Candle light

[Marc Levy]

I checked the archives - not so much on this subject: I'm shooting a scene that is to appear lit just by candles. The director had me screen scenes from Artemisia, which use a single candle as motivation. Interestingly, there appears to be very little flicker (if any, other than what is created by the candle) in those scenes. What are some good units and techniques to create flicker, and is this flicker even necessary? I've seen many student films where the flicker is overdone. (Note: This scene isn't two people lit by a candle between them, but rather a few candles surrounding a subject - romantic, not horrific). Any ideas?

[David Mullen ASC]

Real candles don't flicker much unless there is a breeze or they start to sputter. "Barry Lyndon" for example used real candlelight for the night interiors and in only one scene is there much flickering because one of the three candle flames lighting the shot is sputtering, probably about to go out because of too much melting wax piling around the wick.

 

I'd say that a gentle, subtle, random fading/dimming up and down would be acceptable if you were using soft lights to simulate candlelight.

[Marc Levy]

Thanks for the feedback.

[David Christopher]

Candles are essentially a pin source casting a hard shadow. Look at the effect of real candle light. Soft, subtile dimming is the way to go. But it really is whatever looks good to you. Candles are like 1600 kelven, very warm. The last time I did it I went with !/2 CTO and 1/2 White diffusion(250), clipped inside the doors on the door assembly face. This way you can use the doors to shape your light. Try using snoots on inkies. And multible source candles, you're maybe better going with soft light. In this case try bouncing tweenies into small (8"x8"?) foam-cor held by c-stands for close and bigger for wide all according to size and stop. Come from 30 degrees under eye level to get that night romantic look. Get use to using c-stands and flags. Control is your friend.