Urgent Help Needed- Lighting !!!! Filming in 6 hours at DVinfo.net

Drew Meinecke · June 14th, 2005, 10:31 AM

I'm doing the camerawork for a friend's movie and I just found out that we're filming in 6 hours, that's not the problem. The problem is they want to do a scene lit by a few candles. We're highschoolers, so we don't really understand lighting. We have a cheap $250 mini DV camera, and no type of real lighting. How can we do this? Please respond quickly.

Patrick King · June 14th, 2005, 11:06 AM

Really BIG candles. But for the price of some of the candles my wife buys, you'd be better off buying set of Arri lights.

Or, you could light with lower level lighting (<150watts) that brings the subjects reflected light up to a level that mini-DV can record and then supplement with candles in the image so the audience thinks all the lighting is provided by candles.

Look at this thread about the similar subject. Candlelight

Drew Meinecke · June 14th, 2005, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick King

Or, you could light with lower level lighting (<150watts) that brings the subjects reflected light up to a level that mini-DV can record and then supplement with candles in the image so the audience thinks all the lighting is provided by candles.

How do I reflect the light up to them? Can I use a normal worklight? Do I put something over the worklight to tone down the brightness?

Patrick King · June 14th, 2005, 11:48 AM

I would arrange the light so that it is on the same side of the subject as the visible candles, and use a CTO gel (or two) to create as warm a light source as possible while still transmitting some light.

If you are really creative, for an onstage production we cut orange gel material into strips, and then have a small fan blow them so that you get the candle flicker reflecting of the subject. Be careful with noise on this one though, not that much of a problem on stage, much more of a problem around sensitive mics.

Drew Meinecke · June 14th, 2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick King

I would arrange the light so that it is on the same side of the subject as the visible candles, and use a CTO gel (or two) to create as warm a light source as possible while still transmitting some light.

If you are really creative, for an onstage production we cut orange gel material into strips, and then have a small fan blow them so that you get the candle flicker reflecting of the subject. Be careful with noise on this one though, not that much of a problem on stage, much more of a problem around sensitive mics.

What are CTO gels, where can I get them, how much do they cost?

Jason Rouleau · June 14th, 2005, 12:37 PM

CTO is basically orange gel.

I'm guessing you don't really want to spend too much money on your production. So my suggestion is to use house hold products such as flashlights hidden in strategic places to light up key parts of your image (such as people's faces, etc). If you only have bigger stronger lights, put a frosted shower curtain in front of the lights to dim them down.

And if everything looks unreal, try treating your image in post. Just add a bit of orange to your orange afterwards.

Christopher C. Murphy · June 14th, 2005, 02:11 PM

Open the iris on the camera if it has one. Also, try bouncing a flashlight off a copper pan or something similar in color. Anything that will give you enough light to capture a picture, but also look realisitic with just a candle.

You'd be surprised what works...experiment with bouncing colored and non-colored light off colored and non-colored objects. If you don't have access to much stuff...get physically close to the actors with the camera. Don't zoom in...get physically close so the camera can capture as much candle light as possible.

Patrick King · June 14th, 2005, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew Meinecke

What are CTO gels, where can I get them, how much do they cost?

Sorry, Color Temperature Orange (I think). Walmart used to have colored Saran Wrap. Try several layers of that in fornt of your light. Or get an orange piece of poster board to bounce the light off of. Orange scarf over an ordinary table lamp shade? Halloween candy bucket around bare lightbulb?

Jeff Patnaude · June 14th, 2005, 02:24 PM

If you are in a tight spot and need cheap lights, go to Home Depot. Buy a couple of those aluminum cheapy work lights. Stick a big round, Soft light bulb in there. If you want it to look like they are lit from a candle, just have someone hold the light above, and to the side of the person so it looks like the light is coming from the candle. Adjust the intensity of the light by having the person holding it step in or out.

You can set for Outdoor filter, and it should be pretty warm with tungsten lights then.

Now RUN!

JEff Patnaude :>)

Nate Ford · June 14th, 2005, 05:27 PM

i'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that his $250 dv cam doesn't have white balance control.

June 14th, 2005, 10:31 AM	#1
Drew Meinecke Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Posts: 53	Urgent Help Needed- Lighting !!!! Filming in 6 hours I'm doing the camerawork for a friend's movie and I just found out that we're filming in 6 hours, that's not the problem. The problem is they want to do a scene lit by a few candles. We're highschoolers, so we don't really understand lighting. We have a cheap $250 mini DV camera, and no type of real lighting. How can we do this? Please respond quickly.

June 14th, 2005, 11:06 AM	#2
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Really BIG candles. But for the price of some of the candles my wife buys, you'd be better off buying set of Arri lights. Or, you could light with lower level lighting (<150watts) that brings the subjects reflected light up to a level that mini-DV can record and then supplement with candles in the image so the audience thinks all the lighting is provided by candles. Look at this thread about the similar subject. Candlelight __________________ Fear No Weevil!

June 14th, 2005, 11:48 AM	#4
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	I would arrange the light so that it is on the same side of the subject as the visible candles, and use a CTO gel (or two) to create as warm a light source as possible while still transmitting some light. If you are really creative, for an onstage production we cut orange gel material into strips, and then have a small fan blow them so that you get the candle flicker reflecting of the subject. Be careful with noise on this one though, not that much of a problem on stage, much more of a problem around sensitive mics. __________________ Fear No Weevil!

June 14th, 2005, 12:37 PM	#6
Jason Rouleau New Boot Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Gatineau, Quebec Posts: 12	CTO gels CTO is basically orange gel. I'm guessing you don't really want to spend too much money on your production. So my suggestion is to use house hold products such as flashlights hidden in strategic places to light up key parts of your image (such as people's faces, etc). If you only have bigger stronger lights, put a frosted shower curtain in front of the lights to dim them down. And if everything looks unreal, try treating your image in post. Just add a bit of orange to your orange afterwards. __________________ I am analog, hear me roar!

June 14th, 2005, 02:11 PM	#7
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Open the iris on the camera if it has one. Also, try bouncing a flashlight off a copper pan or something similar in color. Anything that will give you enough light to capture a picture, but also look realisitic with just a candle. You'd be surprised what works...experiment with bouncing colored and non-colored light off colored and non-colored objects. If you don't have access to much stuff...get physically close to the actors with the camera. Don't zoom in...get physically close so the camera can capture as much candle light as possible. __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

June 14th, 2005, 02:24 PM	#9
Jeff Patnaude Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Duluth, Georgia Posts: 248	If you are in a tight spot and need cheap lights, go to Home Depot. Buy a couple of those aluminum cheapy work lights. Stick a big round, Soft light bulb in there. If you want it to look like they are lit from a candle, just have someone hold the light above, and to the side of the person so it looks like the light is coming from the candle. Adjust the intensity of the light by having the person holding it step in or out. You can set for Outdoor filter, and it should be pretty warm with tungsten lights then. Now RUN! JEff Patnaude :>)

June 14th, 2005, 05:27 PM	#10
Nate Ford Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: new york, ny Posts: 121	i'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that his $250 dv cam doesn't have white balance control.