Buried Film Lighting

[mainstream180]

Does anyone have any information on how they lit the scenes in the movie Buried (staring Ryan Reynolds)? All of the senes are obviously low lit scenes and in the film he has only a cellphone, a lighter and a torch -- each of course would provide practical light BUT I imagine each scene was further lit with other mediums?

I'm asking because I want to shoot a scene where a prisoner is thrown into solitary cofinement. The room itself bing very sparse with no windows, furnishings i.e. It's really just four walls and a concrete floor. I was thinking about using a single light source: A single China Ball on a boom. Suggestions?

 

[Phil_UK]

Do you have any screenshots we can see?

 

[harmonica44]

What is the source of light? Moonlight, sunlight, prison light bulb?

 

[wheatgrinder]

Go here and you can listen to the cinematographer of Buried..

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/american-cinematographer-podcasts/id259748235

 

[Phil_UK]

This sort of lighting? My guess is small soft light a few feet over his face to the right. I think there's just the cellphone and one light. The light is probably the one that's being reflected in his eyes. It serves 2 purposes. Key light and Eye light. Make sure you diffuse the light, otherwise, you will get a lot harsher shadows and the fall-off of the light on the edges of the frame won't be as soft and desirable. Oh and also hook up a dimmer and don't make it too bright, otherwise you'll loose the illusion of him being buried!

 

[Phil_UK]

Alright, I checked it out. All the scenes with the lighter (Zippo) we're done with just that light mostly. To enhance the effect, they taped 3 Zippos together to make the flame stronger but keep the effect.

The glow stick was enhanced by using a green neon tube. Things like that..

 

[jax_rox]

If I was to light that shot, I'd probably go for a tungsten balanced kino camera right, possibly gelled with some kind of straw variant. You'll likely find that many of the lighting setups are quite simple. I haven't seen the movie myself, so I couldn't tell you specifically.

 

[Phil_UK]

If I was to light that shot, I'd probably go for a tungsten balanced kino camera right, possibly gelled with some kind of straw variant. You'll likely find that many of the lighting setups are quite simple. I haven't seen the movie myself, so I couldn't tell you specifically.

A Kino could work. Flag it off on the sides so it doesnt spill too much! Setups in this film are mostly practicals!

 

[dandan]

Edward Grau

These guys just interviewed Edward Grau, the DP, (www.facebook.com/crafttruck)... not sure when the interview is coming out. I think he used just the lighter in some cases.