"Lucifer" eyelights ?

JB Earl · February 9, 2016

Does anyone see something interesting going on with the catchlights on Lucifer? I haven't been able to see anything consistent except that there are lots of them, but it still seems to be deliberate. Thoughts?

Edited February 9, 2016 by JB Earl

JB Earl · February 15, 2016

I don't think that it's all hard-light, so it looks like deliberate placement of catchlights low in the eye which is a strange look. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into the character......

Edited February 15, 2016 by JB Earl

Satsuki Murashige · February 15, 2016

It's a common technique to use lots of small low-output bulbs close to the lens if you want a multitude of eye lights. Not sure that's what is going on here, but it was used in 'The Fellowship of the Ring' for Galadriel's eye lights.

David Mullen ASC · February 15, 2016

I suspect two of the eye lights are due to using two cameras right next to each other, the low centered one is under the camera shooting this close-up and the one on the right is probably mounted above the matte box of that camera.

Shooting coverage on longer lenses at the same time as the wider shots sometimes means more lights are hitting the face.

JB Earl · February 16, 2016

meaning each camera having it's own obie?

I'm usually not fond of multiple catchlights unless they are different sizes, but it works well on this character.

JB Earl · February 16, 2016

It's a common technique to use lots of small low-output bulbs close to the lens if you want a multitude of eye lights. Not sure that's what is going on here, but it was used in 'The Fellowship of the Ring' for Galadriel's eye lights.

there's a music video I saw recently with a star shaped catchlight made up of (I presume) kino tubes. Can't remember which one

David Mullen ASC · February 16, 2016

meaning each camera having it's own obie?

I'm usually not fond of multiple catchlights unless they are different sizes, but it works well on this character.

Well, that's just a guess but the eye lights don't have to be mounted to the camera. I often use a 1x1 Litepanel on a primi stand under the lens for an eye light. Or I use a Litepanel Chroma or Mini on arm mounted to the camera.

Satsuki Murashige · February 16, 2016

there's a music video I saw recently with a star shaped catchlight made up of (I presume) kino tubes. Can't remember which one

There was also that popular ring light fad awhile back. The low budget versions were quite hilarious in their crapitude. Don't know if that's still a thing.

Maximilian Motel · February 22, 2016

Slightly OT:

@Satsuki: If I remember correctly from the Behind the Scenes DVDs of the Lord of The Rings Extended version, the were mounting a lot of christmas lights onto a board just for her eye catch lights to make it feel like she had stars in her eyes.

Satsuki Murashige · February 22, 2016

Hi Max, yes I think you are right about that one. They said something about needing to make the board much bigger than they thought to get the eye lights to appear big enough in camera. I think if they had brought the board much closer to the actor it could have been smaller. But there were probably reasons for why they couldn't do that in this case.

I believe Lance Accord did a similar trick by draping Christmas tree lights on wire netting in 'Marie Antoinette' though he was using them as a key light to simulate the soft warmth of multiple candles. I'll have to watch that film again to see what the eye lights look like.

Maximilian Motel · February 22, 2016

I think they might not have wanted the light from the christmas lights to affect the light on her face too much, but apart from that I couldn't think of a reason why bringing the board closer was impossible.

I love the idea of using a lot of small light sources to create a natural feel, doesn't Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC, use a lot of "self-made" lights consistent of multiple small light sources?

JB Earl · February 22, 2016

I've looked but cannot find the star shape catchlights photo I was referring to,

anyway,

Thanks all for your input on this

Satsuki Murashige · February 22, 2016

Possibly, though it looks like they have a pretty large key on her already. Since there were quite a few actors in that scene, maybe they just punched in on the 12x Optimo to get that close up?

I think in Deakins's case, his homemade lighting units are mostly his overhead ring of bulbs rigs. They are hung above the frame like coops, covered wagons, china balls, etc but he gets more spread out of them because they are so wide.

Satsuki Murashige · February 22, 2016

I did work with a DP who made his own soft boxes that consisted of several rows of batten strips on some kind of board or frame and a showcard soft box built around it. They were quite delicate to move around and pack up so the electricians didn't like working with them too much.

Maximilian Motel · February 22, 2016

True, could be that they couldn't push the light in too far. I am not entirely certain (it's been quite some time since I last saw the BTS), but I feel like I saw them put the camera relatively close to the actor and the board a bit farther way. I'll have to look this up again though, to be certain.

Concerning the self-made modifiers: Makes sense to me, I would also always fear that they could fall apart and be a potential risk to the shoot / the crew.

Adam Frisch FSF · February 22, 2016

There used to be this whole Nouvelle Vague French theory from I forget which DP: he used to put little eye lights either low or high, different numbers depending on mood. I do recall low was for sadness, but can't remember how many lights. Not sure it makes much sense to be honest, but it's a curious idea.