Shadow Trick

[Fernando Getz]

I have to do a DVCam shoot in which I have to achieve the following: In the background, about 45ft away from the camera, there needs to be a fabric or canvas with a white circle with the word RAVEON in black letters inside it. The 10 ft diameter circle should be produced by a 2k junior placed 10ft behind the surface with the letters, so as to be able to see in that circle the shadows of people walking behind the fabric. My question is: what color and/or texture should this fabric or canvas be, so that we only see a white circle with the words where the light hits it and the rest is black? I know the right way to do is is to test different materials but, as usual, the budget doesn't allow for it. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Daniel Sheehy]

You do realise that the shadows of the people walking behind the cloth will make it impossible to read the black lettering?

[Fernando Getz]

You do realise that the shadows of the people walking behind the cloth will make it impossible to read the black lettering?

Of course, people will pass by only once and the shadows will be a lot smaller than the letters

[George Ebersole]

I have to do a DVCam shoot in which I have to achieve the following: In the background, about 45ft away from the camera, there needs to be a fabric or canvas with a white circle with the word RAVEON in black letters inside it. The 10 ft diameter circle should be produced by a 2k junior placed 10ft behind the surface with the letters, so as to be able to see in that circle the shadows of people walking behind the fabric. My question is: what color and/or texture should this fabric or canvas be, so that we only see a white circle with the words where the light hits it and the rest is black? I know the right way to do is is to test different materials but, as usual, the budget doesn't allow for it. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Stage cloth or cheese-cloth is my best guess.

[Chris Keth]

I'm not that familiar with common stage lighting techniques but it seems to me that you essentially want a silk (or something similar, polysilk, etc). The cloth has to be substantial enough to backlight and also to paint on for the lettering. If the fabric is too light, the backlighting will overpower the painted design and it won't read. I think cheesecloth would be like this.

 

If you want a sharp circle, I would get hold of a leko rather than use a 2k. You will much more easily be able to project a sharp-edged circle with that fixture.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Chris Keth

[Hemant Tavathia]

if you only have a 2K Junior available, you are going to need some kind of snoot to cast a sharp circular shadow. I'd recommend using the light without its lens, so, open the fresnel lens door and turn on the light. This will give you a good punch. Then Cut a circle on foamcore and place it at a distance from the light using a C-stand to cast a sharp shadow on the canvas. This will also allow you to block light on the canvas.

For the canvas, you should go with a bleached Muslin.