Lighting choices in a huge hangar

[Adam Worth]

Hello all - thanks again. Please critique my lighting diagram. I know this location has a lot of creative possibilities, but i need a straight forward setup that just highlights the performance. any more advice is much appreciated! I plan to open the hangar doors, put some ctb on the lights. Prob won't use as many 2' quasar LED tubes ('Q') than i drew here. let me know if u see any potential problems!

Edited December 28, 2018 by Adam Worth

[David Mullen ASC]

I don’t get what the band means by a more “natural look” and why they would think an overhead soft light would be unnatural.

 

What do they want really?

 

Why do you need a fill light when you’ve got a massive daylight door going through a 12x12 diffusion frame plus overhead Quasar tubes?

 

How is this backlight on a stand not going to be in the shot and why is this sort of 3-point lighting more natural than an overhead soft light would be?

[Phil Connolly]

One of my favorite performance videos is "Judith" Directed by David Fincher

 

Both in the way its lit and the way the performance is shot and edited. Looking at it closely - it seems the light through the doors is the main light source. Maybe they bashed in a few small fixtures on the odd shot. But generally its the daylight blasting though the door and the courage to play it dark. Its difficult to tell it its all day light or if they have a massive HMI punching through the door to help.

 

Might be a bit too "metal" for your group - but the look really works for the song in question and the coverage supports the performance.

 

Really I would listen to the song a lot. The mood of the music should dictate the look. You are lucky to have a good flexible space and enough budget to be creative on the lighting front. What you do really needs to serve the music and the performance. So its impossible to really comment. I would light Radiohead in a different way to Slayer in the same space.

[Adam Worth]

thanks, this is helpful. a similar space to mine. & not too far off musically.

just wanted to play it safe on this one, have enough lights to cover my butt. An overhead soft box is out of budget, to begin with i cant afford the truck that would be required for the lift or very long ladder. So this video inspires some ideas.

 

here is the track we're doing the video for

 

 

One of my favorite performance videos is "Judith" Directed by David Fincher

 

Both in the way its lit and the way the performance is shot and edited. Looking at it closely - it seems the light through the doors is the main light source. Maybe they bashed in a few small fixtures on the odd shot. But generally its the daylight blasting though the door and the courage to play it dark. Its difficult to tell it its all day light or if they have a massive HMI punching through the door to help.

 

Might be a bit too "metal" for your group - but the look really works for the song in question and the coverage supports the performance.

 

Really I would listen to the song a lot. The mood of the music should dictate the look. You are lucky to have a good flexible space and enough budget to be creative on the lighting front. What you do really needs to serve the music and the performance. So its impossible to really comment. I would light Radiohead in a different way to Slayer in the same space.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Adam Worth

[David Mullen ASC]

I'd probably side-light everything by rigging an HMI as high up each side column as an extension ladder would allow.

[David Mullen ASC]

Or I’d turn everything 90 degrees and shoot in side light from the open hanger door.

[Phil Rhodes]

I'd call that an absolute gift of a location. The problem is that it begs such 80s glamour - big lights behind the aircraft and use lots of haze.

 

[JD Hartman]

You can get your lights up higher (20+ feet) as David Mullen suggests using high-high overhead roller stands. Maybe use two 1.8k HMIs instead of the 1.2 and the 575. Your hanger diagram indicates many 120VAC receptacles, they are tied into how many circuits of what amperage?