Gels or post production ? Short in Madrid

Alberto Díaz · December 11, 2006

Hi to everybody again. I've just finished my first film as a second assistant camera in the film " Asterix at the olympic games" with Thierry Arbogast D.O.P. And now I'm really sure that this is my job : cinema

I'm going to be DOP in a video short (Panasonic AGDVX100) next thursday and I'm full of stupids doubts !! I'll try to explain you with my bad English :

1/ Gels or colorcorrection? The director wants a soft green color for the short, that is in a public toilet. Is it better to add gels or done it after shooting with the computer ? In case of gels, Can I use plus green in a white light and camera on 3200 ? Or it`s no good that green ? Is it better to use coulour gels? please say me wich kind of green gels looks good for white skin colour. ( actress)

One idea I have is to light the bathroom in one way ( with green) and then ,light the actress a little bit more with white light, specially the close-ups. What dou you think? is it too unreal,? All kind of suggestions are welcome.

2/ Other way, I'd like to imitate the fuorescent light but I only have one kino-flo (4 tubes). So Is it the same light if you bounce the light over a white card or if you add a diffusion gel on the lights ( tungsten fresnel)? Or is different? Is it easy to imitate the fluorescent light with tugnsten light ?

I hope you understand my poor english. Thank you crew !!!!

Alberto,

Student

Jonathan Bowerbank · December 12, 2006

1. If you have the Panasonic DVX beforehand, I'd shoot a few tests if I were you. But besides that, there are many ways you can go about getting that fluorescent green look. Many of which you can find by searching the forums. If you want to light the scene using as few gels as possible, you can white balance your camera on a magenta (minus green) card, which will make your white tungsten lights appear green. Then if you want to light your actress with white light, you would gel her key light with a magenta (minus green) that matches the card you white balanced to. It'll save you money in buying PlusGreen gels, at least.

2. I've done the tungsten fresnels bounced off white boards before. It creates a really even lighted look with very little contrast, and generally it can seem kinda bland and not at all attractive to the eye. If your Kinoflo's aren't enough, I'd use some 216 diffusion on your fresnels, it'll probably give you the look your looking for.

As always though, test test test

Jon

Jim Feldspar · December 12, 2006

Hi to everybody again. I've just finished my first film as a second assistant camera in the film " Asterix at the olympic games" with Thierry Arbogast D.O.P. And now I'm really sure that this is my job : cinema

I'm going to be DOP in a video short (Panasonic AGDVX100) next thursday and I'm full of stupids doubts !! I'll try to explain you with my bad English :

1/ Gels or colorcorrection? The director wants a soft green color for the short, that is in a public toilet. Is it better to add gels or done it after shooting with the computer ? In case of gels, Can I use plus green in a white light and camera on 3200 ? Or it`s no good that green ? Is it better to use coulour gels? please say me wich kind of green gels looks good for white skin colour. ( actress)

One idea I have is to light the bathroom in one way ( with green) and then ,light the actress a little bit more with white light, specially the close-ups. What dou you think? is it too unreal,? All kind of suggestions are welcome.

2/ Other way, I'd like to imitate the fuorescent light but I only have one kino-flo (4 tubes). So Is it the same light if you bounce the light over a white card or if you add a diffusion gel on the lights ( tungsten fresnel)? Or is different? Is it easy to imitate the fluorescent light with tugnsten light ?

I hope you understand my poor english. Thank you crew !!!!

Alberto,

Student

You should definitely check out this post " Opinions on my lighting please :), Student film-

making" which is on the next page in this (Lighting) forum. It just about directly tackles

your question with pictures (red not green look but they show the importance of having some

white light on the talent.)

Edited December 12, 2006 by Jim Feldspar

Alberto Díaz · December 12, 2006

Thank you Johnatan !!

Unfortunately camera is only available the shooting day.

About gels , I have enough plus green gels, because I picked them from the rubbish when the film finished. And fortunately I have 216 diffusion too ( from the rubbish too, jeje ), so It's better to use 216 than bounce the light over a white cork. OK!!

Do you think that lighting the actress with white light and the backgrounds with a plus green gel , is a good idea?

About how many plus green, I have a lot of doubts :

1/ Add (only over backgrounds ) a 1/8 or 1/4 plus green to add some more with the computer after shooting,

2/Add 1/2 plus green over backgrounds and only 1/8 plus green over the actress to try that there isn´t too much difference between the actress and the backgrounds.

3/ In both cases I'd like to expose the actress one stop more than the backgrounds because if I correct colour after shooting, you will see more green the dark zones than the overexposed zones, ¿ isn´t it ?

Thank you again !!!

Thank you too Jim!!!

Jonathan Bowerbank · December 13, 2006

Last night I was watching the TV series "House" with Hugh Laurie.

There was a scene in a bathroom near the end of the episode "Merry Little Christmas", which seemed very similar to the color palette you're trying to achieve in your project.

It had Hugh Laurie at the bathroom sink, washing his face and looking into the mirror. There was a tungsten practical above the mirror which illuminated the actor, while in the background the walls and the toilet stalls were lighted green, possibly a denser green than you might get with a Full PlusGreen. It was very effective though.

I doubt you were able to see it, being you're in Spain, BUT OH WAIT! I found the entire scene on YouTube!

I hope it helps!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqslwD6Vsuo

Edited December 13, 2006 by Jonathan Bowerbank

Alberto Díaz · December 17, 2006

What a pity Johnatan !! Internet didn´t works since 13 december ( the day before the shooting ) . So I have read your message right now. But lots of thanks man !!! You get worried about my short, you have searched the "House " episode... cool man!!!

And I'm happy because the short has been a success, and I'm happy too because I was the camera and electrician crew, I did all alone ( altough one friend lend me a hand some ahours). And It was my first time on video.

Thanks !!!!!!!!