any tips for creating creepy lighting to a dark scene?

N

nobudgetfilmmaker

For a scene in my movie, the characters are in a safehouse when two Lickers (creatures from Resident Evil) break into the house. There is no electricity so the scene will be dark. But the camera won't see anything if its dark. (Duh) I've done scenes in the dark before with added lighting but the results are often somewhat grainy. Anyone have any tips to solve this problem and give the scene a creepy vibe?
 
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You always want to use lights. Even for dark scenes.

Use a blue gel to make it look like the moon light.

You could use the classic horror angle under lighting.

Does somebody die in the scene? if so, I would use a more powerful light gelled blue as the moon, and have a light coming from somewhere that is gelled purple. (i.e. - a light from outside or a "stain glass window") and then light it really dramatic and harsh, so half your talent's face is in shadow and half is revealed, and going dutch (tilting camera sideways) with camera slightly might help you get what you're going for :P

Hope this is some help?
 
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Throw a bit of light on the background... one light from off camera from low and off to one side, really close to the background. This will allow you to expose the background and silhouette the subjects... you can then add a bit of fill so the subjects can register on camera high and from one side... at about half the exposure of the background... that we we know it's dark, but can see them on camera.
 
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Michael Rogers said:
You always want to use lights. Even for dark scenes.

Use a blue gel to make it look like the moon light.

You could use the classic horror angle under lighting.

Does somebody die in the scene? if so, I would use a more powerful light gelled blue as the moon, and have a light coming from somewhere that is gelled purple. (i.e. - a light from outside or a "stain glass window") and then light it really dramatic and harsh, so half your talent's face is in shadow and half is revealed, and going dutch (tilting camera sideways) with camera slightly might help you get what you're going for :P

Hope this is some help?
Click to expand...

This might reveal how much experience I don't have (I've only made one short before the current one I'm working on) but what do you mean by 'gelled blue'? Is it something you put on the light?
 
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Yes. There are many many different gels to help you to get good lighting. Its typicaly a sheet of soft plastic, with different shades. You could either slide it into your lights , or clamp it to the barn doors.

Don't get em too close oh they ll melt, and will stink up the set :)
 
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I learned a cool technique on the last set I was on. If you have clamp lights and gels, they are notoriously difficult to clip on (with wooden clothespins -- C-47 Media Attachment Clips). The guys on the camera crew clipped a c47 to the edge of the scoop reflector, then clipped the gel onto the handle of that c47 with another c47. I'm so happy as it made my life easier... I can now gel my Smith and Victor floods without burning through my gels... BTW, this is what I have for a kit:

gels
C-47 Media Attachment Clips
lights
 
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knightly said:
I learned a cool technique on the last set I was on. If you have clamp lights and gels, they are notoriously difficult to clip on (with wooden clothespins -- C-47 Media Attachment Clips). The guys on the camera crew clipped a c47 to the edge of the scoop reflector, then clipped the gel onto the handle of that c47 with another c47. I'm so happy as it made my life easier... I can now gel my Smith and Victor floods without burning through my gels... BTW, this is what I have for a kit:
Click to expand...

GAH! Why did I never think of this! Thanks Knightly!

@NBF:

You mentioned a lack of electricity at the location. If a generator is out of the question you might be able to use battery powered instruments to give you at least a little bit to work with.

The shoot I just got home from had 10 of these little guys (the director had been buying them over time at a fabric store for much cheaper than the website):

http://www.ottlite.com/p-280-led-mini-flip-lite.aspx

And they were, in a word, awesome. I was able to light a night exterior on the deck of a bar using those to bring up the level on the actresses (also to simulate a bit of moonlight), and a couple to give a nice hair-light to one of them. The rest of the lighting came from the practicals on the deck - were pushed the camera a little bit (the DP was using an EX1) to retain this really beautiful pattern that a decorative fixture was casting on the wall behind them.
 
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"If you have clamp lights and gels, they are notoriously difficult to clip on (with wooden clothespins -- C-47 Media Attachment Clips). The guys on the camera crew clipped a c47 to the edge of the scoop reflector, then clipped the gel onto the handle of that c47 with another c47. '

Holy shit, that's the best grip tip I've gotten in months, freaking genius.
 
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I was blown away quite frankly... stupid simple technique. They called it double clipping and treated it like I should have known it (not in a mean way)... and I should've. It's the simplest possible solution to the problem.
 
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Don't overlight like a lot of creepy movies do nowadays. I just saw The Nightmare on Elm Street and The Thing remakes, and they are so bright that the night scenes look like they were shot during the day. During a microbudget production, you might have to shoot during the day and fake it for night, for whatever reason, but don't make it obvious. A lot of movies have been doing it, and that takes me out of the creepiness. At least me, as a viewer. If you want to make it really creepy I'd say go for the real darkness of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but that's just my opinion.
 
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What those guys said. :)

Also, keep in mind where light is supposed to be coming from. Nothing bugs me more than "magic" lights in scenes that has me screaming "why is light coming from there??". This happens in big-budget movies all the freakin' time. In "The Fellowship of the Ring" there's a shot where that nazgul on a horse rears up and screams. It's a pretty-looking shot with the nazgul in silhouette because of a bright ground-level light behind it and I'm wondering why there's a big spotlight just sitting around on the ground in the Shire. Really pulled me out of the moment.
 
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You're getting a lot of good suggestions. Take a piece of foam core and cut holes and/or slashes in it. Then place it in from of your lights. It will create patterns and limit the amount of light. Backlight your scary monsters with only minimal fill on the front. The audience will fill in the some of what they can't see.

Here's a link to a tech tip I did for the show Framelines on gels and diffusion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTxkscOlnJI

Btw, there are other tips on the Framelines channel. I see you're in Ohio where we produce the show so you should check it out to learn what other filmmakers around the state are doing.

Scott
 
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If there are any windows, shine a ligh with a blue filter through it.
Give the characters a flashlight, maybe?
Or shine a light from above, giving the ilusion of a... well, skylight.
 
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Also if you have any windows with drapes, put your lights behind the drapes, if possible. Then it will give a cool drape affect. I just did this today for the first time and it was awesome! You can add blue in post, as it might be hard to gel the light if it's behind drapes.
 
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has anyone used led lights...i just got a new job at ikea (soso pay) and i get a 15%discount They have plug in led light tracks and those whindup flash lights that dun need batteries. I was just curious if any one has use them and also used them with filters?????
is so how did it look?

I vote a sticky fer dis thread..big big help in how to rig, what materials to use, and tips an tricks!!!!!
 
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Don't forget a smoke machine! You can pick them up pretty cheaply (get a water-based DJ-type one) - even a little smoke adds a lot of atmosphere :)

I used an LED light for my film - it was indispensable - used it for even lighting on greenscreen, lightning effects, sunlight through windows - it was hugely versatile and I won't light without one now :)
 
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harmonica44 said:
Also if you have any windows with drapes, put your lights behind the drapes, if possible. Then it will give a cool drape affect. I just did this today for the first time and it was awesome! You can add blue in post, as it might be hard to gel the light if it's behind drapes.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see how that worked out. Is there any pics or footage :lol:
 
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