David Eger

I seem to either hire too many or not enough grips (usually not enough I think) is there a formula for figuring this out??? thanks Dave

http://www.pbase.com/aloha_lavina here is a link to some photo galleries look at how they are lit and you will get my drift... tool around on the site there is a ton of inspiration

Ive used fog machines and oil based ones and the oil ones are pretty good you can DIY it if you search the net.. I think they run on mineral oil... I would not use Incense or real smoke or chalk or whatever all the dust is not cool... and nothing is worth a health risk..

when I say it looks like the only source in the room I mean it in a I know how you are phsyically lighting the scene.. I would always have some fill and some definition in the shadows.. you want it to seem natural so you need to make the camera see what you want it to and you do that with the light.. also backlight even 2-3 stops lower then your key will add depth and definition.. what is at exposure and what is not will help create the mood.. you can have a shaft of light on a wall without the smoke.. walking in and out of "Pools" of light can look lovely.. remember if there is definition in the image you can always crush it or blow it out or whatever but if there is no information there you are screwed... I don't think you need a white reference and a black reference in each frame but I would say figure out things you want properly exposed and what you want under or over for a given scene.. maybe the actors face is not at key.. maybe it is 2 stops under then the fill side is 3 and the bkg and 3 but there are highlights at key.. it's like you can shine as much light on the black car at night and it is still black but light the street and the scene behind the car and the car pops out..

The moonlight looks to broad.. and looks like the only light source you have going on in the room.. I would bounce a bunch of light off bead board as an ambiant fill. then Kick with a harder source with some gel on that to sell the moonlight.. I have been using 1/2 ctb and rosco 87.. I would tae the redhat and use that and bounce it you can add the gel also if you want.. I would then get a smaller source I have no clue what you have access to but something like a small fresnel and use that as the kick.. Scupt it with the doors.. Expose for the kick and drop the fill like 2 stops under that.. Then make the background pretty with a cucolorus or something maybe some slashes just to add some depth.. I would also do something simmilar with the other night shot.. Exposing for the hilights is a great thing to do at night... the day stuff looks flat and the color looks off... I would either balance the Lights to match the windows and expose at 5600K or Gel the windows.. Your eyes will be able to see how much.. Gelling the windows will also cut down the light and help them to not burn out... which you do not want them to do... also just look around at the quality and color of the natural light during the TOD you are shooting.. (or setting the scene at) what does it look like.. Maybe balance at 3200 but put a little blue like 1/4 or somthing on the Fill and then a salmon or something on the Highlight... then you can get a nice afternoon look... orange/pink highlights with bluish shadows.. Shaft the light around with the doors and some flags.... use the light to create the mood and depth.. Surf the net for a lot of photography and see why you like the lighting in certain images and look at where the light is falling... remember you are not lighting to be able to get an exposure you are creating the mood and feel of the piece.. you are an artist and the film\video is the canvas and the light is the paint... also be aware of the actors skintones (if they match the wall paint that is not good) and wardrobe.. good luck..

Ashley, Why don't you ask the director what they see in their head when they read the scenes... OR ask yourself the same and go from there.. Maybe you two can find 3-5 films that have a feel like what you are trying to do and then watch those and go from there.. Straight up look at some Photography for inspiration.. there are a ton of Photot sites out there... or go through some of the video sites out there and look at what people are doing.. sometimes even the most crappy short will have some small inspiration for you or lead you down the path to what you want..

I actually am shooting a Zombie Series right now. For the lights I am using 1/2 CTB and Lee's White Flame Green or Rosco 87 (dependes on which brand you buy I have the rosco) on Tungsten lamps. It is a really nice silver light. I have been Bouncing it in on Beadboard for a ambiant fill and then Kicking with it using a harder source about 2 stops higher and exposing for that. I found a thing on CML a while ago about it and they mentioned that spot. They were talking about putting chocolate gels on uncorrected HMI's (you need a lot of power because the chocolate will eat the light) I think maybe if you did that with the hmi and shot Tungsten film (or at 3200K if digital) it might make it pretty monochrome and then the HMI would shift it blue. You could also Knock it bluer in post... I have never been a big fan of the blue moonlight because I don't think it is that natural but the 1/2ctb and 87 looks really nice.. I'd say test it and see what you think... (shoot with a DSLR at 3200k. ) it looks nicer through the lense then it does to the eye.