Shooting Car exterior scene daylight

[Zohaib Latif]

Hello all,

I am shooting a daylight scene exterior and i am thinking the best way to lit the character inside the car.

 

Its a scene where a car is stopped at the traffic signal and the person driving the car is talking on the phone.

 

Im thinking the best way to lit the scene.

 

Available lights and frames

 

6k hmi

4k hmi

12x12 frame (silk, black)

4x4 frames (cto, ctb, 251, 250, 260)

 

We will be shooting around 1pm

 

i am thinking to put a CTO on 6k hmi and create a backlight for the character inside the car and for the fill light i use 4k through 4x4 251. And use the nagitive fill on the side of the car with 12 ft black frame.

The scene will be shot on Red epic with 85mm

Its a close shot.

 

My question is...What is the best approach for this scene with the given lights?

 

I would be eagerly waiting for some good advice :)

 

Thanks

 

Regards

Z

[Theodore P Rysz III]

I mean it really depends on what kind of look that you are going for.

 

To start, I would use the 12x12 black overhead to kill all of the ambiance around and in the car and to kill the kick back from the road. This will give you a nice base to start working with.

 

From there, I would use your 6K with a chimera to give you a nice soft "main source". I would then work in your 4k as a way to continue your wrap or add as a hard edge.

 

The 4x4 could then be used to break your edge or main source.

 

All just depends on your look.

[Albion Hockney]

What is the look and tone of the film overall?...any references you like? What is this shot like, are you going to shoot through the windshield or side door....how wide?

 

don't assume you need all of those lights or even to tent the car. if you shoot at the right time of the day you might need very little....or alot. depending on the look and feel you'd like to achieve.

 

 

 

how you approach this also very much depends on the time of day your shooting and what your background looks like. Is the background getting direct sun? If so to use any source to mirror the sun it will need to be sharp and very punchy. Maybe this what your thinking about with your idea to use the 6k as a backlight? if so I think that could work. If you are shooting in the late afternoon or morning I would probably put 1/4 or 1/2 CTO on it and have it come in at a lower angle with a medium/narrrow lens and be pretty hot. and I would shoot in a direction where the sun is backlighting your background as well. If you shoot early enough and the scene is short though you can get away with using the actual sun to do this which will almost always look better in my opinion.

 

for your fill I'd go with the 4K through a 12x12 frame of 1/2 grid (silks are not the best diffusion they keep the source pretty sourcy still....if you are looking for an more natural ambient look using Grid Cloth it spreads the light much better). I think a 4x4 frame will be way too sourcy for a fill. I would play the 4k as basically ambient skylight maybe even adding 1/4 blue to the HMI. Depending on how dramatic you want your contrast ratio you might even get away with ultra bounce and not need a lamp for your fill.

 

And I think the negative fill could work too if you want more contrast I'd do that last though and if your shooting on an 85mm you might only need a couple 4x4 floppys. To be honest your equipment list is very small and odd generally if you are using sources this big you will have a range of gear to support it. In all honesty I think you would be better of with a range of frame to work with and a couple smaller heads like an arri M18.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Albion Hockney