Lighting has a direct effect on the overall look of a film, which is why the lighting department reports to the Director of Photography. Here is a brief rundown on the basics of set lighting.
Light is measured in Kelvin (K), which measures temperature on the absolute scale. The lower the K, the more red the light will appear. The lowest Kelvin measurement is for candlelight, which falls between 1000K – 1900K.
Going higher on the Kelvin scale will progress to yellow light, white light, and blue light. Incandescent and Halogen lights are found around 2500K – 3000K. Daylight is found around 5600K. A clear blue sky can be found at 10,000K.
Types of Lights
There are many types of lights, but for film purposes, you should be familiar with Tungsten, HMI, Fluorescent, and LED. Also, don’t forget about the sun.
Tungsten bulbs produce an orange hue around 3200K. The lamps require a lot of power and do get very hot, but they are dimmable. They are usually used for lighting interiors. Add a blue gel to tungsten lights to create daylight.
Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide (HMI) lights are the most common light used on set. HMI lamps are up to four times more powerful than traditional incandescent bulbs. They can be dangerous, so it is highly advised to have a professional lighting technician on hand. HMI lights emit an ultraviolet light with a blue hue.
Fluorescent bulbs were once notorious for flickering and their ugly orange-green hue. Now fluorescent bulbs are flicker free and offer multiple color temperatures. The very soft light is more efficient that an incandescent bulb and can offer a similar look to HMI lights.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are very common on smaller sets. White LED lights are most popular, but LEDs are actually manufactured in every color. The diodes are designed to offer directional light, but they are limited in overall output.
Three-Point Lighting
Three-point lighting is the standard lighting setup for video production. The name gives away the fact that you will be using three light sources. Note that I said three sources, not three lights. You can use the sun if you want to, but three-point lighting is mostly used indoors.
The primary light source is called the key light. This light shines directly on a character or subject from the front right or front left. This light should establish the overall look and feel of the shot. The second light is thefill light, which fills in the character or subject with a softer light. If the key light is used on the front right, then the fill light will be used on the front left. The fill light should always be positioned on the opposite side of the key light. Finally there is the back light. Like the name infers, this light is used in the back of the subject. This light is used to separate the subject from the background. Is should create a rim of light around the subject, which is why it’s also called a rim light.
Keep in mind that three-point lighting is just the beginning. As a cinematographer, you will need to break some rules to achieve the best overall look. This includes turning off lights, or adding more. You can also move the light’s location and use high-key lighting or low-key lighting. You can also use a flashlight or torch to get that popular lens flare.
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