Lighting interview Stadium (centre of pitch)

[Daniel O'Flaherty]

Hi everyone.

I hope you all are safe and sound. I have an interview set up to take place in a stadium football field. All the lights surrounding the stadium have to be on as they all are turned off and on by a single switch unfortunately . Now I am stuck in 2 minds. I haven't had a chance to light meter the location yet but I the plan to underexpose this by 2-3 stops; then bring in my key on the talent which will then be exposed (something big obviously like a M40 going through diff to compete with those lights). I'm also thinking of covering the talent from each side and front with a 20X20 Blackout to model the light more; potentially 2x M18s on megabooms for backlight. 

The debate I am having is will the Blackout be needed for both sides or just do 2x favouring one side? Also if I should add the M18's as the backlight or will the stadium lights be sufficient?

The whole point for me is to make it as less flat as possible. Please see the idea of my floorplan and some references for the lighting. Once again any advice is appreciated or tips from people who have been in the same filming environment.

Cheers!

[Albion Hockney]

are the stadium lights going to be in shot? 

I think the easy way to do this is just big neg fill from one side and then make sure any of the stadium lights go through the same diffusion the M40 will go through on the other side so you don't get any hard light on the front side of the talent. in that case you can get away with no more then 2 20x20 blacks..maybe just one ...and then just a big 12x or 20x diff on the other side.

How wide are the interview shots?....do you need to create this huge box of 20x's just to cut the stadium lights....I'd just let your gaffer or grip work that out and see if there is an easier way.

[Daniel O'Flaherty]

Hi @Albion Hockney .

The stadium lights I am trying get in shot but it may not be possible from the centre cam. I will have a 3 cam setup so I imagine I might be able  to get the stadium lights shown in the 45 degree angle MID CU.

I have a full body shot, a mid shot and a mid cu shot all from the subject sitting in the centre of the stadium field. Yes the idea was to bring the 20x20 to surround the talent so I can create a more 3 dimensional lighting on him and remove the flat lighting casting upon him from the stadium lights. That is a good point going through diff on the key side of the stadium lights instead of blackout I will keep that in mind.

 

[Albion Hockney]

Sounds like you have a good plan. 
 

Personally I would probably avoid 20xs except to knock out lights on the fill side and just get as a big a lamp as I need to over power the stadium lights. But hard to tell with out seeing the location 
 

I’d just say don’t forget all the 20xs are doing is knocking out stadium lights — so let your grips find the simplest solution to get those off the talent. I don’t think you should need the overhead one. 

id also say if you make this 20x box and have one big soft source on the ground. The ground might feel sorta artificially lit in the wide shot - which is why I’d try to work with the natural stadium lights as much as possible or plan to try to bottom off your key light so it’s focused on talent and isn’t front lighting all that grass. 
 

stadiums naturally are pretty contrasty Because it’s still night exterior. The only thing that can make it flat is the fact often stadium lights are coming from both sides cross lighting so if you get rid of that issue you will be in good shape.