Blackmagic Forum

Even when the display of the BMPCC is set on "video," it's a mighty flat looking image. I find it much easier to light my interviews looking at the EVF of my Sony EX1 or Canon 5D. My question to some of the masters who contribute to this forum: how do you finesse you lighting when looking at the signal from a BMPCC?

Or is the correct answer, "We don't. We light what we see?"

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

I personally have gone back to the meter on my own pocket.
On the Cinema, which I'm using on a feature; I tend to use video mode to get it "about right," then toggle over to film for a final tweak, before viewing in video. Though honestly, I treat the camera much as I would treat a film camera-- via lighting ratios.
Some testing of the camera will get you good on what certain ratios look like on it.

I also use a light meter, zebras and for critical situations, a known external monitor as a final check, and a test shot played back on a computer. Light meter, Zebras and experience are your best guides for exposure. Color balanced can be set for average of lighting, and "dialed in" in Post Production.

I have a related question to this one...

How dark is too dark? Looking at the screen, yes, it can be a little hard to tell what your getting if you're like me and getting used to how it works with your workflow, post adjustments, ect.

How do you tackle a shot that has a bright open window behind your subject? Set your F stop to the window peaks and pull up the shadows in post?

Ryan Earnhardt wrote:How dark is too dark? Looking at the screen, yes, it can be a little hard to tell what your getting if you're like me and getting used to how it works with your workflow, post adjustments, ect.

How do you tackle a shot that has a bright open window behind your subject? Set your F stop to the window peaks and pull up the shadows in post?

Generally you are better off pulling your exposure down in post than pulling it up. Pulling up tends to rapidly increase the noise.

So if you are back lite and exposing for the windows makes your subject under exposed, you would probably be better off letting the windows clip than pulling up the exposure of your subject. Or simply had some bounce to fill in the subject.

Tom Fuldner wrote:Or is the correct answer, "We don't. We light what we see?"

Any insights would be greatly appreciated

When shooting with the BMCC I start out by lighting what I see. Then do a quick check of the ratios with a light meter.

I then check the shot on my EVF (Alphatron) and/monitor (smallHD) with false colour.

If there's time or it's needed I shoot some test footage and check on computer on set.

The more you shoot with the camera the quicker this all becomes. Now the light meter only gets used on difficult setups.

The camera LCD is used for controlling the camera and framing. Also use the zebras for exposure.

With the BMPCC it's more run 'n gun. As the set-up is much more discreet I base everything off what I see on the LCD. Using the knowledge I've gained form shooting with the BMCC.

Well...

You grab your meter, light from back to front, maybe shoot a test in Film gammut, load it into Final Cut X and put the LUT of choice (or creation) on the footage, and see the final result in the field, limited by the accuracy of your monitor (particularly if you are just doing it all on a laptop.)

Or, you could do a proper D.I.T. setup with a Sony Production OLED (the film one is just $23,000 after all) and then all your questions will disappear.

That said, if you calibrate your meter to your camera, you should be able to just use the meter and then just worry about checking that the takes didn't freeze or glitch when shooting. The look in post can be predetermined. This is very much like how we did it in film. Everything calibrated to the point you, as the D.P., could predict (or demand) the printer lights at the lab.

Now, all THAT said, the sensitivity of the Blackmagic Cinema Cameras may usher in a new lighting paradigm, which is augmenting with light rather than overpowering a scene with light.

when it comes to under-exposure and the BM cameras, i tend to, if I'm worried, open up another stop or stop and a half if I can't just change the base illumination (something like a sunset shot, for example, ect) knowing that in film mode if I'm not hitting my zebras (which i keep kept at 95%, not 100 for a little extra warning) that it's easier to pull down, as mentioned, than push up.

Thus far I've only boned myself once... at 1600 asa, F2.1 and literally the scene involved "all lights turn off at once and there is a scuffle"

They then later tried to push it in post much to the protest of myself and the director.