Solid Flags

[Frank Poole]

So, I am still learning by reading and watching films and behind the scenes material and I am getting a more innate sense of quality of light, direction and diffusion, but sometimes I am still a bit baffled. Could anyone wager their best guess as to what these flags are accomplishing for this BTS shot from Casino? I know they're there to reduce the hard light from the ceiling, but their placement isn't clicking for me. Especially because it looks like a walk-and-talk scene.

Thanks!

[Satsuki Murashige]

7 hours ago, Frank Poole said:

So, I am still learning by reading and watching films and behind the scenes material and I am getting a more innate sense of quality of light, direction and diffusion, but sometimes I am still a bit baffled. Could anyone wager their best guess as to what these flags are accomplishing for this BTS shot from Casino? I know they're there to reduce the hard light from the ceiling, but their placement isn't clicking for me. Especially because it looks like a walk-and-talk scene.

Thanks!

My guess is that it’s to prevent camera shadow on the actors. If you look at the layout of the dance floor, it appears that the dolly is supposed to truck right underneath the overhead lights. The flags appear to be at the right height to cover the camera thru the whole move. 

[Phil Rhodes]

5 hours ago, Satsuki Murashige said:

My guess is that it’s to prevent camera shadow on the actors. If you look at the layout of the dance floor, it appears that the dolly is supposed to truck right underneath the overhead lights. The flags appear to be at the right height to cover the camera thru the whole move. 

That's one of the thoughts I had, too. One would have to find that scene in the film, assuming the scene made the final cut, to really be sure. I had a quick look around and there's some easy-to-find shots of those actors in that wardrobe in that casino, but I couldn't easily find that particular setup.

[Joseph Tese]

Maybe (at least the far flag) is shielding unwanted light on the casino dealer/extra. But blocking shadows from the camera movement makes sense too.

[Frank Poole]

@Satsuki Murashige

@Phil Rhodes

@Joseph Tese

 

Thank you all for your responses!