Untraditional color for night

DavidSloan · October 8, 2004

Hey guys: I have a shoot coming up with some night interior shots; I'm considering a blue/green gel for the night light coming in through the windows. The script is wild, so I can get creative if I want to. Has anyone ever tried using green for night light? If so which exact green gel did you use, and what did it look like?

Thanks.

Kevin Zanit · October 8, 2004

If I have to do the moonlight color (which I am not a big fan of), I use some 1/2 (or 1/4) plus green combined with some 1/2 blue (or 1/2 orange depending on the light).

I like adding the green, it makes it a little dirtier feeling, and I feel more realistic.

Kevin Zanit

DavidSloan · October 8, 2004

when you say green and orange you mean for day, right?

Also, have you ever gone all green for moon light? :o

Thanks :ph34r:

Nate Yolles · October 8, 2004

when you say green and orange you mean for day, right?

Use 1/2 CTO on an HMI (5500) light OR 1/2 CTB on a Tungsten (3200) unit. Either way it comes out to the same color, then add your 1/4 or 1/2 plus green on that.

Kevin Zanit · October 9, 2004

Nates got it.

Michael Nash · October 9, 2004

It's not that uncommon to add just a touch of green to the 1/2 blue for moonlight. I agree that it helps it feel a little more realistic if played subtly (like the 1/4 PG that Kevin suggests). I prefer that to the over-saturated steel blue you sometimes see.

The horror flick Darkness Falls used a blue-green light to represent darkness, which I thought was pretty effective. Most of Panic Room was a murky blue-green as well.

But as far as going unconventional with green-for-night, why not? I think it sounds like a great idea. On the one hand you can justify it as mercury vapor light, or just go "unmotivated" for stylistic effect. I think you'd want to keep the exposure down a bit so that it still feels a bit like "nightlight," and not just some green source out of frame.