Hello everyone,
First time poster here, and I am shooting a promotional video for a martial arts competition coming up where my entire crew has 0 experience with gripping (family and friends). It will be my first time also using bigger lights, and I also have 0 set experience. I want to be most prepared when approaching this, since I'm dropping my own money to rent equipment, and I'm asking a lot of favors. I need your help going over my whole thought process to see if there are any big errors. My budget is under 500 dollars so please keep that in mind.
Basically, I'm trying to get the look in the 3 reference stills. The content of the video is a fight scene very similar to the wushu stills.
My interpretation of how I can get this look: It looks like they used hard a hard backlight with bounce from the floor and a bead board to get the frontal fill, then hazing the room to get the shaft of light.
The room: I have attached a picture of the location below. I have access to a 40x60 foot room, with 20 foot ceilings. The included photo has a rubber mat but when I am shooting it will have a shiny wooden floor. The ceilings are white and the walls are half wooden and half white.
The Light: I added a diagram so it will be clearer. I am thinking of using one or two ARRI Fresnel 650w, since it will be in my price range. I am not sure if it will have enough output to get what I want. Also, I want to rig it as high as possible, almost like a top light, but not sure how I can get it there. There will also be candles placed in the cabinet on the back wall, and I want to make sure it will show up with the exposure set to the Fresnel.
Light Modifiers: To control it, I was thinking of going full spot and using the barn doors to get it off the background and the ceiling. I am going to put black bedsheets on 2 c-stands, one on each side of the talent. I am also going to use a bounce light into the talent’s faces so they are not completely silhouettes. For Haze, I’m planning on using Atmosphere areosol, Demonstration of the product
Camera and Lenses: I am going to rent a sony A7sii (never used it) since I have heard good things about its low-light capabilities, and also rent a 24-70 mm sony lens, since it feels safer and less likely to screw me over than a prime.
Questions:
My main questions, from most important to least important, since I don’t want to take up too much of your time.
Will my method of controlling light work? If not, what are some low-budget alternatives?
Is the 650 watt Fresnel enough output for what I want?
How can I get my light as high as possible?
Can I get this lighting setup done in 1 hour by myself or with an inexperienced crew?
Should I use a different camera within my budget?
Should I rent a sony a7sii that I have never used before, or use my Rebel t4i that I know in and out?
Should I use primes instead of a zoom? I know I will need one wide shot and the rest will be waist up and some closeup inserts of the hands and faces.
Opinion on Atmosphere Aerosol? Should I rent a machine instead?
I would also like help with the rigging and electrical components of how I can make this work, but I know this is the wrong section to post for that.
Thanks, I hope I wasn't too annoying.
Basically, I want to recreate this look
