gradient lighting on a white cyc

[Michael Ognisanti]

I would love some advice for this one...

 

I have an upcoming shoot on a 2-walled white cyc. We are shooting 6-7 people sitting in chairs and a couch in the middle of the stage. The director wants the talent to be evenly, soft light but the cyc walls behind and to the sides of the them to have a gradient tone to them to show a sense of space and not to feel the infinite white world.

 

Some details-

cyc is 30'x60' and 16' tall. Their is a 20'x40' diffusion (not sure what material exactly) over top and a grid of space lights (2k i think) going through the diffusion

Their are also additional space lights along the back edge for the walls.

 

My plan was to try and use some of the space lights in the diffusion for the talent but not the back lights for the wall. But since it's such a huge diffusion I'm worried about spill.

 

I was thinking i could black out all around the diffusion to direct the light more and than add something to create the gradient along the walls. But would that be to much trouble to try and work in that much black?

 

Would I be better off flying in my own soft toplight for ambient fill. Maybe some Chimera pancakes?

 

Also, If I get the ambient light bouncing of the white on the floor and creating a nice spread will I also need some kind of front key/fill? That again, worries me about spilling on the background

 

I'd appreciate any ideas

 

thanks

[Jon Kline]

Definitely get all your talent lights up before you even start to light the cyc. You're probably not going to need much, depending on the distance between things.

 

Are you thinking you want a dirty white look where the corners vignette into the 80%s, or are you hoping for something more dramatic?

 

Remember, even if you light the cyc to a flat 100%, if your lenses vignette, your corners won't clip anyway. You might not need as much shape as you think.

[Michael Ognisanti]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I am looking for a more dramatic look on the background. I'm trying to avoid that muddiness that I sometimes get when white doesn't go quite white. The vignetting might help but I'm also trying for something more defined.

 

I was even thinking about doing more of a pattern with cookies or cutters to get a little more contrast.

[Jon Kline]

Maximize the distance between the talent and the wall. The only way you'll want to use big soft sources is with flags/eggcrates or by using distance to keep the wall dark. It will help if your lights are as close to the talent as possible. You'll probably move your key and fill wider and higher than you might otherwise.

 

If you can keep your BG really underexposed, you can use harder sources to add shape and drama as you like.

 

If you're letting the background go dark in spots, you'll probably want a nice edge on people, especially for their closeups.