Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? at DVinfo.net

Evan Heckert · July 20th, 2011, 12:54 PM

I'm going to be shooting some interviews in about two weeks, and I really like the lighting and the white background in Apple's interviews for Lion: Apple - OS X Lion - Learn about the top new features.

It seems they have some very white lighting coming from behind his head to simulate the glow of the white background. The rest is really diffused, so I wondered where you thought the lighting was, and how it was done?

The final challenge I have is getting as close to that lighting as possible with DIY lighting kits put together with stuff from Wal-Mart....

Any help would be wonderful!

Many thanks,

-Evan

Richard Andrewski · July 20th, 2011, 03:57 PM

Someone else was asking about that in a thread here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photon-m...-question.html

Take a look at that and see if it answers your questions. Hope this helps.

Sareesh Sudhakaran · July 21st, 2011, 01:23 AM

I'm no lighting expert but I'll take a guess:

1. There's no texture or shading in the background - which leads me to believe that the effect was achieved in post production. If they shot against a white background, then -

2. Overexpose it when compared to the main lighting. It will blow out to white, and remove any texture, shadow or imperfection. This should be cheaper and easier than having a huge lightbox behind the talking head.

Evan Heckert · July 21st, 2011, 02:40 AM

You don't think they used a green screen?

Paul R Johnson · July 21st, 2011, 03:11 AM

Little point using a coloured background and then trying to key it out in post. All you need is a big bright white screen, decent glass in your lens and accurate control over exposure. In essence, it's not too complicated. You light the talent with your favourite technique - I know many people love the newer ones, but I'm a traditionalist. In the example, the light is coming in from a shallow angle, so there is a clear shadow on the talents right hand side of his nose, but it's not far off the lens axis - same on the other side but softer. Light gets into his collar area, and there are some shadows on the shoulders, also confirming the light was close to horizontal, not from anywhere near the usual higher angle. These will land on the screen behind, and in green screen would be a pain - however, as the white screen is really bright, all areas of it are over level, so you can't see them. I suspect the screen is close enough to also provide the backlight we're seeing.

It's very easy to burn out backgrounds - but the way the camera handles this is a bit unpredictable. With the lens on manual on my older, bigger cameras, it works rather well, and is perfectly controllable with the iris and camera settings. Pretty grim on my little SD9 panasonic, that on auto has very nice looking pictures - why not try your own kit and see how it handles over level whites?

Dean Sensui · July 21st, 2011, 05:08 AM

It's done through lighting and exposure control. The answer dates back to the time of Ansel Adams and the Zone System.

At what point does your camera/playback system give you a nice white? Where does your camera/playback system provide you good skin tones?

Understand this, and you can get a good clean white background and good skin tones.

I do this to shoot green screen. The goal is to get a solid green to get good separation data. And get the talent looking good, too.

Sareesh Sudhakaran · July 21st, 2011, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan Heckert

You don't think they used a green screen?

No...wouldn't it be easier just to use a white screen?

Mitchell Lewis · August 7th, 2011, 11:10 AM

Don't use a green screen. We use a white screen:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/562131-REG/Savage_V01_1020_Infinity_Vinyl_Background_10.html
We bought the vinyl screen so we could just clean it when it gets dirty. (Swiffer works great). We light it with a combination of 4 x Kino Flo Diva 400's (to light talent) and 2 x Kino Flo 4-banks (to light background).

Robert Turchick · August 7th, 2011, 11:20 AM

I use the 10 foot wide bright white photo paper background. Wasn't terribly expensive and when a piece gets dirty you just cut it off and roll out a bit more. Then my kids have an enormous canvas for crayons!!

As for lighting, I use the same setup as my greenscreen, two 220 watt kino-style on the background, two more for the floor (if needed) and then basic lighting for the subject which varies based on the look I want.

Nice thing with the xf300 is the onboard scopes to make sure the background lighting is even.

Chris Ficek · August 7th, 2011, 05:39 PM

I've done a similar look by using a video projector screen from our presentation set up. Works great for a sitting shot or talking head...not so usefull for a full length. It was easy and didnt cost anything as we already carry a 10 'tripod projector screen in our truck. Lighting it to blow out was easy as well since the screen adds some reflectance to the light and evens out real nice.

Just an option.

July 20th, 2011, 12:54 PM	#1
Evan Heckert New Boot Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 20	Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? I'm going to be shooting some interviews in about two weeks, and I really like the lighting and the white background in Apple's interviews for Lion: Apple - OS X Lion - Learn about the top new features. It seems they have some very white lighting coming from behind his head to simulate the glow of the white background. The rest is really diffused, so I wondered where you thought the lighting was, and how it was done? The final challenge I have is getting as close to that lighting as possible with DIY lighting kits put together with stuff from Wal-Mart.... Any help would be wonderful! Many thanks, -Evan

July 20th, 2011, 03:57 PM	#2
Richard Andrewski Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shenzhen, China Posts: 781	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? Someone else was asking about that in a thread here: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photon-m...-question.html Take a look at that and see if it answers your questions. Hope this helps. __________________ Richard Andrewski - Cool Lights USA - RED #114 http://www.coollights.biz

July 21st, 2011, 01:23 AM	#3
Sareesh Sudhakaran Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 1,385	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? I'm no lighting expert but I'll take a guess: 1. There's no texture or shading in the background - which leads me to believe that the effect was achieved in post production. If they shot against a white background, then - 2. Overexpose it when compared to the main lighting. It will blow out to white, and remove any texture, shadow or imperfection. This should be cheaper and easier than having a huge lightbox behind the talking head. __________________ Get the Free Comprehensive Guide to Rigging ANY Camera - one guide to rig them all - DSLRs to the Arri Alexa.

July 21st, 2011, 02:40 AM	#4
Evan Heckert New Boot Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 20	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? You don't think they used a green screen?

July 21st, 2011, 03:11 AM	#5
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? Little point using a coloured background and then trying to key it out in post. All you need is a big bright white screen, decent glass in your lens and accurate control over exposure. In essence, it's not too complicated. You light the talent with your favourite technique - I know many people love the newer ones, but I'm a traditionalist. In the example, the light is coming in from a shallow angle, so there is a clear shadow on the talents right hand side of his nose, but it's not far off the lens axis - same on the other side but softer. Light gets into his collar area, and there are some shadows on the shoulders, also confirming the light was close to horizontal, not from anywhere near the usual higher angle. These will land on the screen behind, and in green screen would be a pain - however, as the white screen is really bright, all areas of it are over level, so you can't see them. I suspect the screen is close enough to also provide the backlight we're seeing. It's very easy to burn out backgrounds - but the way the camera handles this is a bit unpredictable. With the lens on manual on my older, bigger cameras, it works rather well, and is perfectly controllable with the iris and camera settings. Pretty grim on my little SD9 panasonic, that on auto has very nice looking pictures - why not try your own kit and see how it handles over level whites?

July 21st, 2011, 05:08 AM	#6
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? It's done through lighting and exposure control. The answer dates back to the time of Ansel Adams and the Zone System. At what point does your camera/playback system give you a nice white? Where does your camera/playback system provide you good skin tones? Understand this, and you can get a good clean white background and good skin tones. I do this to shoot green screen. The goal is to get a solid green to get good separation data. And get the talent looking good, too. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

August 7th, 2011, 11:10 AM	#8
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? Don't use a green screen. We use a white screen: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/562131-REG/Savage_V01_1020_Infinity_Vinyl_Background_10.html We bought the vinyl screen so we could just clean it when it gets dirty. (Swiffer works great). We light it with a combination of 4 x Kino Flo Diva 400's (to light talent) and 2 x Kino Flo 4-banks (to light background). __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

August 7th, 2011, 11:20 AM	#9
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? I use the 10 foot wide bright white photo paper background. Wasn't terribly expensive and when a piece gets dirty you just cut it off and roll out a bit more. Then my kids have an enormous canvas for crayons!! As for lighting, I use the same setup as my greenscreen, two 220 watt kino-style on the background, two more for the floor (if needed) and then basic lighting for the subject which varies based on the look I want. Nice thing with the xf300 is the onboard scopes to make sure the background lighting is even. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

August 7th, 2011, 05:39 PM	#10
Chris Ficek Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 113	Re: Apple-Like White Background for Interviews - How-to? I've done a similar look by using a video projector screen from our presentation set up. Works great for a sitting shot or talking head...not so usefull for a full length. It was easy and didnt cost anything as we already carry a 10 'tripod projector screen in our truck. Lighting it to blow out was easy as well since the screen adds some reflectance to the light and evens out real nice. Just an option.