Lighting for "Charlie Rose" show

[Jim Feldspar]

I bet some of you may watch the "Charlie Rose" show on PBS. He has a lot filmmakers

as guests and does pretty good interviews.

 

1. That black infinity look, is that primarily because of a big studio space and so the set

can be miles away from the (unlighted) periphery and lighted to a higher level so that

stopping down keeps the background from being seen? I'd imagine that they might also use

black muslin or something but sometimes, with multiple guests, I can see the cameras but

not anything behind, including operators, yet with multiple guests there seems to be a bit of

tracking (off-camera) to maneuver for shots so I think that maybe the cameras are not robotic.

 

2. Also, sometimes the angles are compromised with multiple guests (no possibility of a 180 degree

line) but I was watching this week and I noticed that with just two guest, the cameras were

rather to the side and somewhat profiling host and guest. You could see both eyes of either

person certainly, but there was opportunity for much more of a straight on, over (or closer to)

over the shoulder look which I think would have worked been far superior to what I saw.

 

What do you think?

[Greg Gross]

I think the background light(if we can call it that) fades off into the void of darkness.

As you said due probably to large studio space. I do not watch the show regularly but

I do view it off and on. I believe the key light is a large soft source overhead as it def-

initely is not hard light. If its not overhead then its out in front from the ceiling. Its been

a while since I watched it last but I do not recall any shadows on the faces or the large

table. I think they are using just a large soft source and may be using fill up near the

camera. I'm not sure about robotic camera. It might be like the cameras used on the Don

Imus show and they are controlled in the control room and not on the set. I'll have to watch

next time and try to visualize camera moves. I do enjoy the show very much as its a breath

of fresh air.

 

Greg Gross

[Tim J Durham]

I think the background light(if we can call it that) fades off into the void of darkness.

As you said due probably to large studio space. I do not watch the show regularly but

I do view it off and on. I believe the key light is a large soft source overhead as it def-

initely is not hard light. If its not overhead then its out in front from the ceiling. Its been

a while since I watched it last but I do not recall any shadows on the faces or the large

table. I think they are using just a large soft source and may be using fill up near the

camera. I'm not sure about robotic camera. It might be like the cameras used on the Don

Imus show and they are controlled in the control room and not on the set. I'll have to watch

next time and try to visualize camera moves. I do enjoy the show very much as its a breath

of fresh air.

 

Greg Gross

It's lit with fluorescents in front of a black cyc which is about 8 feet behind. There are 3 in-studio cameramen (no robo-cams) as WETA still has a pretty strong union (NABET 31) presence. I personally think it looks like @ss to put people in front of a black felt curtain but others seem to think it looks great. Go figure. It sure saves on set building.

[Jim Feldspar]

It's lit with fluorescents in front of a black cyc which is about 8 feet behind. There are 3 in-studio cameramen (no robo-cams) as WETA still has a pretty strong union (NABET 31) presence. I personally think it looks like @ss to put people in front of a black felt curtain but others seem to think it looks great. Go figure. It sure saves on set building.

 

The inside dope...cool!

[Greg Gross]

Thanks Tim,

I always enjoy trying to figure out lighting set-ups with out much info

to go on. Appreciate your post. I'm surprised that background is only

8ft. behind cast. I would put it back some more for better separation

and would still have a black void.

 

Greg Gross

[Jim Feldspar]

Thanks Tim,

I always enjoy trying to figure out lighting set-ups with out much info

to go on. Appreciate your post. I'm surprised that background is only

8ft. behind cast. I would put it back some more for better separation

and would still have a black void.

 

Greg Gross

 

I'm surprised too. The light does look soft but it must somehow be controlled so that none

hits the cyc or else you wouldn't see a black void; you'd see a black something.

 

Otherwise, they'd have to have much higher light level on the talent so that the difference in exposure

would be so great that you'd get no detail in the cyc and I doubt that they want to heat up the talent more

than they have to for an hour talk show.

 

Could they be playing with the black levels at all?