I want to shoot some office scenes for a future project, and what the fluorescent look, but do not want regular fluorescents, as they are not as bright for deeper focus shooting. I have halogen lights that are 500 watt that are pretty bright. Can I get bright fluorescent colored lights to match those or even brighter? I can't find any at hardware stores, that have the fluorescent color, as they are all more yellow-ish.
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What type of lights do I need for this effect?
- Thread starter harmonica44
- Start date
Fluorescents are plenty bright, you just need a lot of them.
Otherwise, put some green gel in front of tungsten lighting to help it match.
Otherwise, put some green gel in front of tungsten lighting to help it match.
Okay thanks, the green gel sounds like a good idea, rather than buying a lot of florescent. But it depends on how many we are talking here, as since they are bigger, a lot can take up a lot of space in the scene.
You can use in-ceiling fluorescents in an office environment and see them on camera, also called a "practical light". They use them on most office based TV shows too.
Gel cuts down brightness. If you're really jonesing for a color, it's always best to use the right light for it instead of gelling down. You can't always do that sure, but when fluorescent fixtures are so cheap why not, you know?
Gel cuts down brightness. If you're really jonesing for a color, it's always best to use the right light for it instead of gelling down. You can't always do that sure, but when fluorescent fixtures are so cheap why not, you know?
Yeah, Lee 213 or even 245 will give you that slight green look reminiscent of flourescents. I find it can sometimes be better to do that, as you can control how much of it you want - some older flouro fixtures have spike in both green and magenta.. good luck colouring that out!
Newer flouro fixtures aren't as bad and you can quite easily get away with using them and balancing your camera (or not if you want the green). I've seen DPs walk into milk bars with flourescents and use the flouros for the ambient scene lighting and add lighting for the talent with daylight balanced kinos so that at least the talent don't have a sickly look about them. I've also seen DPs use balanced kinos with 213 over them to give them that 'ugly flouro' feel, thuogh generally they're also lighting talent with properly balanced lights.
Newer flouro fixtures aren't as bad and you can quite easily get away with using them and balancing your camera (or not if you want the green). I've seen DPs walk into milk bars with flourescents and use the flouros for the ambient scene lighting and add lighting for the talent with daylight balanced kinos so that at least the talent don't have a sickly look about them. I've also seen DPs use balanced kinos with 213 over them to give them that 'ugly flouro' feel, thuogh generally they're also lighting talent with properly balanced lights.
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Okay thanks. I don't know if I want that slight green look though, thinking about it. I think I might just want the pure white look.