Looking for suggestions
 

Shooting 24p dv, location is a nursing home, outdoor light not a factor, the ceilings have 24" x 24" flourescents all throughout and are the main lighting of the interior. They are not intense but they are there. There will be many shots, wide, medium, close, etc. First, for wide, what concerns am I facing with just the fact that they are flourescents and shooting DV. Second, if I attempt to create some contrast in closer shots how will say, a bounced 650 fresnel mix? Should I maybe employ some CTB? Forget fresnels and use Kino's with daylight bulbs? Any/all suggestions are most appreciated..

First, you should find out what type of coating the practical flos use. Most likely they're cool white (~4200K).

Mixing tungsten with fluorescents can be tricky... it's definitely a specific "look" not really suitable for all story types.

There are a few ways to deal with the color (let's say they're cool white)...
-Replace the tubes with kino tubes (very expensive)
-Gel the fluorescents with Full Minus Green and (usually) 1/4-1/2 CTB to get in the ballpark of daylight balance
-Gel the fluorescents with Fluorofilter for tungsten balance, then use tungsten floor lights.
-Use kino flos as your floor lights and relamp them with cool white tubes to match the practicals, then white balance.
-If there's a window, you can kill the fluorescents and bash (fake or real) daylight in for a different kind of mood.
-Kill the flos and rig your own tungsten units above with wall spreaders.
-Or something else i'm undoubtedly forgetting...

A few options for contrast...
-If the fixtures are grouped together so more than one switch controls the ceiling lights, just turn off part of the lights to so half the room is lit from above, half not.
-If the flos are all on one switch, you can ladder up to the fixtures and pull tubes from the harnesses. Pull tubes on one side of the room and leave the other side alone.
-ND some of the fixtures to taste.
-Kill the flos and rig your own lights how you want.

Are these bare-tube practicals or do they have lucite panels? Having some diffusion gel standing by might be a good idea...

If it were me, I'd probably use kinos lamped with cool whites and white balance. Maybe pull a couple tubes from the practicals. Simple. Fast. Yes, it does skew the colors a bit, but I've gotten away with it before issue-free.

Nice post, thanks for taking the time. There are hundred's of them, they have egg crates on them and of course I cannot disturb the environment, it's a real assisted living home full of well, you know.. I have to maintain the given lighting and yet need contrast, I've got Arri's, Kino's, gels, and fortunately can avoid all windows, (you'd have to see it). Being fully populated I can't tear the place apart, I have to 'add' what ever I can to achieve, in other words, the existing light stays..

In that case, I'd go with Kino/Cool Whites and, if you need them, gel the Arris with Full Plus Green and 1/2 (?) CTB to match the cool whites.

Urghh, lacking the green gels, Matt, you're a gem, shoot starts Saturday 6 am..

Heheh, glad I could help. Good luck with the shoot.

No issues with flickering at 24p?

No flicker problems at 24p.

Unless the flows are damaged.

Cheers

Bring pleanty of rubber matt (no pun intended). The locals don't see as well as they use to.

Whew....was able to get half the main room closed off and killed the flos. Shot 3200, happy indeed.. Thanks for the help