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Advice needed: Lighting for a documentary?

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Mike Bell

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Hi guys!

I'm looking for some advice on how to light for interviews. I received my RED ONE few weeks ago and I've finally nailed the dates for interviews starting in March '11 (I'm shooting a documentary) and now I'm getting ready to purchase some lights.

Does anyone have some advice on how to light for an interview-style documentary? I know the basics.... I've shot a 1:30 min documentary two years ago but in a studio and lighting was done by a pro. I'll be traveling this time alone (or with a girlfriend who will be helping) so I need my own portable solution that I can lug around on airplanes.

Anyone have some advice on what to get? I'm getting overwhelmed by the amount of choice out there :)

Thanks!

Mike
 
dean merrill said:
I think a lot will depend on how much cargo space you have and the look you are going for. LED panels are great since they are small, and don't throw out any heat.
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Thank you for a suggestion! Do you have any specific LED panels in mind you'd recommend to me?


Yaque Silva-Doyle said:
A Lowel kit is great for doc work, and easy to carry. Set up with a very classic three point you should be able to get fine results.
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Thanks! A friend of mine recommended me this one: http://www.lowel.com/kits/DVcreator44.html Any thoughts?
 
If you've got the money, then go for a dedolight kit with the chimera. Otherwise I'd get a couple of 1x1 litepanels and a lowel rifa 1k with the grid- fast setup and it's a really pretty light.
ok, and maybe a couple of dedos for the background.
 
Erik Bien said:
I have one, and think it's a reasonable choice if you need a portable tungsten-balanced kit. My one complaint is the Rifa 44: IMHO it's too small for anything more than a tabletop or a talking head.
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yea, go for the rifa 88, the 1k one. I shot a head and shoulders interview today and was getting a T4 on a HPX170 which is about 500asa maybe. That is with the grid which steals a bit of light but will save you some flags.
 
I've seen one of these.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170587988354&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

They are the real deal. High output, dimmable, magnetic filter holder, well built and they gang together to make a bigger light.

I wanted to design something like at some point but these guys look like they've nailed it. And the price... well $75 shipped is unreal. One will get you a nice hairlight. 6 units and some couple gels and it's a great package. Bigger dimmable light panels for around $500 are nice too.
 
Alright since I don't know exactly what kind of style your going for, some random tips that might help. Like mentioned above basic three point light setup is a very safe basis to work from. So if you have never done this yourself, it's a good idea to check this out and try before you leave.

You're probably going to end up at many various locations. As soon as you are in a location, check what light is already available. Windows can offer a free extra light source. Especially when the sun is not directly on the window and it has white see through curtains: beautiful soft light that can be used as your key light. However sometimes you may want to darken the room first and build up with your kit from the ground up. Look for a lamp on a table in the background, shiny things, candles, etc. Take two minutes to make a small plan in your head, and look at every location as a playground, no matter how bad it looks at first glance. Light can fix a lot. Yet kill a lot too. I was once told one needs shadow in order to see light. I thought this was wise stuff :)

I recommend to find some examples of what you think would fit the doc's style. And then find out where the light was coming from, and how many sources there were. Also find out whether these sources were hard light or soft light. If you don't know ask someone. Any photographer around the corner should be able to help you analyse that if you have trouble on this.

Hope this helps you out a bit too, it's definitely worth investigating on the subject. There's so much to learn about it. I can now hardly have a normal conversation with someone without noticing how light curls around the persons ear. I will see a therapist for this soon.
 
+1 on using available light whenever possible.

That said, if I was going to be out shooting stuff with minimal support (i.e. just me, or me and one other), I would go for something super simple - just a tungsten 650 and a small chimera. Will look great, not break the bank.

The other option would be a Diva400, but that's heavier and the light is not as nice. You get the advantage of daylight balance output, though...
 
I would say get some nice kino flo or arri lights.

In my experience with Lowel lighting I have always gotten burnt, literally. I shot a commercial about a month ago and one of the Totalights burned through it's on plastic and fell off of the stand. To save the carpet I picked it up as fast as I could (I wasn't rigging and didn't have any gloves) by the cord and put it on something non-flamable. I would not recommend Lowel!
 
Henk van den Doel said:
I can now hardly have a normal conversation with someone without noticing how light curls around the persons ear. I will see a therapist for this soon.
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Occupational hazard. There's nothing to be done for it. Save the therapist money, you'll need it for the rental company. :wink:
 
Carry as big as a five way reflector as you can manage. When you are in these lightweight setups your best friend is the nearest window. A large bounce you can prop up or put on a stand is a great help when there is not a lot of time to light or you have to travel light. It folds up and will fit in suitcase. If you situate the person well, the falloff produces a beautiful light that is hard to duplicate any other way.

It's also more in the color temperature range of the RED 5000K sensor. :)


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Collapsible-Reflectors/ci/1327/N/4289244535

David
 
I travel a lot, often with over 200KGs of kit and no one, apart from my elderly (and very dainty) producer to help carry it and pay the airport extortion fee, I mean the excess baggage charge. Here's my advice in two short words; travel light.

Please note, this advice is based on the assumption that your girlfriend isn't built like a Russian weightlifter.

For a key, buy a 1K Rifa or one of Cool Lights new 1200 LEDs, add an Arri Junior 350 watt for a backlight. Take scrims, spare bulbs and some CTB. Get high quality reflectors and the appropriate stand and grip arm to hold them securely (I travel with three 6 x 4 California Sunbounce reflectors with silver/white, white/gold, diffusion and Zebra cloths, you might want the 4 x 3 or even a 5-in-1 round flex style).

Lowell make very cool light stands that collapse down quite small and are well worth the investment if you are using small light fixtures.

You could travel with just the key and one reflector. You'd still be able to accomplish a lot and with the money you save buy your girlfriend a new bikini and cocktail dress - that is unless she looks like a Russian weightlifter...
 
Guys, thank you so much for suggestions! I love this forum :)
 
You can't go wrong with a set of three Dedolights - they are perhaps the most versatile lighting solution out there and they are great for travelling with. They are expensive BUT they are made in germany and are built like tanks and they hold their value.

Scott
 
China balls also work wonders.
 
I agree with whoever said the rifa 88, make sure to get the 3 bulb attachment. That way wherever you travel to you can pickup whatever bulbs you need (Photofloods, tungsten, fluoros) Because sometimes when your in the middle of nowhere (as docs seem to be) it's much easier to find household bulbs than specific arri lamps!
 
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