using domestic lamps

[icha7]

hi, i'm going to be shooting be soon. It;s a n intimate bar setting where 2 people are sitting on a table talking. I will be having a lamp on the table and want it to look like that this is the only light source, also i want the lamp blown out, going crazy. If this is to happen do i still use a domestic lamp or do i try to get a more powerful one. domestic lamps in australia only go up 60 watts.

 

p.s. I will be shooting on minidv '

 

thx

[Glenn Hanns]

hi, i'm going to be shooting be soon. It;s a n intimate bar setting where 2 people are sitting on a table talking. I will be having a lamp on the table and want it to look like that this is the only light source, also i want the lamp blown out, going crazy. If this is to happen do i still use a domestic lamp or do i try to get a more powerful one. domestic lamps in australia only go up 60 watts.

 

p.s. I will be shooting on minidv '

 

thx

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

I dont know why you would want the light to be so "crazy" and draw so much attention to it if the scene is intimate but if thats what you want you might get away with the 60W bubble as a source of light on the table but only as a prop and not to actually use to light. You can get brighter lights called photo-crescendo bulbs which run at 240V 150W a little expensive but will guarantee the crazy look. Basically, most domestic video cameras tend to be more sensitive than film in regard to the shoulder end of the gamma curve, it doesn't take much to "blow out". So having a lamp that, in shot, is blown out and have nicely lit faces is difficult to control. What I might suggest to do in order to make it look realistic is augmentate the lamp light with another source from the same direction (off screen) same colour, shape (hard light vs soft) and acceptable ie believable, intensity. This light will in fact "light" your subject. By doing this you can control levels on both your lamp and subject seperately. You then need to consider adding fill for taste depending on colour, mood, motivation etc. by bouncing light off a poly-board or something similar off to one side of camera or even both sides, it depends on what looks good to you! and whats available.

Happy shooting

 

Glenn Hanns

Cinematographer

Wollongong NSW

[Guest filmmakermilan]

What I might suggest to do in order to make it look realistic is augmentate the lamp light with another source from the same direction (off screen) same colour, shape (hard light vs soft) and acceptable ie believable, intensity.

That sounds like a great idea. You can try using 2 lights crossing one another, one behind and off to the side of each actor. This creates somewhat of a backlight for each of your characters, and you can expose them to whatever level you want.

Edited September 6, 2005 by filmmakermilan

[Luke Prendergast]

In Australia, domestic type BC (bayonet) or MES (screw) incandescent bulbs are widely available in 25, 60, 75, 100, 150 and 200 watts. 250 and 300 watts can be found with some searching.

[Paul Bruening]

First off: DV doesn't need so much light anyway.

 

Second: It sounds like the lamp is just a prop anyway. Are the characters supposed to be left in darkness after the unit "Goes out"? If not, then light the scene without the prop light and add the prop with the smallest watt bulb for only the effect. You can rig an ordinary wall switch up to it and flick it rapidly to create the sense of bulb failure. If you want that Eraserhead overdriven look then you may have to overdrive the lamp to get it to "glow and blow".

[Dimitrios Koukas]

hi, i'm going to be shooting be soon. It;s a n intimate bar setting where 2 people are sitting on a table talking. I will be having a lamp on the table and want it to look like that this is the only light source, also i want the lamp blown out, going crazy. If this is to happen do i still use a domestic lamp or do i try to get a more powerful one. domestic lamps in australia only go up 60 watts.

 

p.s. I will be shooting on minidv '

 

thx

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Also there are some small halogen lamps like the ones u use in the dedolights, that go up to 150w. and are small enough to fit it in a small fixture.(u just need to change the lamps base to do this).Also u can use a small dimmer pack, single channel to do the effect.

I think this will work well and give u a bright look, in case you have too much light in the medium shot with both actors , then use some diffusion or some well placed ND gel inside the fixture,from the side that is facing the camera.

The idea of having three lamps two of them on other tables left and right from the main table also looks good in the close ups of the actors, if tyou plan to do any.

Good luck,

Dimitrios Koukas

Edited September 12, 2005 by Dimitrios Koukas

[Nathan Martin]

what kind of lamp do you plan on using, does it have a lamp shade. if your shooting in low light then a 150w domestic globe and a bit of bounce could work fine, depending on the placement of the lamp

[John Pytlak RIP]

Generally, higher wattage lamps burn at a slightly higher color temperature.

 

Tungsten-halogen (quartz) lamps burn at a higher color temperature than tungsten lamps.

 

Color temperature changes about 100 degrees Kelvin with an 8% change in line voltage.