Interview light

[Joe Cage]

Hello,

I want a similar look like this. Looks like rembrand light, so a soft light angled at 90° of the subject, a bit above him, tilted down at 45° right? But maybe add a small catchlight in his eye, is this possible without filling in too much? I also want to shoot the frame also a bit wider, like a medium shot. So want to set up the light so I can shoot a medium shot and a close up like this.
I have a small aputure LS1S with softbox, a quasar science crossfade and a aputure 120D with a great softbox available, and tiny led light.

Any tips?

Thanks,

 

[Aaron Green]

Negative fill. The 120d with a lightdome should put out the look you’re after. Put up some black fabric right off of frame left.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

Also, keep in mind the background if you want that dropoff to black.

 

[Erich Roland]

Either of those soft lights would work well for a key soft light. As Aaron points out if you want black then negative fill. And as Steve points out a black back ground will likely require black Duv. The "eye light" can be a little tricky with glasses like your example. A catch light that's perfect in somebodies eye might be a distraction in certain eye glasses. It doesn't take much to catch a small highlight in the eyes so think small and experiment with the person on camera with their eyes and glasses. You may need to take the lamp higher then you think if glasses are involved to not be a problem in reflection, or low, or to the opposite side from the off camera-look. Eye glasses can be a challenge.

 

[Marc Wielage]

I once was on a crew for a series of interviews shot at the ASC clubhouse a few years ago, and I was floored by the very simple lighting approach they used for the sitdown conversations: a 2K with a large scrim on the right (carefully flagged), negative fill on the left, backlight behind them, and any spill from the backlight bounced back to the face with a white board as fill and an eyelight. I think the award-winning DP who did this did it in 15 minutes, and I was absolutely amazed -- the look was fabulous. I've been on shoots where the cameraman struggled for four times that time and didn't get half these results.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

I once was on a crew for a series of interviews shot at the ASC clubhouse a few years ago, and I was floored by the very simple lighting approach they used for the sitdown conversations: a 2K with a large scrim on the right (carefully flagged), negative fill on the left, backlight behind them, and any spill from the backlight bounced back to the face with a white board as fill and an eyelight. I think the award-winning DP who did this did it in 15 minutes, and I was absolutely floored -- the look was fabulous. I've been on shoots where the cameraman struggled for four times that time and didn't get half these results.

I learned a great lesson from Julio Macat on a movie a few years ago. I observed him lighting a shot with one of those $5 silver photo lights with a piece of wax paper over it. He had three trucks of lighting and grip gear available. So I had to ask him, why that light? He responded, it's simple, quick, and effective for the shot. you don't complicate it because you have big fancy trucks with every light you can imagine.

 

[Joe Cage]

thanks guys,

I also have access to a ARRI M18 (no softbox for it though). Do you think I could use this light as the keylight? Or would id be too hard. Reason I would consider using this light is, because I have a lot of windows on the location I cannot flag off, so there is a lot of ambient light. And he M18 is the brightest light available. So is the Arri m18 to hard for this? If so, should I try to do a DIY diffusion (like baking paper, I do have a pop up reflector(also shoot through), but I have no stands to put the reflector up, and dont want to stand there for 2 hours holding the pop up reflector, or should I rent a C-stand + aluminium frame with diffusion/scrim )

 

[John David Pope]

thanks guys,

I also have access to a ARRI M18 (no softbox for it though). Do you think I could use this light as the keylight? Or would id be too hard. Reason I would consider using this light is, because I have a lot of windows on the location I cannot flag off, so there is a lot of ambient light. And he M18 is the brightest light available. So is the Arri m18 to hard for this? If so, should I try to do a DIY diffusion (like baking paper, I do have a pop up reflector(also shoot through), but I have no stands to put the reflector up, and dont want to stand there for 2 hours holding the pop up reflector, or should I rent a C-stand + aluminium frame with diffusion/scrim )

Use the M18 to make a book-light. Blast the M18 into a 4x4 beadboard that bounces the light through an 8’x8’ silk. To get the soft wrap in the example you’ll need a BIG source. Flag the book-light off the background using 4x floppy solids.

 

[Joe Cage]

Use the M18 to make a book-light. Blast the M18 into a 4x4 beadboard that bounces the light through an 8’x8’ silk. To get the soft wrap in the example you’ll need a BIG source. Flag the book-light off the background using 4x floppy solids.

Thx, but would be a too big of a setup im afraid. If ill move the light closer, the light will become bigger in regards of the object, so I guess if I shoot through a 1,2m on 1,8m diffusion frame (4x4 is that feet? when will everybody use the metric system ;') ) , pretty close to the talent, it will be ok I guess?

 

[John David Pope]

Thx, but would be a too big of a setup im afraid. If ill move the light closer, the light will become bigger in regards of the object, so I guess if I shoot through a 1,2m on 1,8m diffusion frame (4x4 is that feet? when will everybody use the metric system ;') ) , pretty close to the talent, it will be ok I guess?

If 4x4 is the largest size possible, put the light through two 4x4 diffusion frames spaced a meter apart. Sequentially. And use the thickest diffusion you can while still have enough light on the subject for proper exposure. And yes, place the inner diffusion as close to the subject as framing allows. Consider placing some muslim cloth on the floor as well in order to provide some bounce that softens the nose shadow and promotes wrap.

But in order to reproduce the wrapping of light and soft shadow in the example you'll probably need a bigger source.

 

[Aaron Green]

No need to get an M18 involved. You can easily recreate this with your 120d and lightdome + some black fabric. If you're going to be shooting 2 people then maybe bring in the M18.

 

[Joe Cage]

No need to get an M18 involved. You can easily recreate this with your 120d and lightdome + some black fabric. If you're going to be shooting 2 people then maybe bring in the M18.

Yeah the reason why I want to use the M18 is because we are shooting at noon with a lot of windows I cannot flag or block out. So there is a lot of ambient light and we want to show the location/background as well. And I am kinda worried the 120d will not cut it, as it cannot compete nowhere near the sun.

 

[John David Pope]

Yeah the reason why I want to use the M18 is because we are shooting at noon with a lot of windows I cannot flag or block out. So there is a lot of ambient light and we want to show the location/background as well. And I am kinda worried the 120d will not cut it, as it cannot compete nowhere near the sun.

In general, anytime you have the ability to have a source as powerful as an M18 on the job, do so. You'd rather have too much firepower than not enough. Always overestimate how much light you will need.

 

[Justin Chin]

If you're shooting in a area with a lot of windows, the M18 is a good start. I do agree that it's better to have that M18 and not need the that power than not have it at all. That being said, having the proper grip and tools to control that light is important.

With your sample, you'll want to make sure you can control that light especially given you're shooting in a room with "a lot of windows". Find out what you need to expose your subject and hold the windows and expose from there. You'll likely have your subject in silhouette but that really depends on what's outside those windows, time of day, and how light is hitting things outside (or even direct light coming into the windows). There's plenty of variables in that situation. But stoping down (or using ND's) to find your exposure for the windows, and then exposing the left side of your subject with your key (diffuse to taste.), you'll likely end of with a silhouette on your subjects right side. Though as many said, negative fill will be your friend as well.