Scene Lighting Suggestions

Hey guys. Shooting a scene with the BMCC in RAW and looking to get some suggestions on lighting. Basically my actors will be coming from one door and running to the next. I have arrows pointing to show their movement. There are some really bright windows in the back, creating very little light. Metered at asa400 gives me 0.5f stop. This is like the end of the world lighting type of scenario.

In my kit i have

2 lowel DPs
2 Lowel Omnis
1 Lowel Tota
1 Lowel Pro
1 Cheap 500w LED light
I have daylight gels for all of them. Let me know what you think. If you can think of any interesting camera angels I should try that would be helpful too. Thanks!!!

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Get a grip to handhold a reflector and bounce that sunlight back at the talent.

Don't use an angle that will show camera and crew reflected in those windows.

There is hardly enough. By the blue door it's only reading 0.5f when metered at 400asa.

Don't be afraid of the dark. If it's important to see the talent and not the impression of them, then why not put two omni's on flood with cto inside that windowed office part and then put the DP's with cto spotted through the blue door's windows giving an appearance of reflected light/room-next-door light. If it's supposed to be exciting the camera can track backwards leading the talent to the door as they exit. I don't know anything about the scene or the overall tone of the movie.

Well it's kind of end of the world ish. They actually have like 3/4 of a page of dialog in front of the exit door.

the real question is how does the director want you to cover the scene?
as what look are you going for?
Tripod/Handheld/Dolly/Steadycam?
What time of day is the scene supposed to take place?
Where does the scene take place? (Is it an empty warehouse? is it a firehouse? a loft?)

the real question is how does the director want you to cover the scene?
as what look are you going for?
Tripod/Handheld/Dolly/Steadycam?
What time of day is the scene supposed to take place?
Where does the scene take place? (Is it an empty warehouse? is it a firehouse? a loft?)

Tripod and dolly. The scene is supposed to be right before sundown and yes it is in an empty warehouse. As far as the look,

I'll be curious to see how this goes.

Just before sundown suggests amber skylight, so ctb isnt needed. I would shoot anything facing the windows at actual magic hour to motivate diffused tungsten sources on the talent from the direction of the window.

Also, the dialogue and the purpose of the scene are necessary to understand the motivation of the lighting and composition of the scene, ney, entire film. "Looks cool" is not a reason, though "and it looks cool" is icing on the cake of a well-motivated scene.

Also also, if the audience can tell it's lit or they're distracted out of the scene from too much showiness and production value, then you haven't done a good job. lol

But, seriously, those bright windows won't be a problem anymore for a dusk shoot as those little Lowels will so a nice job of painting up the place and suggesting depth and dusky sunlight. I have some ideas how to shoot the scene, but I'm not DP'ing it and haven't discussed anything with the director, nor have I shot any other portion of the movie to make sure this scene fits well or feels right with the rest of it. So, bearing that disclaimer in mind...

Suggesting bounced dusk sunlight in a dark, dusty room with two characters stopping at a door and exchanging dialogue (i'm assuming they are on either side of the door facing each other, both with a shoulder facing the door), I would probably set up the two omnis on spotted at beadboard or foamcore that bounces a nice fill toward the door which should light the talent well for any OTS dialogue shots. If you wanna be tricky, have the Pro on that roof above the little office area to give one character a hairlight with a bit of diffusion so it's not so obvious. Then I'd bounce a Tota into another reflector (again, beadboard or foamcore) straight at the nose of whoever gets the OTS CU, about a 1:3 ratio against the key (the two omnis) to provide a bit of fill and a catchlight; repeat for the other talent's OTS CU. For the bg I'd use the DP's to make little pools or streaks of light tomadd texture to the background and provide separation from the talent. I'm also assuming you can juice all these lights at once. For dusk, you dont need to gell tungsten. Anyway, that's what I'd do given I haven't discussed the visual language of the movie with the director, attended any meetings or observed any rehearsals. I don't mind drawing diagrams if it comes tomthat or if you think it'd help.

Thank you so much. Love these ideas. I'm shooting on Wednesday, I'll post up the scene when it's done editing


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Cool. I'll be looking forward to it.

This is basically how I shoot when I don't have big sourcy fresnels; I sort of fake the wraparound you'd get with a big light. Something I learned observing Blade Runner. I once shot a love scene with a single 2.5K HMI and that, plus the white sheets, was enough. I was given an Epic MX and CP.2's and I seem to recall staying at T4/5.6 or so. Anyway, I really think the secret (at least for me) is not to over light, not to over think, not to over analyze, not to over act, etc...but, that's my style and everyone and every project is different. Sometimes, you have to go Punisher War Zone because that's appropriate and serves the director's vision. Hopefully whatever you wind up doing for this scene works and is appropriate and cuts well with the rest of the film. Cheers!

This is my first draft. Any thoughts on my grade? I haven't touched the sound yet. Let me know what you think.

Sorry forgot the link. Here it is

https://vimeo.com/87748356

Sorry forgot the link. Here it is

Watch out for reflections 00:58 tripod and sound engineer are visible,

Apart from that it was interesting, the grade works but I'm not a big fan of over crushed shadows, but thats just a personal liking.

Well done!

https://vimeo.com/87748356

Sorry forgot the link. Here it is

Watch out for reflections 00:58 tripod and sound engineer are visible,

Apart from that it was interesting, the grade works but I'm not a big fan of over crushed shadows, but thats just a personal liking.

Well done!

Yeah I don't really like overcrushed blacks either but I think it works with this scene.

Any ideas on how to fix the reflection? I did see that, wasn't sure what I could do.

Thanks by the way


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I would've tried to keep a little obie light on them at all times to get something in their eyes. There really isn't anything you can do to fix a reflection in a window in post-- you could try to mask it and defocus it-- but that would show I'd think.

Aside from that good work.

You get a great little eye light at 1:07 on the girl, that's what I mean with the obie-- something like that for the whole scene so we can "connect" with them more.

https://vimeo.com/87748356

Sorry forgot the link. Here it is

Watch out for reflections 00:58 tripod and sound engineer are visible,

Apart from that it was interesting, the grade works but I'm not a big fan of over crushed shadows, but thats just a personal liking.

Well done!

Yeah I don't really like overcrushed blacks either but I think it works with this scene.

Any ideas on how to fix the reflection? I did see that, wasn't sure what I could do.

Theres a few ways but its not easy,

One would be to clean areas around the tripod and mesh them together in after affects, or create a composite in photoshop you can use, I quickly cloned and smudged in photoshop (see below) to give you an Idea. For the gun you need to rotor-scope the mask later and track it.

Oh interesting! Looks awesome the way you did it! I'll give it a shot.

Oh interesting! Looks awesome the way you did it! I'll give it a shot.

You're welcome! Give me a shout if you need any help