Film Lighting: The Ultimate Guide

• Importance of Film Lighting

  • Essential to cinematic storytelling, as crucial as script and subject.
  • Various lighting techniques have been experimented with over the years.

• Types of Lighting in Film

  • Natural Light
    • Comes from naturally occurring sources like the sun, moon, or fire.
    • Example: The Revenant uses extensive natural light.
  • Artificial Light
    • Man-made sources such as streetlights, neon lights, LED panels.
    • Example: Avatar uses artificial lighting extensively.
  • Ambient Light
    • Any light on set not introduced by the crew.
    • Can be both natural or artificial.
    • Examples: Buzzing open sign in a bar, headlights from cars.
  • Practical Lighting
    • Light sources that appear within the frame of a shot.
    • Can be ambient or introduced by a gaffer.
  • Motivated Lighting
    • Lighting that has a logical reason for appearing in a shot.
    • Example: Light sources within Three Thousand Years Of Longing.

• Role of the Gaffer

  • Head lighting electrician on set.
  • Manages the electrical department and helps achieve desired lighting.

• Lighting Metrics

  • Strength
    • Measured in lumens; incidental light in lux or foot candles.
    • Reflective light: amount that reaches the camera.
    • Inverse Square Law: Intensity of Light = 1 / Distance.
  • Temperature
    • Measured in Kelvins.
    • Affects color; more Kelvins mean a bluer light.
    • Examples: Daylight ~5600 Kelvin, Tungsten lights ~3200 Kelvin.

• Film Lighting Terms

  • Exposure
    • Amount of light reaching the camera's sensor.
    • Overexposure vs. Underexposure.
    • Adjustments: aperture, shutter speed, ISO.
  • High Key vs. Low Key
    • High key: low contrast, soft light.
    • Low key: high contrast, hard light.
  • Magic Hour
    • Also known as golden hour.
  • Smart Side vs. Dumb Side Lighting
    • Dumb side: light pointed at side facing camera.
    • Smart side: light pointed at side not facing camera; results in dramatic effects.

• Film Lighting Gear

  • Types of lights: Tungsten, HMI, Fluorescent, LED.
  • Use of gels for altering color.
  • Diffusers: soft boxes, diffusion paper, silks.
  • Reflectors and flags for directing and blocking light.
  • Light meters for measuring incidental lighting.

• Conclusion

  • Understanding types of lighting, terms, and equipment is crucial for effective film lighting.
  • Upcoming guide on portrait lighting setups.