Lighting a moving car at night at DVinfo.net

John A. Davies · April 23rd, 2005, 07:40 AM

I'm making a short film about a car chase at night and without
much money I'm a little clueless on how to light it. It's on a
highway so there won't be city lights to help. Has anyone tried
this and come up with a way to do it.

Stephen Duke · April 23rd, 2005, 09:37 AM

John,

There are a few methods I've used in the past.

The best way to light the car is to put it on a rig, and light it inside and out. I'm guessing this is not an option, so...

There are three budget lighting techniques I've used with some success in the past.

Christmas tree lights placed around the inside works suprisingly well. Placed on the ceiling, floor back of the cairs, dashbord etc. You can remove lights where you don't want them as well.

Rent a couple of mini kino kits

Rent the LED 'car kit' from Lite Panels. They run off batteries, run 'cool'. and have a throw distance of around eight foot.

I usually used a combination of the three suggestions above.

steve

John A. Davies · April 23rd, 2005, 10:10 AM

thanks Stephen, that's very helpfull.

Dominic Jones · April 23rd, 2005, 11:06 AM

Another good low/no budget trick is to get battery operated flourescent fixtures - you should be able to find them in electrical/hardware stores - and a roll of minus green gel.

The tubes are about 10 inches long and quite narrow so I don't think you'll get flo tubes that will fit but a "cool blue" or "cool warm" with a minus green should look fine for either daylight or (probably more fitting with your other options for in car lighting) tungsten colour temperatures.

You can remove the covers and tape a small sheet of gel in to the inside, and then you're good to go...

Get a couple, they're cheap and dead handy!

Christmas lights are a nice idea, btw - cheers!! It's just made me think, you can also get rope-lights these days which may kick out more light per foot, if you see what I mean?

Jack Smith · April 23rd, 2005, 09:18 PM

Could you shoot day for night?

John A. Davies · April 26th, 2005, 08:23 AM

I'd rather not shoot day for night. I think the suggestions I have will work.

Jack Smith · April 26th, 2005, 08:29 AM

Great.Let us know how it goes.

Richard Veil · April 26th, 2005, 03:32 PM

light color car, not black

use bright streets, tunnels, parking garages,
well lit street locations/ malls ect

12 v omni or pro for interiors ctb

kino mentioned

suction mounts, brackets

inverter dc to ac

Colin Sato · May 5th, 2005, 02:11 PM

I need to shoot in a moving car during the day. My problem (consumer camcorder Sony HC-85) gets too much backlight in bright areas. The exposure "chokes" down and then it's too dark in darker areas (under trees etc.). I can manually set the exposure settings, but there is still too much contrast between inside and outside. I'm guessing some kind of light source could remedy this, allowing more constant light on the drivers face under all conditions. Is there a cheap 12 volt solution? This is just for an instructional type video - purely as a hobbyist.

Patrick Norman · September 9th, 2005, 02:08 PM

something we college filmmakers have done with great success is use small closet lights from wal-mart ($7 for small ones, $9 for longer). they're battery powered, and can be gaff taped near the dome light and on the dash. look for the rod-shaped lights.

cheap, effective, and cool.

April 23rd, 2005, 07:40 AM	#1
John A. Davies New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dartmouth, Canada Posts: 16	Lighting a moving car at night I'm making a short film about a car chase at night and without much money I'm a little clueless on how to light it. It's on a highway so there won't be city lights to help. Has anyone tried this and come up with a way to do it.

April 26th, 2005, 03:32 PM	#8
Richard Veil Chimera Lighting Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 293	try light color car, not black use bright streets, tunnels, parking garages, well lit street locations/ malls ect 12 v omni or pro for interiors ctb kino mentioned suction mounts, brackets inverter dc to ac __________________ Strength and Honor RLV

April 23rd, 2005, 09:37 AM	#2
Stephen Duke Booth Monkey Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New York Posts: 30	John, There are a few methods I've used in the past. The best way to light the car is to put it on a rig, and light it inside and out. I'm guessing this is not an option, so... There are three budget lighting techniques I've used with some success in the past. Christmas tree lights placed around the inside works suprisingly well. Placed on the ceiling, floor back of the cairs, dashbord etc. You can remove lights where you don't want them as well. Rent a couple of mini kino kits Rent the LED 'car kit' from Lite Panels. They run off batteries, run 'cool'. and have a throw distance of around eight foot. I usually used a combination of the three suggestions above. steve

April 23rd, 2005, 10:10 AM	#3
John A. Davies New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dartmouth, Canada Posts: 16	thanks Stephen, that's very helpfull.

April 23rd, 2005, 11:06 AM	#4
Dominic Jones Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brighton, England Posts: 225	Another good low/no budget trick is to get battery operated flourescent fixtures - you should be able to find them in electrical/hardware stores - and a roll of minus green gel. The tubes are about 10 inches long and quite narrow so I don't think you'll get flo tubes that will fit but a "cool blue" or "cool warm" with a minus green should look fine for either daylight or (probably more fitting with your other options for in car lighting) tungsten colour temperatures. You can remove the covers and tape a small sheet of gel in to the inside, and then you're good to go... Get a couple, they're cheap and dead handy! Christmas lights are a nice idea, btw - cheers!! It's just made me think, you can also get rope-lights these days which may kick out more light per foot, if you see what I mean?

April 23rd, 2005, 09:18 PM	#5
Jack Smith Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ontario Posts: 445	Could you shoot day for night?

April 26th, 2005, 08:23 AM	#6
John A. Davies New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dartmouth, Canada Posts: 16	I'd rather not shoot day for night. I think the suggestions I have will work.

April 26th, 2005, 08:29 AM	#7
Jack Smith Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ontario Posts: 445	Great.Let us know how it goes.

May 5th, 2005, 02:11 PM	#9
Colin Sato Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Honolulu Posts: 85	I need to shoot in a moving car during the day. My problem (consumer camcorder Sony HC-85) gets too much backlight in bright areas. The exposure "chokes" down and then it's too dark in darker areas (under trees etc.). I can manually set the exposure settings, but there is still too much contrast between inside and outside. I'm guessing some kind of light source could remedy this, allowing more constant light on the drivers face under all conditions. Is there a cheap 12 volt solution? This is just for an instructional type video - purely as a hobbyist.

September 9th, 2005, 02:08 PM	#10
Patrick Norman New Boot Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Cleveland, Ohio (Athens, OH in the fall) Posts: 12	something we college filmmakers have done with great success is use small closet lights from wal-mart ($7 for small ones, $9 for longer). they're battery powered, and can be gaff taped near the dome light and on the dash. look for the rod-shaped lights. cheap, effective, and cool.