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video lighting

Postby gail spiro » Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:35 pm

Hi- I was hired to do a new project that is very different than my usual jobs, and I need some advice...I usually work as a photographer, and then with the production end of the videos- taking other people's footage and creating movies with it. Once in a while I'm asked to film video footage as part of a job- but it's not too often. This time, I'm creating a documentary life story of an 85 year old guy- his 4 grown children have hired me to create this, and they want a lot of footage of their dad telling his stories in an interview type of format.
Here's my question- what is the best lighting to use in this situation for video? I'll be filming in his house, and I don't want the lighting to be "artistic" or dramatic- just clean.
I've already purchased a good clip on mike for him, so the sound should be clear, but I need help with the lighting. I can buy something if I have to- but I already own some old floodlights. I don't even know what temp. bulbs to use for this, though.
Thanks in advance for your advise!
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Re: video lighting

Postby Steve Grisetti » Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:13 pm

The worst lighting is just putting the lights above the camcorder and flooding the scene.

For best results, find a comfortable location for your interviews. Like the library or den or the man's home office. Something with a bookshelf or objects behind him that reflect his life. Books, if he's scholarly; paintings if he's an artists; fishing pole or trophies if he's a fisherman or a hunter. That sort of thing.

Then use three-point lighting principles. A key light from one side, a softer light to fill and soften the shadows from the other and, ideally, a bright light aiming almost directly down on him to sort of bring him out from the background. If you can't afford the light from above, then just use lighting from the sides and slightly above.

Don't overlight him. Modern video doesn't take huge amounts of bright light. But do have enough light that you can see the colors of everything in the background and nothing is lost in the shadows. But take your time before he arrives on the set to make sure it looks colorful and full of interesting things.
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Re: video lighting

Postby John 'twosheds' McDonald » Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:47 am

....and if your video camera supports it, check the camera's white balance when the subject is lit and before you start recording.
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Re: video lighting

Postby gail spiro » Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:00 am

This is all great- thank you- any suggestions on exactly what type of lights, though? I can check the white balance- but I'm so used to strobe lights for photo these days!
I'd like to get lights that will be close to a good temperature.
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Re: video lighting

Postby Steve Grisetti » Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:11 am

You can buy a professional light set. Or you can use work lights, like painters use. They're inexpensive but really hot!

Here are some nice pro lighting kits for under $100.
http://www.cowboystudio.com/

But you can also just walk around Home Depot and see what catches your eye. Sometimes even flourescent plant grow-lights will work!

Don't worry too much about color temperature -- as long as all of your lights match (ie, all flourescents, all incandescent).
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Re: video lighting

Postby Dave McElderry » Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:28 am

John 'twosheds' McDonald wrote:....and if your video camera supports it, check the camera's white balance when the subject is lit and before you start recording.


Several years ago this was the advice given to me by Chuck, and it was the single most "life-changing" advice I've received re lighting. I also echo Steve's comments about overlighting. It doesn't take much to go from adequate to overdone. Hard to believe, but some of my best results have been using a manual white-balance adjust in a well-lit flourescent office without any addtional lights. This was after having tried another setup in a different location that was overplanned using stage lights.
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Re: video lighting

Postby Steve Grisetti » Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:59 am

Meantime, Gail, I found this great, basic light set on Amazon.

The price is so good, I may order a set for myself!
http://www.amazon.com/PHOTOGRAPHY-CONTI ... 656&sr=8-1
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Re: video lighting

Postby Dave McElderry » Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:39 pm

Steve Grisetti wrote:Meantime, Gail, I found this great, basic light set on Amazon.

The price is so good, I may order a set for myself!
http://www.amazon.com/PHOTOGRAPHY-CONTI ... 656&sr=8-1


That's pretty great Steve! I wish I had had those about a year ago. Can I ask a stupid question, without intending to derail or hijack Gail's thread? Sorry Gail.

Do the umbrellas act as deflectors to bounce more light back on the subject, or as defusers? That is, are the umbrellas behind the light source, opposite the subject, or are they between the light source and subject?
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Re: video lighting

Postby Steve Grisetti » Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:40 pm

They can be used as either. But generally they're used as reflectors to soften and diffuse the light.
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Re: video lighting

Postby Dave McElderry » Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:57 pm

Steve Grisetti wrote:They can be used as either. But generally they're used as reflectors to soften and diffuse the light.


Ah, okay. Thanks Steve. That was my "learned something new today" tidbit. :)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
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Re: video lighting

Postby Bob » Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:47 pm

The idea behind using umbrellas is to increase the diffusion of the light source. That softens the contrast. Much like an overcast day reduces contrast and softens shadows compared to the contrasty lighting of a sunny cloudless sky. How close the light is to the umbrella will affect the diffusion. The closer the light is to the umbrella, the lower the diffusion (and the more harsh the light).

This umbrella is translucent and can be used to either reflect or transmit the light depending on which way the umbrella is facing. There is no substantial difference in the quality of light between reflected and transmitted diffused light. But, there probably will be a difference in how much light will reach the subject. You'll need to determine how that will affect you. In a simple light holder like this one, the reflected position will probably let the subject see the bright portion of the lit bulb. That could be uncomfortable for the subject. Direct light from the bulb will also add some contrast. If either of these is a problem, use the transmitted configuration.

Transparent umbrellas will reflect less light than a white opaque umbrella designed only for reflective use.

You'll probably want brighter bulbs.
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Re: video lighting

Postby Dave McElderry » Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:55 pm

Great lucid post as always. Makes sense. Thanks Bob! :tx:
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Re: video lighting

Postby gail spiro » Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:52 pm

Wow-Steve- these lights look too good to be true! But Amazon usually stands behind their stuff- so maybe I'll try them.
Thanks to all of you for the help -I guess I'll have to play around to see what looks best. I'm going to be alternating between seeing my footage, and superpimposing scanned photos on top of the footage while we hear him tell his story.

By the way, speaking of off topic remarks, why doesn't my "notify me when a reply is posted" thing work anymore? It hasn't worked for at least a month.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my movie making friends out there!
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Re: video lighting

Postby pch006 » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:37 pm

I volunteered at a Senior Center to teach members how to make "heritage Videos" I have become fairly sophisticated in editing but not in production. Here is a ten minute sample of a video I did to show the group what could be done. I shot it with my Canon GL2 and just used the ambient lighting in the room. Looking back on it, I should have been more careful about the background but it is bright enough and the light is not unflattering:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2RWxyisNik[/youtube]
Last edited by Ron on Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Formatted text
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Re: video lighting

Postby Steve Grisetti » Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:15 pm

Very nicely done, Paul! You really helped bring the stories to life with the pictures.
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