How do I light this?!

[Mohamed Younis]

I'm shooting a video with my Epic on Tuesday. My we're doing a photo + video session for a fashion magazine. The theme is partying and we'll shoot at Nightclub. The photographer insisted on using his 5D to take the photos. I told him we can probably pull some awesome still from the Epic but he said he's more comfortable using his strobe lighting. I was thinking I would light the background and some ambient light and use his strobe lighting for key and fill whenever he's taking shots. That would mean everything's going to be dark until his strobes flash then you'll be able to see the model. I got on my hands now 2 4bank kinos and 3 650W arris. Do you think I'll need more. I've never done anything like this before and I wanted to know how you'd light this and if my Epic will hold up in such low light. Remember the photographer doesn't want his footage over exposed.


Thanks.

 

[Mark Wilkinson]

To start, You are going to have rolling shutter problems with his strobes -

 

[J. P. Morgan]

Also, you will most likely need some CTB on your Arri lights to have them match the still photographer's strobes.

but, along with the rolling shutter issue: even if that does work where you only see the models for a split second, is that what the client wants out of the video?

 

[Mohamed Younis]

Rolling shutter? Are you sure? Even If I shoot at 25 fps? I even wanted to do some slow motion. I was thinking 100fps on 25 fps because I get rolling shutter issues otherwise. Any ideas what I should do?

 

[Mohamed Younis]

Also, you will most likely need some CTB on your Arri lights to have them match the still photographer's strobes.

but, along with the rolling shutter issue: even if that does work where you only see the models for a split second, is that what the client wants out of the video?

I'm guessing the client wants a fashion shoot on video. He should expect it to be that way. I'm not sure if he'll be too happy with the results though. I'm more film minded when it comes to cinematography. I never did anything like this

 

[Mark Wilkinson]

You will definitely have a rolling shutter problem. Your frame rate won't matter. The only solution is to paint them in post - which is probably not a solution if you are shooting models.

You might ask your still photog if a Briese light would work for him. They have a very similar look to strobes.

 

[Justin Marx]

Are you shooting behind the scenes?
What is the goal of what you are shooting?
Are the stills people working arou d you or are you working around them? If its to work around the video, then you should light it for you. Being dark and then just popping into brightness will look really odd. But basically you cant light a whole night club with your package, so pick an area, keno is your key, 650 backlight, also get some party gel since its a club, and put some color on the other 650 either in the BG or as an artistic edge on your talent. Change it up when they change clothes..

Add some atmosphere if you can get a smoke machine (might have one at the club) then blast your backlight right behind your talent and get some cool sculpting with the smoke

You cant shoot in the dark waiting for the single shot he takes..

Endless ways to light this..

Have fun with it and good luck

 

[Mohamed Younis]

They're using the video as promo on their website and the shoot's for a magazine. I'm guessing they're a lot more interested in the photography side of it. What are some alternate lights I can talk the photo people into renting that would work for photo and video. Keep in mind that I'm in Egypt so it has to be something easily found.

 

[Peter Dmitriyev]

all CMOS sensors have that problem, when a flash occurs your screen will be split in half and will look like crap, yes even on MX, or EPIC etc. You will have to think of a different solution (such as shooting any flashing scenes on a ccd 3 chip camera

 

[Joel Kaye]

They're using the video as promo on their website and the shoot's for a magazine. I'm guessing they're a lot more interested in the photography side of it.

Sounds like the thing will be more like a hip, music video style promo...

If so, you'd expose for the scene as amblent - shoot the still photographer, the model, the environment etc. and don't worry about the blowout and strobing when the flashes go off. When the flash fires use the blowout as a cut point to a new shot or the actual still that was taken at that moment. Make sense?

I'd sure ask them very specifically what the final edit will be like.

 

[drew sandoval]

Just go for it dude! Don't freak out about your limitations and make the coolest thing you can. When i do the BTS doco stuff it's all about rolling with the punches and taking advantage of the situation you find yourself in, not controlling the enviroment like a movie. Over expose, under expose, let the rolling shutter happen make it cool part of the video. Then edit the sucker with some energy and the clients will love it.

Personally, I don't think flashbulb rolling shutter issues are so bad, I think they look neat and audiences have grown accostomed to them from watching shows like access hollywood and tmz.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

EPIC for BTS?? Seriously??? What a waist of energy... Sorry.

On the other hand...


Think instead of setting your EPIC up for only reason of pulling frame grabs, test the Strobes, then set the EPIC, then roll...

You wil only be able to get every other Frame that was exposed during the firing of the Strobes, and those Frame grabs would be as if taken individually...

You would get some great results for Stills,that I am POSITIVE the Photographer will find something He/She likes...

 

[Zeb B]

EPIC for BTS?? Seriously??? What a waist of energy... Sorry.

On the other hand...


Think instead of setting your EPIC up for only reason of pulling frame grabs, test the Strobes, then set the EPIC, then roll...

You wil only be able to get every other Frame that was exposed during the firing of the Strobes, and those Frame grabs would be as if taken individually...

You would get some great results for Stills,that I am POSITIVE the Photographer will find something He/She likes...

What a forum that you can get world class talent like Ketch instructing you for free!

 

[Detlev Eller]

EPIC for BTS?? Seriously??? What a waist of energy... Sorry.

... hehe ... i remember a historic occasion with you KETCH, where i would have loved to have another EPIC rather than "the CM2 toy" ... ;-)

I think it is pretty simple ...
if it is worth shooting, it is worth shooting on epic.

 

[Mohamed Younis]

It was very low light. The footage looks awesome but h.264 makes it look nowhere as clean as it really is. A LOT OF BANDING.
Anyway here's a teaser.
http://vimeo.com/31673239