How can I get this look? Its giving me much headache

[Afolayan Dammy]

Everytime I have a car shot, I am always having the headache of exposure. While trying to get my actors in proper exposure, I blow out my background. And when I try to correct this by bringing the exposure down, I underexpose my actors. Gives me so much headache. I have tried so many things to correct this, none is working. I saw this and I would really like to know how to achieve this look. Correct exposure for both the person inside the car and the elements outside the car(the background)

[Afolayan Dammy]

This is the look I am aiming for. Correct exposure for all elements in the scene

[Brian Drysdale]

You may have to rig a light.

 

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/fp/Ian+Nelson+Stars+Set+Boy+Next+Door+Cag4zqdIwhIl.jpg

[David Mullen ASC]

It helps to shoot in raw or log on a camera with a very wide dynamic range for starters (or in this case, "Don Jon", on color negative film).

 

The fill light in that shot could be as simple as a 8x4 white board across the hood or at the nose, assuming the car is being towed. Or it could be available light and the colorist doing the D.I. pulled as much detail out of the film negative as he could.

[Afolayan Dammy]

Oh.... David it worked. U just saved me from a big headache. To start with, I shot in Log, that saved me some details in the shadows and highlights. Then I got a reflector and had somone sit in the front side to fill in lights on the driver from side. Then I sat at the back. It worked. Thankz for the knowledge. If I may ask... What is color negative film? Brian, thanks for your input as well but that won't work for a low budget film like mine. I can't afford riggin and calling too much attention

[Phil Rhodes]

The phrase "colour negative film" simply refers to the normal film that's used to shoot almost everything that's shot on film. The film that goes through the camera and produces a negative image, as with almost every mainstream photographic process, and this is then printed to produce a projectable positive image.

 

The alternative is colour reversal film, such as the old Kodachrome Super-8 stock or the (now discontinued) Ektachrome 100D 35mm type which produces a positive image straight out of the camera. In the case of Super-8, this was done to make it easy to project the film immediately once it was processed. With 35mm film, people are more interested in the high contrast and saturation produced by reversal films, which make for punchy and interesting images. Unfortunately, Kodak don't seem to make reversal motion picture films anymore, although they are still widely used in stills photography.

 

Both negative and reversal films are also available in black and white.

 

Phil

[Freya Black]

 

Unfortunately, Kodak don't seem to make reversal motion picture films anymore, although they are still widely used in stills photography.

 

Both negative and reversal films are also available in black and white.

 

Phil

 

Still one left standing:

 

http://motion.kodak.com/motion/Products/Production/Black_And_White_Reversal_Films/index.htm

 

Freya

Edited May 1, 2015 by Freya Black

[Phil Rhodes]

I should have said they don't appear to make any colour reversal.