darkness and we'll hopefully focus just on the guy.

Bill DiPietra · March 3, 2014

I'm kind of OK with the Prod Design, depending on how it factors into the rest of the story-- e.g. if they are representational of the person's aspirations which they can never get. Also once you stop lighting the whole room it'll start to fall into darkness and we'll hopefully focus just on the guy.

Possibly, but it just cries out for more negative space in my opinion.

Adrian Sierkowski · March 4, 2014

I can get behind that as well Bill. Though for me personally, I suppose I like stuff in rooms (you should see my apartment.... makes that place look positively immaculate)

Casey Schmidt · March 4, 2014

What does turning everything off except the practical lamp get you? I'd start from there and add more as needed.

Mark is on the right track. There is so much spill on the walls frame left and right which is making such an even exposure. Maybe use your LED with some heavy flagging to "carry" or motivate the light hitting your actor frame left. Re-evaluate your' shot and if the room is too dark and isn't "reading" then introduce a CFL with heavy flagging into the ceiling or back wall slowly bringing up the overall ambience to your taste. I have a feeling that you won't need those Red Heads at all. Thats a lot of raw light output for a low key scene when the motivation is one small desk lamp.