Ask David Mullen ANYTHING

[juliensees]

day for night?

day for night?

Hey David,

This is a shot from The Proposition. Was this done on a green screen? How did they get the stars in the sky? Or do you think those are added in post? It looks like this could be day for night with the stars added in post, right?

 

[David Mullen ASC]

The jpeg is too small and fuzzy to tell.

 

[juliensees]

Big Sur

Big Sur

Hi David, I'm curious how you went about lighting these scenes in Big Sur. Great job by the way.

Not sure why the forum seems to keep compressing the photos into smaller sizes… I apologize.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

The scenes with the kerosene lantern were often lit by hiding an ordinary light bulb behind the lamp. I also made one kerosene lantern with a lightbulb gag inside -- this first frame might have used the second, the electrified lantern.

The second frame used a paper lantern over the kitchen counter.

The third frame used a Chimera pancake lantern over the table. I used a small Dedolight knocked way down as an eyelight on close-ups.

 

[Ryan Sauve]

Thanks for sharing David!

 

[Joe Taylor]

Hello juliensees

My understanding is that for the starlight scenes in the Proposition is that they employed the blue skies of Australia as a big "blue screen," and used a polarizer to darken the skies as much as possible and then of course underexposed the scene to the proper level to give it a "night" look. Then in post they layered in the stars. This was some of the best day for night lighting I've seen to this point.

 

[juliensees]

Joe,

I watched your Lonely Moan video. A lot of gorgeous shots. Great job. Is there some time lapse with the Red in there?

 

[Ben Scott]

David,

Just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying Extant and loving the look on it. Really great work.

I was wondering about the conversations between yourself and the rest of production that lead to the decisions for that super warm golden interiors look and how you arrived at it. It's quite unusual but works wonderfully well, and makes Halle Berry look even more gorgeous than usual.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

We decided that the family scenes should generally feel inviting and warm, emotionally, to contrast with the sic-fi/horror elements, which are often colder. Plus the warmth compliments the skin tones. I found I was doing something similar on "Smash", which was to often shoot 3200K tungsten interiors at a 3700K or 4000K color temp setting for more warmth (and late afternoon / sunset scenes are even warmer, often with the camera set to 4300K). But I have a number of cold scenes too -- much of the spaceship and "hi-tech" lab scenes are lit with 5600K LED's & Kinos and the camera is set to 4000K.

 

[Ben Scott]

Absolutely, I should have clarified, but the contrast works brilliantly - especially going from the home to the lab setups. It's a testament to yourself and the art department/set design that a 'near future' premise didn't instantly result in a staid cold and minimalist design.

I'm hooked thus far and have no idea where it's going.

 

[Nikolay Smirnov]

Hi David!
Long time reader, first time poster.

I am about to shoot a short in september where 2/3 of the movie is based at night. The scene is based on a country road near a ground based billboard (if that makes sense). The billboard is lit with two halogen workshop lights (250w I guess). And two heroes have a conversation in front of it.
The main light is coming from the billboard fill. I planned to add a moonlight effect with a 1.2K HMI to give some depth to the scene. I know that basically I have to put the light as high as I can, but the highest stand we have from our local rental is about 9 feet. Will that really be enough to sell the effect? On the other hand, should I really go for the moonlight if my key light is actually a spill from the billboard practicals, which I planned to enhance with a junior through silk or double frost. I'm really frustrated what will look best because I've never covered scenes like this before. I attached a basic lighting setup I drew if that might help (black camera represents the first shot, and grey camera is second shot after the cut).
Thank you!

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I wouldn't try to establish moonlight if you are going to have a big reverse angle looking back out at the countryside -- you already have a source for the faces anyway so a moon backlighting just them doesn't get you anything and may just make them look overlit. Let them be lit by the glow of the billboard. You can use that 1.2K as a high rake on some background trees as if there were a street lamp, it can be spotty, you can even add some green to make it feel like a mercury vapor lamp. I've even done things like hide a tweenie in the trees pointed back a camera as if a security lamp or used an actual sodium vapor fixture attached to a tree or pole in the frame to create a hot spot in the background. It may be better in your situation to just have a few spots of light in the background than attempt to establish moonlight since you can't cover enough of the background for that effect.

 

[Nikolay Smirnov]

Thank you for such a quick input!
The problem is that the billboard light is the only light practical which is active during the scene. I guess that will be covered in the wide shot from a crane or something. I really would like to light the background, thanks for the advice, but now I really am confused how to do that and what light should I emulate. =(

 

[David Mullen ASC]

If you are saying that story-wise nothing but a billboard can be electrified in the location, I understand your problem but a single 1.2K HMI isn't going to cover much of a background unless you are boxed in by a close hillside, building or row of trees -- and it might look odd for moonlight to only be hitting the actors, the two people who already have a light source!

You could put some weak fill on the background as if spill from the billboard reaching further back.

Or you could try shooting your reverse at late dusk/twilight so there is some depth from the ambient light, maybe grad down the sky if necessary. Then on the angle looking at the billboard at night, you may want some dim HMI fill at night to match the dusk dim light in the reverse.

You could probably light the background with a couple of 1.2K HMI's, and even if it is rather crudely lit, if the focus is shallow enough, it might not matter if all you see is out of focus background shapes in the moonlight. Or at least get two 575w HMI's or a couple of Joker 400's or 800's rather than a single 1.2K HMI, then at least you could edge the actors with one and rake the background with the others. At minimum get a battery-powered 1x1 daylight Litepanel along with your 1.2K HMI and then use the Litepanel to edge the actors with moonlight and the 1.2K HMI for a rake on the background.

 

[Nikolay Smirnov]

If you are saying that story-wise nothing but a billboard can be electrified in the location, I understand your problem but a single 1.2K HMI isn't going to cover much of a background unless you are boxed in by a close hillside, building or row of trees -- and it might look odd for moonlight to only be hitting the actors, the two people who already have a light source!

You could put some weak fill on the background as if spill from the billboard reaching further back.

Or you could try shooting your reverse at late dusk/twilight so there is some depth from the ambient light, maybe grad down the sky if necessary. Then on the angle looking at the billboard at night, you may want some dim HMI fill at night to match the dusk dim light in the reverse.

You could probably light the background with a couple of 1.2K HMI's, and even if it is rather crudely lit, if the focus is shallow enough, it might not matter if all you see is out of focus background shapes in the moonlight. Or at least get two 575w HMI's or a couple of Joker 400's or 800's rather than a single 1.2K HMI, then at least you could edge the actors with one and rake the background with the others. At minimum get a battery-powered 1x1 daylight Litepanel along with your 1.2K HMI and then use the Litepanel to edge the actors with moonlight and the 1.2K HMI for a rake on the background.

I was going to try convince the director to set the scene at late dusk in the first place, I guess I should really try that one out. Or at least have a lonely street lamp to be available as a practical in the background.
You gave me some really great advice to think about. Thank again for your input.

I guess I'll continue to read the thread, I stopped somewhere at the page 400, so I might come back soon =)

 

[Gareth Ng]

What would be the best way to get into documentaries? I'm still in high school, and I shoot sporting events, some weddings, and fiction too. I was thinking more of the style of Vice, or something like this https://vimeo.com/58905668

Also, I love your work on Extant, it's great to see your name on it!

 

[David Mullen ASC]

At your age, I recommend shooting your own mini-documentaries or pairing up with someone who wants to make small documentaries, and get involved in the editing stage because documentarians have to learn to think like editors, among many other skills.

 

[Gareth Ng]

Sounds great! But then when I'm trying to find work, or work for someone else (like a company), what would be the best way to apply? Or even something like a news station.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Maybe someone can chime in, I'm afraid that I don't know much about the job market for people who are in high school these days. Maybe you can find a documentarian who needs an assistant or intern. Perhaps an organization like Film Independent can help, I don't know.

 

[Barry Gregg]

Love your work on "Extant". Lovely light on CU faces. IMDB does not have the camera specs. What are you shooting?