Peter Anderson Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 One of the sets for a 16mm short im shooting has limited 'manuverability' in terms of setting up light rigs. I want to light the set with a mixture of incandescents, fluorescents and kerosene lanterns. Additional motivated lighting will be provided by discreetly mounted, small fresnels. The scene is a dark and dingy bar so working with low light levels isnt the main problem, im more concerned with underexposure and low contrast that can result from choosing the wrong stock. If you can imagine, the scene is a cross between John Doe's apartment in Seven and the dilapidated apartment in Bexhill detention centre from Children of Men. Im interested in the approach people would have to lighting a scene of this kind. Any examples and ideas would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Holland Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 so what stock are you going to use ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Anderson Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 so what stock are you going to use ?? I'll be testing Fuji Eterna 250T and 160T for the scene but im interested in what other people would choose. I want the practicals to be effective whilst having very short light falloff. In the bar there is a dark corner from which a sinister patron emerges no more than 5ft away from where our protagonist needs to be lit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Hartman Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I'd look at fixtures that use MR-16 bulbs. They will be small and won't seem out of place if they appear in the shot. Spot and flood bulbs in various wattages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Michael Nash Posted January 8, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted January 8, 2008 To get the most out of practicals you generally try to shade or flag them from the camera side as much as possible, and direct the natural light toward the subjects you want to illuminate. Strategically placed tape, diffusion, ND gel, streaks-n-tips, and blackwrap on the practicals can help knock down excessive glare while letting the unit light the rest of the set naturally. If you do it carefully, the camera won't read the tape (or whatever) and the source will appear natural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Clark Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I'd recommend investigating Kodak's newer 500T stock. It's excellent for situations like the one you're describing and has great latitude in the toe, giving you excellent depth in those blacks which will inevitably creep into frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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