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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Ask David Mullen ANYTHING

Thanks David! Just ordered a few items... I'm pretty excited! I needed another nice light around the house anyways, haha. Thanks again for your advice. I'm looking into acquiring a couple of those source four PARs... like these: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/435234-REG/ETC_7061A1006_0XA_Source_4_750W_EA.html

using say a 750W bulb in one and 375W in another (with 575 being equal to 1K PAR64) and gel for daylight when necessary.

thanks for the links!
 
Usually when I talk about using Source-4's, I'm talking about the "leko" version, not the PAR version.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/435322-REG/ETC_7060A1010_0XA_Source_4_750W_Ellipsoidal_.html

You may find a cheaper PAR than a Source-4, though the bulb is more efficient with the Source-4 -- the 750w is as bright as a 1K PAR64.

If you get a PAR64, you may want to get both a medium globe and a spot or narrow spot globe.

You will also need to order the light with a baby stand adaptor, and get a baby light stand for it. Sometimes the seller assumes you are adding a pipe clamp for theatrical stage lighting.
 
Hi David,

Thought I'd finally get around to posting this!

I'm shooting on Red One for the first time next February, and I'm concerned about the lighting package I should rent.

I've only ever lit for HDV on an extremely small budget. Mostly (well ALL) daytime exterior, with the exception of one short interior sequence that I just lit with availible light.

Now the shoot has a number of interior/exterior daylight/nightime scenes and I'm afraid I'm trying to tackle too much too soon almost.

The house we're shooting in is a big old house with huge windows in every room. I really want as natural approach to lighting as possible, using as much availible light as possible. I was thinking maybe just a resonable HMI (1.2KW?) to help, coulpled with some whiteboards. What would be your personal reccomendations here?

What would be best for the nightime scenes? I need to light a kitchen, and two bedrooms. The kitchen is really small, but it does have a large window running down one side. I have a resonable (ish) budget so I'm open to suggestions. The night time scenes I'd like to contrast some nice warm lighting with some daylight balanced light if possible (especially the bedrooms). The narrative would defintiely suit more warmer looking lighting, although I know I should avoid this on set when shooting Red right?

What would be your reccomendations towards a lighting package? The rental house I'm going to use has a range of Arri lighting, Dedo & Kino lights.

Your help on this matter is really, really appreciated, if you want any specifics just ask. I could even shoot you over the screenplay if it would help.

Jamie.
 
When you get into the realm of low-budget lighting, the number one question is whether you will have a crystal-sync generator or if you are relying on household power alone. If the second, then you are limited to a 20amp circuit generally and you have a limited total number of amps to work with, which all factor in what you should rent.

In terms of night exterior work, it depends on the amount of space you feel you need to light, to what level, and what the intended look is. There are budgetary, time, crew, and logistical limits to lighting large areas at night even on a movie with a decent budget.
 
Hi David,

We have a Honda 6500i generator, and could possibly look at bigger/better options.

There are no exterior night time sequences now I come to think of it, the three night time scenes are in a small kitchen, and then two short pass throughs of bedrooms as people sleep.
 
You probably still should just work with lights that draw 20 amps or less then.

Yes, a 1200w HMI PAR would be a workhorse for day interior work, I'd consider also getting a HMI Joker 800 Source-4 leko, and another HMI Joker 400 that can be used as a PAR or as a bug light inside a Chimera ball or something. Plus Kinos, like two 4' 4-bankers.

Besides bounce cards, I'd get some diffusion frames, maybe 6'x6' light grid at the biggest, but definitely a couple of 4x4 frames with diffusion on them (216, lt. grid, whatever you like.) A white bedsheet will be useful too.

C-stands, sandbags, and flags.
 
Thanks, very appreciative. I'll put together a package now. What would you reccomend if I can't get hold of the Joker's? I'm near certain my rental place only does Arri, Dedo and Kinos.
 
just thought of another lighting-related question... what happens if you need lights out in the middle of the woods (i.e. no plugs) but you want to capture sound also (i.e. not the sound of the generator...) what options might one have?
 
oooh, fancy. didn't know they existed... any suggestions on a good investment (or rental)?
 
Man, I've always wanted to get into this thread, but I hate coming into threads all new, and not knowing what's gone on before my post.

But 2,575 posts to read? That's like 2 or 3 books! :embarassed:
 
haha, same thing here man...

i thought about tackling it and taking notes for everyone else in this position... but at that point i think we need to start talking about publishing contracts haha
 
Joseph Hutson said:
Man, I've always wanted to get into this thread, but I hate coming into threads all new, and not knowing what's gone on before my post.

But 2,575 posts to read? That's like 2 or 3 books! :embarassed:
Click to expand...

Believe me, it's well worth it.

Thanks, David for sharing your knowledge. This thread has been a great resource for great films and books on cinematography.
 
Reinhold R. said:
Believe me, it's well worth it.

Thanks, David for sharing your knowledge. This thread has been a great resource for great films and books on cinematography.
Click to expand...

That's what I was beginning to think as well.

I am wanting to become a professional DoP as well. I believe I have the drive and skill/talent for shooting pictures but the thing I need to learn is "all things lighting".

I guess a good start would to buy myself a lighting kit. :001_smile:

The only thing is, once I have a lighting kit, how do I begin to practice?
 
I learned by making very, very short films (in Super-8 back then) that had a simple premise and a style I wanted to explore using lighting, film stocks, and filters -- b&w film noir, fantasy, etc. I did a suspense story that was all structured around intercutting simultaneous action converging to one location, with the cuts getting faster and faster (ala D.W.Griffith). I did my "Eraserhead" homage. I did nature montages.
 
David Mullen ASC said:
If someone wants to give me a plane ticket, I'd be glad to go to any film school and lecture!
Click to expand...

That seems like a hell of a bargain for any film school!

In fact, how many students to qualify as a film school? I think I could get a dozen RED shooters to come to a David Mullen class anytime.:)
 
This is a specific and yet sort of abstract question, so I apologize for that:

I need to shoot a scene that takes place in a bank, but I can't use a bank so I'm using a fancy, furnished office (wood panels on white, or something.) It's just one MLS and one axial CU of someone sitting near a wall, talking on a cell phone--so I'm dressing up a wall and adding plants, desks, etc. I'm going to visit a bank and try to emulate that look.

But I want it to feel "real" first of all, and secondly like day. It needs to be high key. Should I project a cookie of a window on a wall? Without a wall in frame and with an inherently "high key" area (some white walls, motivated fluorescent overhead lighting) how do you differentiate between a day interior and a night interior in absence of a master shot?

Any other tips? I might composite in some people in suits walking across frame and obviously I'll add sound loops of a real bank.

Thanks. Sorry for this question.
 
Well, most banks I've been are mostly lit by overhead fluorescents so they don't look that different at night unless there is a window or a glass door in the background.

A hard sun pattern would only make sense if someone was near a window or door, and then, they would also be lit more by soft window light too. Unless it is near sunset and you have orange late afternoon sun streaking through the room. Otherwise, usually the sun does not penetrate far.

Personally, I'd try to find one angle where there was a whited-out window or door in the background to establish that it is daytime. Or put a fake window wall in the room somewhere and light that.

If this is basically just one medium wide shot and you don't see both sides of the room in the shot, you could just pretend there is a bank of windows on one side and light from that direction and less from the overheads. That would feel more daytime-ish.
 
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