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To achieve color splash on walls I use a 1K or 2K light shot through a Rosco color gel (the plastic 2x2' films). Usually a deep red, green, yellow or blue. However, I'm not real happy with the depth or intensity of the color.

 

I've recently bought some ETC source fours. I plan to buy some Rosco colored "GLASS" gobos to insert in them (they are more like theatrical lights than film lighst) to see if I can get some deeper/richer colors.

 

I'm just wondering what other members find works best?

 

Mark

Edited by Mark Henderson
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Obviously the more saturated the color of the gel (more dense), the more color you're going to get out of it. Have you tried "doubling up" your gels for more density? Have you tried Rosco's "Cal Color" series?

 

Exposure affects color stauration as well. If the color splash is too "hot" you start to lose saturation. Colored lighting is most saturated near midtone and slightly under.

 

Film and video are also specific about the color frequencies they respond to. It's sometimes the case that the gel you choose (especially one designed more for theater) may not have enough of the right frequencies for the film or video camera to really pick up on. For example, Congo Blue is such a beautiful deep purple color, yet video always renders it a much less spectacular blue.

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Consider the "Storaro Collection" from Rosco. They pretty much push the limit of color that a film stock can handle...quite saturated. You can see how they've been used in his own films, but they too are very much influenced by theatrical lighting, so they may work for you.

 

CalColor's great, but really not very saturated colors. The main purpose of CalColor is that they supposedly look similar on film to the way you see them on set, which is the great part. But, I don't find them serving much purpose as color effect gels...especially CC Red, which is closer to orange and CC Blue which is nearly purple to my eyes and also when viewing my prints.

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Yes, I was just about to suggest the VS (Vittorio Storaro) collection from Rosco. Definately the most saturated, reacting specifically with how each level of emulsion reacts with different colors. The VS Cyan is a beautiful color and you can see it used often recently for moonlight in newer horror films, specifically High Tension, and even Baby Blues (a feature horror film I had worked on this previous summer!) But as Mr. Bowebank had said above, they are saturated to the point of theatrical lighting but definately read well on film.

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film stock = celluloid

 

YES

 

I haven't used the gels shooting digital, so that'd be an interesting test. But I could already assume that a prosumer model of DV or HD cam probably would have trouble picking up both the intense colors while also picking up skin detail. But that's just an assumption.

 

I'll have some time comin' up to shoot a test, it'd be interesting to see how much the VS Red bleeds!

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