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Lighting Questions

ussinners

ussinners

I've seen scenes shot in small rooms (supposedly) where the depth looked great even though the background wasn't blurred. Is this from lighting?

I have a 4 lowell omni kit with stands plenty of gels, and I made dimmers for each. Can I achieve this using just them?

Would I just light the background from the side, while lighting the actors from in front?

I know the DP should know how to do this. But, if I know, then I can help. Plus I can try it out ahead of time.
 
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ussinners said:
I've seen scenes shot in small rooms (supposedly) where the depth looked great even though the background wasn't blurred. Is this from lighting?
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If I understand what you are describing, then yeah. Lighting lets you create fore-middle-back ground separation and lets you render dimensionality on a 2-D plane.

If you had a screen shot I could be more descriptive. I'm not really sure if I am translating "the depth looked great but wasn't blurred." It sounds like you saw something in deep focus that was lit well; meaning the lighting complimented the composition with the intent on drawing the viewers attention where the film maker wanted it, and also that the lighting rendered a 3-D space rather than a flat looking image. Sound about right?

ussinners said:
I have a 4 lowell omni kit with stands plenty of gels, and I made dimmers for each. Can I achieve this using just them?
Click to expand...

Um, maybe? Sort of depends on the space and the shots. You might need some additional small instruments for kickers, up/down light in the b/g (if warranted), and so on. In a small space you might also get more milage out of practicals. Don't know your scene though.

Take your storyboards, your DP, and reference stills your location and you should be able to map out the lighting you want.

Im addition to dimmers, what sort of shaping tools do you have at your disposal? Scrims, flags, nets, bounce?
 
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Some of it is lens as well as small rooms put the subject physically closer to the camera which moves your focal point closer and a closer focal point means a narrower DoF. More light will allow for a narrower aperature which will lengthen the DoF. It also adds heat to the room making the need for a makeup person on set with tons of rice paper to dab sweat between takes... and uncomfortable actors.
 
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Granted these are done with one crappy camera and one XL-2. But, look at the difference in everything.

It seems like they didn't do anything to the good one. But, why does it look a million times better? You can feel the distance in the good one, and nothing in the awful one.

Good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN-JwNTEXHk

Awful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWrhswnWM14
 
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Ok, a couple of things...
1) Use of the space:
- A) Good: Not flat to the wall, Bad: Flat to wall (not interesting)
- B) Good: Showing more space by tucking back into the corner and describing a 3d space rather than a straight line, Bad: reverse previous statement

2) Camera
- A) Good: Proper Exposure, Bad: Poor Exposure
- B) Good: Proper White Balance, Bad: WB pushed toward green/yellow
- C) Good: Sharp Focus, Bad: Soft Focus
- D) Good: Locked Camera, Bad: inconsistent, non-fluid camera motion
- E) Good: Wider lens (evidenced by curved lines near sides of frame, Bad: Camera proximity doesn't allow for a wider image, Barrel distortion less evident, so tighter zoom.
 
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knightly said:
Ok, a couple of things...
1) Use of the space:
- A) Good: Not flat to the wall, Bad: Flat to wall (not interesting)
- B) Good: Showing more space by tucking back into the corner and describing a 3d space rather than a straight line, Bad: reverse previous statement

2) Camera
- A) Good: Proper Exposure, Bad: Poor Exposure
- B) Good: Proper White Balance, Bad: WB pushed toward green/yellow
- C) Good: Sharp Focus, Bad: Soft Focus
- D) Good: Locked Camera, Bad: inconsistent, non-fluid camera motion
- E) Good: Wider lens (evidenced by curved lines near sides of frame, Bad: Camera proximity doesn't allow for a wider image, Barrel distortion less evident, so tighter zoom.
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THANKS.

Just so that I understand (I ain't that bright), when you say "Not flat to the wall", you mean the fact the couch is center, the pillar?

Tucking to the wall? Do you mean the camera is as far back as it can go?

The camera part makes perfect sense. Thanks again.
 
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ussinners said:
THANKS.

Just so that I understand (I ain't that bright), when you say "Not flat to the wall", you mean the fact the couch is center, the pillar?

Tucking to the wall? Do you mean the camera is as far back as it can go?

The camera part makes perfect sense. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

I think he means the camera is at an angle to the wall, rather than perpendicular to it/head on. You immediately add a lot of depth to a shot by positioning the camera at an angle to the wall, because it gives the viewer a sense of the space and perspective.
 
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In the 2nd example, if you watch through.. dont know why I did that, but eventually (1:58) the camera man set the camera on a shelf or on sticks with a much better angle, and it looks much improved over the parts before...

I also note that the top one is more widescreen then the bottom..
 
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