Lighting for Live Music at DVinfo.net

Emily Melina · March 26th, 2008, 04:14 PM

I am looking at lighting suggestions for a concert venue. Most likely small and poorly lit as far as surrounding areas--just picture your everyday small club music venue. The stage will be lit obviously, and the degree to which it is lit is somewhat flexible, but not inhibiting (if this makes sense). I am looking for either some small stage lights, an on camera light, or any other ideas/suggestions people might have. I will be filming using an hvx200 and a dvx100b. Any thoughts are appreciated!

Bill Davis · March 26th, 2008, 05:43 PM

Hi Emily,

Here are some thoughts.

Start out by thinking about your lighting from back to front.

This means you need to put light BEHIND the subjects in order to make them stand out of the background (or just darkness) as shapes.

This might be as simple as wall washes of light behind the band - to overhead "rim lights" that define the shapes of each player.

These lights do NOT have to be white. Colored lights for backlighting work fine, just as long as the light is strong enough so that the audience can see - via shape and movement - what each player is doing.

After you have the SHAPES of the players defined, you can add just enough front lighting to show the players faces and/or bodies.

The trick is to do this in a way that keeps the spill from the front lighting from washing out the shape lighting in back. This is why stages are typically lit from overhead - so the angle of the light on the stage action doesn't wash out the light of the background.

This can be tricky in a small club venue with low ceilings.

But I think that's the first and basic recipe for doing what it seems you want to do.

Good luck.

Jack Walker · March 26th, 2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Davis

Hi Emily,

Here are some thoughts.

Start out by thinking about your lighting from back to front.

This means you need to put light BEHIND the subjects in order to make them stand out of the background (or just darkness) as shapes.

Yes! Depth and shape makes it look good.

For similar reasons, you can also light from the sides... all depending on what works in the particular space.

March 26th, 2008, 04:14 PM	#1
Emily Melina Tourist Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Moscow, ID Posts: 2	Lighting for Live Music I am looking at lighting suggestions for a concert venue. Most likely small and poorly lit as far as surrounding areas--just picture your everyday small club music venue. The stage will be lit obviously, and the degree to which it is lit is somewhat flexible, but not inhibiting (if this makes sense). I am looking for either some small stage lights, an on camera light, or any other ideas/suggestions people might have. I will be filming using an hvx200 and a dvx100b. Any thoughts are appreciated!

March 26th, 2008, 05:43 PM	#2
Bill Davis Trustee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Posts: 1,538	Hi Emily, Here are some thoughts. Start out by thinking about your lighting from back to front. This means you need to put light BEHIND the subjects in order to make them stand out of the background (or just darkness) as shapes. This might be as simple as wall washes of light behind the band - to overhead "rim lights" that define the shapes of each player. These lights do NOT have to be white. Colored lights for backlighting work fine, just as long as the light is strong enough so that the audience can see - via shape and movement - what each player is doing. After you have the SHAPES of the players defined, you can add just enough front lighting to show the players faces and/or bodies. The trick is to do this in a way that keeps the spill from the front lighting from washing out the shape lighting in back. This is why stages are typically lit from overhead - so the angle of the light on the stage action doesn't wash out the light of the background. This can be tricky in a small club venue with low ceilings. But I think that's the first and basic recipe for doing what it seems you want to do. Good luck.