Jason Banker

Miguel, That sounds great, I think I am going to try and track down one of these lights! If you get some stills I would love to see them. Maybe you could get a photo of what your setup looks like when you re-shoot. It might be helpful for others to see how you used them and what they look like. How far away from the talent are you able to place the lights to get the nessesary light levels? Would it be a possibility to get any usable audio while shooting, or is it a completely MOS situation.

Sure Matt, From the replys so far it seems that it might be an option as long as I am shooting MOS. I just hope the rental price is within my very small budget. Can anyone compare the noise levels between the gennys on these lights and lets say 2 smaller honda style gennys that would power 2 or 3 1k lights?

Well its good to hear that it might be a viable option. :) I didn't even think about the flicker issue.. but then again thats why I posted. BTW the film will be shot on HD with the Panasonic HVX200 so I should be able to color balance to moonlight or daylight. If I was to go the 1 or 2k way how many would I need to create a decent moonlight look? Is it best to just go for mostly backlighting at night with both subjects and background elements?

Hi, I will be shooting a very low budget horror film that calls for half of the scenes to be shot at night. Ideally I want to use one large light source to back light the locations that I will be filming. Also it would be great to use the same light to shoot through windows at night as the main light source for a room. I realize that most films use huge 12-24k HMI lights on cranes to get that effect. The problem is I can't afford to rent that equipment. So ... I was wondering if anyone has tried to use alternative equipment like the sort of lights used when doing street repair and construction work? Driving past the average construction site I am always amazed at how much light they are pumping out onto those locations. The lights seem to be a least be 10K and attached to a pole that can be raised about 20ft with its own genny at the base. Sound familiar? My thought was getting a hold of one of those and attach it to the back of a car or truck and drag it around to the different locations. Add a bunch of CTB to the light and fire it from 20ft up so the light falls on the location behind the actors. Since I will be shooting in a small town and have "friends who have friends" maybe I could get a hold of that kind of equipment cheaply or even for free?? I am trying to stay positive, but maybe I am just dreaming? Any insight into whether this would work or not would be great. Also if you have any other ideas for alternative large light sources, fire away.. ..Thanks

Yeah, I forgot all about spot metering. Having never went to film school, and shooting very little film I haven't spent much time working with a light meter. Most of my work thus far has been with video and super 8, for documentary type subject matter. I do own a Sekonic light meter that I use when shooting super 8. Normally I just use it to figure out the proper exposure for the actors face, but not for measuring the differences between lights. Since the actor is normally the focal point what metering formula is standard for background lights? ----------------- As for using practicals I want the film to be fairly depressing, and dark so I guess the lights can be used as they are for the most part. The main issue is that I will be using the HVX200 with the M2 adapter and I am discovering that you really need to light a scene as though you are lighting for low ASA film stock. With that in mind is it normal to replace the bulbs with the highest watt bulbs you can run in the fixtures? or does that call to much attention to the background? Are there 250 or 500w practical bulbs? Would they be overkill? If I use high watt practicals for the wide shots, can I just subsitute the Kino for the close-ups even though the quality of the light will look somewhat different? What usually motivates the kind of light a kino puts out beside maybe a window? In the past I have used my fresnel spots to create that noir type look, but find it challenging to use them to get anything other than a theatrical look. Is bouncing or diffusing the only way around this? o.k ..... I'll stop :P

Hi, As far as lighting actors I feel fairly confident, but background work is a bit confusing. I have read that you should avoid using soft lights for lighting backgrounds because it flattens the image. Some have suggested using some small 150 - 300 watt fresnel lights instead, but I don't have much experience on how to make the background look pretty. Can anyone give me any general rules or tips on background lighting for interiors? ---------- I am doing some test shooting at the end of the month and most of my locations are in more rundown buildings that have small rooms with little availble light. Some of the rooms have no windows. In a few tests so far, I mainly just lit the actors with a Kino and maybe a dedo as a edge light. The backgrounds were left with only the fall off from the actors lights. Any suggestions? --------- What kind of bulbs should I replace the practicles with? Is there a standard type bulb that most people use? Also should I use bounce light off of the ceiling to raise the ambient light of a room or does that just contribute to an overly flat image if the room is small? I know this is fairly basic stuff but any advice would help. Thanks

Kristy, Thanks for the clarification. I have been reading about DIY HID lighting and running lights off of car batteries as possible options for shooting in remote locations (ie. in a cave, on top of a rocky cliff). When I read the description of the Barger Baglite I did assume that it was HID for some reason. Anyway I have a few grand to buy the lighting that I am going to need for a very very low budget horror film. It will be shot on HD with the Panasonic HVX200 with possibly a Redrock M2 35mm adapter (which would raise the lighting requirement). Renting a Honda E20i does sound like the way to go for the most part. Thanks Kantor for that suggestion. Basically I want to buy 1 or 2 lights that make the most sense for a small crew and limited power options. The reason I was interested in the Barger light was because it said that it was compact, flexible, and packs a good punch on low wattage. I am almost sold on this light but I wanted to know what the downside is? Also from what I read, Kino Flo lights seem like a good alternative? How is the Diva compared to a 4x4 bank?

Can anyone ballpark the price that this unit will go for? I am in the market for a Kino Flo and was wondering if waiting for this light makes sense because it outputs the same amount of light as a Diva only in a smaller shell. But if the Barfly will cost 2 to 3 times as much as a Diva, then maybe I should just buy a Diva. Thanks

Does anyone have experience with HID lighting? It was recommended on Tom Musto's website and I wanted to here some opinions. Here is the link: http://www.tommustopro.com/tips/index.htm (He metions it about half way down the page.) "I recently had the opportunity to try out the "BARGER-BAGLITE." This is the perfect key light. And, it will go great with the ARRI soft kit, as the optimum combination. The "BARGER-BAGLITE GT-3" holds (3) 650 watt bulbs on a small 13"x13" square, flat face fixture that is 2" thick. It is very small and compact. The GE FCM 650W lamps, that can be obtained for the unit, put out more light than a conventional 650W bulb so you end up with about 2800 watts of light when all three lights are on. Each lamp has it's own switch and when the entire fixture is on, it only draws 15 amps. The advantage of this light is that the bulbs throw a soft, gentle light and once the key is set (using one or two of the lamps in a soft box) and you need to move back for a larger shot, you can accommodate the light loss by clicking on another lamp. This will save time when need to switch out to a larger light . The fixture is very rugged and is made to accept a number of different size soft boxes, which is great when you need to be versatile with your lighting setups." After reading that I am excited to buy one. (Right now I only have a Arri Tungsten 650w Frensel) Do you think this is a good investment? Or should I get something else? (what ever I get has to run off of a standard household outlet) Thanks

Hi, I am in pre-production on my first low budget HD horror film. It will be shot mostly in remote locations (woods, cave) at night. I am hoping to put together a lighting package that will take into account my limitations, and help obtain a consistent lighting style for the film. If I was to only to use lighting powered by car batteries with inverters, what kind of package would be the best I could get? Recently I have been reading about HID lighting as a new option for low budget/household powered filmmaking. Can you recommend this type of lighting? What are the down falls of HID? How does HID work with other types of light? Does it match HMI, or can it be gelled to work with tungsten? An example of a HID Key light can be found here: http://cinemasupplies.stores.yahoo.net/babagt3.html Would you recommend as a flexible keylight for the whole film? Could it run off a car battery? Any advice would help, Thanks

I am thinking of getting the Redrock M2 adapter for a Panasonic HVX-200. Redrock can build an adapter to fit whatever lens you need, the question is what would be the prefered lens for this setup? I have heard that using Nikon and Canon 35mm still lenses works out really well. Although this seems like a really cool way to go, I wanted to hear what the performance is like compaired to Super 16 lenses and even 35mm movie lenses. Also I have read that a 50mm is a standard length lens for this system. What do you find yourself using most in the field? Thanks!

Can you use this camera on a fig rig? With the batterys and mattebox and mini-35 with lens does the camera become to big/heavy to do hand held shots? on a steadicam flyer? How well does it operate in low light? Do you think taking the picture out of focus looks unnatural? (I was pulling the image out of focus and noticed that the blur looked somewhat "split" or hard edged instead of soft (maybe its just the factory lens or my brain)) Do you find that because the camera looks more professional that you don't take it out casually because eveyone stares at you? (silly question, I know, but I really like using my camera to shoot random things and always wonder what effect having a setup like this has on amount of usage) I have heard several different takes on the build of this camera. Do you find the camera feels fragile (due to lens or materials)? or do you think this is a rugged type of camera? If you were shooting a doc could you recommend this camera for more run and gun/ fly on the wall stuff? Thanks :)

Hi, I am going to be working on a doc that is going to incorporate many different video formats. The core of the doc will be shot with HDV, but we already know that some existing footage is mini-dv. Also we want to use some clips from digital cameras as split screen elements at times. My original thought was to use the JVC with its 24p, but taking into account using interlaced mini-dv, I now have some reservations. I really don't want to have to deal with a headache in post if I can make things easier up front. Will the Sony Z1 be a better choice, because its already interlaced? Also as a side question, When Blu-Ray HD DVDs become the standard, is 1080p the main spec for delivery? What I am trying to undestand is if I use interlaced footage from the Z1 will I have to eventually convert it to Progressive to deliver to Blu-Ray? I know all those HDTV people love their specs and can't shake the feeling that not having progressive will be a let down to them on a certain level. And if I can squeeze one last question in..... Is there a different spec for NTSC HD and PAL HD? If HD is 1920x1080 at 24p then what would the difference be? I assume it is that Pal would be 25P? What are the interlaced mode differences? Thanks

I just got back from the sound check and wasn't able to get meter readings from the stage. My sony F828 set at 400asa and shutter at 1/25 had readings of between 2 and 2.8 from the balconey and main floor area. Does that seem right? The lighting seems extremely backlite and there was some smoke in the air that seemed to destroy any chance of getting detail in the shadows. Maybe the actual show will have some extra spotlight action but I can't be sure. This doesn't sit with me too well right now. As for some good news, it turns out that I will be able to shoot from the pit. So that should help, but i am still wondering about over exposure. Or should I just set it at F 2.0 and let it ride. Also what filter cuts thru stage smoke? I have a polarizing filter will that do anything? Any other suggestions? This is crunch time...

Would a 500 asa for digital photography equal 500 for film? The reason I ask is when I put my sony F828 on 500 the pictures come out looking pretty grainy and are basically unusable. Digital asa seems somewhat of a joke compared to film, but your idea makes total sense otherwise. I think that will be my approach. Thanks

It might be possible to get into the sound check but I doubt the lighting guy is going to be there, but I am not sure? I have to go in assuming the worst, and need to know what other ways I can meter and get good results with the 500 speed stock. V2 has good exposure lattitude compared to fugi in my opinion, but my experience with the stock is shooting in low light with the lens fully stopped down to F1.3 to get what ever exposure I could. This situation scares me because of the large concentration of light that is on the stage and my distance from it. Obviously 500 speed would be overkill if I was actually on the stage with them, but I am going to be mostly shooting from a balconey that is at the back of the venue. My thought is that with that big of a distance there has got to be some light fall off but I am not sure how that gets factored in if I am zoomed in at 80-100mm. At some point I will be venturing down to the front of the stage to get some detail shots and think at that point the 500 speed will be a bit much, and might overexpose if I am not careful. My camera doesn't have a built in meter so that won't help, and I am not skilled enough to eyeball it. Would it be best to try and spot meter the lead singers face (if that is possible from across a concert hall) and just use that reading as my master F-stop? I will have 1 assistant with me that could help with readings.

Sorry about the mulitple posts! There seems to be some bug. I got 3 errors, and when I logged back into the forum I saw it actually posted 3 times. Well at least, I am not the only one. Another guy posted his 4 times. Can anyone erase those extra posts? <_<

Hi, I will be shooting about 30 minutes of V2 500 at a large venue and need some advice about exposure. This is the first time I am shooting concert footage and have a few questions. Did I chose the proper speed film? (I was afraid of underexposure, now I am thinking I might have to avoid overexposing) I have a sekonic light meter and usually meter the light with the white dome from the actors postion. Since I will not be able to stand where the musicians are how do I check for proper exposure? Do I just retract the dome and spin the head toward the stage and use that reading? There is also another head attachment that I have never used that I believe is used for spot metering things like landscapes. Should I try and use that? Also with the amount of variation from the different light sources and the constantly changing light levels, do I take different readings as setups change or do I just set one stop and stick to it? If I change locations ie. move directly next to the stage, would my f-stop change from my balconey shots? Should I then take another reading? Basically this is something completely new for me and I need advice. All of my previous film work has been under controlled situations and this just seems like chaos. I just want to ensure I properly meter for the talent. Any insight would be great, Thanks

Hi, I will be shooting about 30 minutes of V2 500 at a large venue and need some advice about exposure. This is the first time I am shooting concert footage and have a few questions. Did I chose the proper speed film? (I was afraid of underexposure, now I am thinking I might have to avoid overexposing) I have a sekonic light meter and usually meter the light with the white dome from the actors postion. Since I will not be able to stand where the musicians are how do I check for proper exposure? Do I just retract the dome and spin the head toward the stage and use that reading? There is also another head attachment that I have never used that I believe is used for spot metering things like landscapes. Should I try and use that? Also with the amount of variation from the different light sources and the constantly changing light levels, do I take different readings as setups change or do I just set one stop and stick to it? If I change locations ie. move directly next to the stage, would my f-stop change from my balconey shots? Should I then take another reading? Basically this is something completely new for me and I need advice. All of my previous film work has been under controlled situations and this just seems like chaos. I just want to ensure I properly meter for the talent. Any insight would be great, Thanks

Hi, I will be shooting about 30 minutes of V2 500 at a large venue and need some advice about exposure. This is the first time I am shooting concert footage and have a few questions. Did I chose the proper speed film? (I was afraid of underexposure, now I am thinking I might have to avoid overexposing) I have a sekonic light meter and usually meter the light with the white dome from the actors postion. Since I will not be able to stand where the musicians are how do I check for proper exposure? Do I just retract the dome and spin the head toward the stage and use that reading? There is also another head attachment that I have never used that I believe is used for spot metering things like landscapes. Should I try and use that? Also with the amount of variation from the different light sources and the constantly changing light levels, do I take different readings as setups change or do I just set one stop and stick to it? If I change locations ie. move directly next to the stage, would my f-stop change from my balconey shots? Should I then take another reading? Basically this is something completely new for me and I need advice. All of my previous film work has been under controlled situations and this just seems like chaos. I just want to ensure I properly meter for the talent. Any insight would be great, Thanks

Hi, I am trying to figure out what rig they used to get the shots where the camera is mounted on there chest and its shoting there face. Could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks

Hi, I am in the market for a Super 16 zoom and have never used any of them. Which lens do you like the most and why? How important is having a zoom range over 64mm for typical feature film work? Thanks

Well lets say I have $2000 or $3000 to spend on lighting, and my main purpose is to shoot music videos. What should I get? I understand that HMI's cost alot but sometimes on ebay I see some good deals. Would you trust buying an HMI on ebay? Also I have read that Kinos can produce both daylight balanced and tungsten balanced, what are they normally balanced for? and are they usually just used for fill lights and room detail work?

Hi, I currently own a arri 650w tungsten spotlight, 3 250w lowel pro lights and 2 750w lowel totta lights with soft boxes. That has been my basic pack package for a few years now and feel I need to upgrade a bit. Recently I bought a Super 16 camera and want to purchase a new light or 2 to give my work a more professional edge. Which direction would you lean for shooting film, Kino Flo or HMI? Soft lighting for beauty work is what I am after, but want the most versatile light because I can only afford 1 or 2. Would it be safe to say everyone should own at least 1 HMI light for daylight shooting? Which one? Are Kino Flo's easier to work with than HMI? Do they output enough light for film work, or are they better suited for digital work? Do the bulbs cost more or burn out quicker? Would it be better to get one of each (kino and hmi) or just choose one and get 2 of them? Any advise would be great, thanks

Basically my situation is that I broke the bank to get into the Super 16 arena and then realized that the lenses cost as much as the camera. So I bought a 9.5mm and a 16mm optar illumina primes for about $1,500 so I can at least get an image on the film but won't be able to go the other $5000 for a good zoom. I would like to do some beauty work with facial closeups for at least some of my shots so getting a zoom is somewhat important. At first I am only going to focus on DV or HD quality transfers of the s16 footage for my personal projects. Will any of the cheaper lenses be of use for that purpose? If so which one is my best bet? Steven my camera is a Aaton LTR 54 with a PL mount.