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Lightning kit for dark scenes? (Outside)

N

Nicwillu

Hi there, I am planning to shoot outside in the dark. Planning to film near lampposts in the woods, but I need some extra light when I record a bit away from them.

So, what kind of lightning kit can I buy when I want to film moving actors (where the camera is also moving a little) a bit into to the woods? How can this be done to get a realistic lightning, that simulates moonshine or something like that.

I have looked on this: http://dx.com/p/9-6w-160-led-660lm-...ree-filters-for-panasonic-cgr-d16s-more-42304, will it work with one of these? I have heard that portable work lights used in garages and stuff can also be used, perhaps slap a CTB on it?

I have very little knowledge about lightning in dark scenes, so I need your expertise.

Thanks in advance.
 
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Lighting night exteriors is probably one of the hardest things to do when it comes to lighting for film!

If you are filming in the woods for example, it will always look lit, however, it doesn't matter to the viewer as it will bring across the concept of night and moonshine. I remember a good friend of mine telling me when he shot his film "Homophobia" (Nino Leitner is that friend and you can find the film here: https://vimeo.com/41979122 ) that they blasted a few HMI's through the woods. Now, of course this will look slightly lit and not like night, but it conveys the concept of night and is visually interesting. Have a look at the forest night scenes and you will see what I mean. The best example is in the wide shots.


Now, if you film with one of those lights you linked above, it will look terrible. I don't know what your budget is, but those small LED lights aren't that great and don't put out toooo much power. Whatever you do, don't put them on the camera. keep em off the camera and light from there on.
 
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I don't know too much about lighting, so hopefully someone else will see this post, but just some advice about that light. If you are shooting any footage where the camera isn't locked down I would highly reccomend not sitting it on the camera...
You've possibly already thought about that, but I just thought I'd point that out: Because any handheld or steadicam shooting will be way different with a light on top

EDIT: Seems Phil beat me to it about that light :)
 
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Lighting a night scene is really difficult. Would you consider doing a day for night in post? Or look at examples of films with that sort of setting in them and try figure out what they did. The first one that springs to mind is ET, the night sequences in the forrest looks great, but dont look lit. They obviously are otherwise it would just be a black screen. Good luck
 
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Thanks for the input, I never intended to put it on the camera. I have around 100-120 usd I can use.

Those night shots in the film looked great! How much are these HMI's, aren't they quite expensive?

simondo said:
Lighting a night scene is really difficult. Would you consider doing a day for night in post? Or look at examples of films with that sort of setting in them and try figure out what they did. The first one that springs to mind is ET, the night sequences in the forrest looks great, but dont look lit. They obviously are otherwise it would just be a black screen. Good luck
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I don't really intend to film in the dark. The problem is that this is done in the sparetime after school, it is already dark when I get home. I could use the weekends, but I need as much time to film as possible, so I decided to film after school.

There are only some few scenes that will be too dark, I have an opening shot where two actors walk out from the woods, and lay down in the snow a bit away from the lampposts, then they move in closer, I just need to light up their faces.
 
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Sorry to post again... It is important that you have a camera than can shoot in low light too, even if a scene is well lit there is possible grain in the background of scene if it is too dark depending on the camera
Sony tape based cameras, even the high end ones, seem to give terrible noise from my experience, if the background is also not lit well, as well of course as the foreground
 
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MileCreations said:
Sorry to post again... It is important that you have a camera than can shoot in low light too, even if a scene is well lit there is possible grain in the background of scene if it is too dark depending on the camera
Sony tape based cameras, even the high end ones, seem to give terrible noise from my experience, if the background is also not lit well, as well of course as the foreground
Click to expand...

I have a Canon 60D, with a 17-85mm (f4,5), the lens does not really suit for low light conditions I have noticed, I am considering a new one shortly.
 
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simondo said:
get the 50mm lense on amazon, its about 130 euros, and is really good, performs great in lowlight.
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I am considering the Canon 50mm f/1,8 II, I hear it is great for low-light shooting. Just wondering, there is some difference from f/4.5 to f/1.8, how big of a lighting difference will it be? I have to shoot 800/1200 ISO with my current lens, how will it do on the 50mm one?
 
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