Anselm Havu

I wouldn't over think the technicalities on color channels. The same was true for film, to a certain extent that you could over-expose (or under) certain color layers-- and in truth that's part of the effect.

 

As for the advantage; well 1, keeping control of your images is VERY important. It's often easier and more consistent to throw a filer on (costs less) than time spend in post doing it. Optically, any glass will chance the optical characteristics you're recording. You can see how the effect is being rendered "In real time" (granted you can kinda do this with a LUT; but you'd need to have made that LUT before hand and keep it around forever in-case of reshoots). If you have a reshoot, you don't need the LUT/correction you made on set, you can just use the same filter (will be pretty close). Many filters come in varying densities. You can see how exposure choices can change the effect on the day (or better in prep). And most importantly, because, well, you really want to do all you can to make the rest of the film process easier for those down the line. What I mean is, you have limited time and budget for EVERYTHING on set and so often the job is really about finding that happy medium where you choose the most effective path to the look you want.

All that makes sense to me. Thanks for your reply!

Hi all,

I was wondering how one would go about exposing or even using color effect filters like color gradients, Coral, Antique Suede or Day for Night optical filters while shooting on a digital camera and delivering in color.

For example, say that you are using an Antique Suede.

• Wouldn't depriving the sensor of blue light be very destructive to the raw image? To my understanding the blue channel displays the most noticeable noise the most often. If so, how would you combat this?
• What are the advantages of doing such an important color decision in camera rather than in post apart from the "stops people from messing with your image" argument? Are there any clear optical or overall quality differences?

Thanks in advance!

#3

 

I built my own "sketchy DIY digital sputnik voyager" with an 8ft piece of 1x1 and some color shifting LEDs. Loved it. It was great. Bright enough for what your project is probably going to need. Probably $80 all in. Menards forever!!

 

...then it stopped working for no reason out of the blue and my heart shattered.

 

All that being said, DIY led rope lights motivated off of existing practicals could be a great route for you to consider.

 

Good luck!

 

And if anyone knows how to make my DIY sketch light bar work again you would bring a missing piece back to my soul.

Thank you for your answer! I'll be definitely looking into that technique.

Hi everyone,

I'm a long time reader and a first time poster and student.

I'll be shooting a shooting a short film in about two months from now which calls for "a bar lit with neon signs". Think of the Bud Light and Heineken signs many bars have as reference. Obviously we won't be able to use any brand signs because of legal issues but I've been thinking of several alternative ways to achieve the same mood. Also real neon signs are expensive and a serious safety hazard.

Also keep in mind that the bar will be filled with fog similar to heavy tobacco smoke you see in many movies.

The director wants to have neon looking practicals as much as possible. I have two 4 foot quasar LEDs that could potentially be gelled and placed around the background but I feel as if only two tubes wouldn't be enough.

1) Has anyone had any experience shooting and sleeving (hard coloured tubes that fit snugly around the bulb) cheap fluorescent units? Do they have a chance of flickering? What about noise? Is there a way of powering them with unaltered wall power or do they require a ballast? If so can they be powered in a way that wouldn't require a housing frame around them?

2) Has anyone had experience with cheap neon LED signs? They basically look like neon signs without actually being neon? I'm afraid of cheap LED units because of potential flickering.

https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Suppliers-Operated-Lighting-Valentines/dp/B075MXR77D/ref=sr_1_7?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1524627473&sr=1-7&keywords=neon+sign

3) This piggybacks off the last one. Has anyone had good experiences with colour shifting LED stripes or ropes?

https://www.amazon.com/NEON-110-120V-Waterproof-Controller-Decoration/dp/B01JZ754SG

4) I have tungsten lights ranging from 250W to a 2k baby and a set of 2 4' Kinos (tungsten and daylight) at my disposal as well. I'd be using the previous the push the lights. Are there any particular theatrical gels that you have found similar to the hue of neon lights? Green, blue, red, pink etc.

Thank you for reading and also thank you in advance for answering!