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Lighting a secluded vineyard


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First post! I've been a guest a long time and thought I'd jump in as a member. It's strange how many of you I feel like I know on a personal level.

Anyway, I'm prepping for a feature that includes a climatic night scene in a vineyard and would welcome anyone's two cents.

There are a few vineyard scenes earlier in the film that take place during the day so worrying about orientation shouldn't be a problem. But, truly, except for the moon, it is pitch black secluded – no streetlights, farmhouses … nothing to frame against. (Try and imagine a hilltop forest with about ten to fifteen acres cleared for the vineyard.) The thing is does have, though, is a small work shed/barn at the top of the hill with a 20 amp power supply.

I can't count on a condor or any big lights (lighting up those rows bathed in moonlight would be spectacular), so my plan is to use a 2k mounted on the shed as though it was a security light. From the angle of the shed I'll let the actors run into the vineyard and quickly disappear. For the reverse on the actors hiding in the vineyard I will cheat the 2k – since all the rows are the same and all we'll see is the actor's silhouette with a readable ¼ blue fill. With the 90 degree or three quarter shots of the actors crouching down the rows, I'll just stay somewhat close and cheat the 2k as needed with a vinealorus (sp?) key and the ¼ fill.

What do you think?

 

Steve

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We'll see what happens, but the budget is extemely small and I'm trying to figure it out as is. To really light the vineyard with the moon you'd have to bring out the big guns and I just don't see that happening.

 

The other option floating around is doing the scene at sunset/magic hour, (which I'd like to do) but it's a long scene and we won't have the days.

 

A little more detail about the scene: It's a shootout, for lack of a better word, and the sense of confusion and not knowing where anyone is will work. The 2k will be about 12 ft off the ground and is really just to get the actors into the vineyard. Once they're in, it'll all be silhouettes, closeups, sudden appearance and disappearances, quick shots of someone running here, a dive to the ground there.

 

The idea of hiding a few lights around the vineyard has been thought about, but it just doesn't make sense for the location or story. Though maybe a single light at the other end of the vineyard (as another "security light") might work, and give some depth.

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Can you smoke it ?

 

Fog'll give you some motivated spread in the lighting. You can justify some "fill"

 

-Sam

 

 

The idea of hiding a few lights around the vineyard has been thought about, but it just doesn't make sense for the location or story.
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I think what we'll do is split the difference. We'll start the scene off just past magic hour where the sky will still be visible over the dark treeline. It should give the scene a certain depth that's needed and get us into the vineyard -- where the blackness will give it a sense of confusion and doom.

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