Lighting Headache....

[Christopher Barrett]

For this scene below, I waited till dark and then put a Tiny out the widow with full CTB. In the interest of scheduling, the Director has asked if I can recreate the scene during the day. I can black out all windows in the area but how should I handle the one in the shot?

The original was shot at 2.9 with .9ND on camera... so the window with my Mole was somewhere around t/8 or t/11. With soft sun it is now spot metering around t/22. I was considering just getting a roll of .9 ND to gaff outside the window, otherwise I'm building a box around the window...

 

[Scott Crawley]

I hope for your sake that is a north facing window, but odds are heavily against...

 

[Christopher Barrett]

East actually, so definitely wouldn't shoot it before lunch. I hate to compromise this, I really like what the window is doing right now.

 

[Scott Crawley]

On the bright side you have closed drapes working for you.

I don't know what you are planning for your "box" but a makeshift duvo awning in conjunction with the .9 may get you there faster.

1st floor?

 

[D Fuller]

I'd but a black solid out there and let enough light in around the edges to raise the level to the blue wash level the Dedo gave you.

 

[Peter Versey]

Perhaps you could hang an 18% grey painted flat 3 ft from the window lit from above with an inverted asymetric cyc light filtered blue? or cold flourescents either side? Then ND the window to suit.

 

[Christopher Barrett]

Thanks for the input guys! One way or another I think I'll be able to handle it.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Thanks for the input guys! One way or another I think I'll be able to handle it.

The window drapes can also be tweaked in final color correction (with a power window). It's not as good or as real as doing it live on set, but a good colorist can get close if you give them enough to work with.

Beautiful shot, BTW.

 

[Patrick Kaplin]

I think your simplest solution would be to get a short 2 daylight kino (or short 4 depending on how much you need) working outside just directly underneath the windowsill uplighting the curtains. Hang duv from the top of the window frame and drape it down to the farside of the kino all the way underneath then pony clamp it to the bottom window sill (essentially making a small tent). Make sure to cut as much of the kino from hitting the duv, not that hard to do. It's easier if you hang the kino about a foot below the window sill and a foot out from the wall.

 

[paulherrin]

Well. One thing you could do is some pretty standard visual effects, as long as you can match the lighting in the room really well (or at least close if it's being cut out of progression). But don't shoot with a light source compositionally interfering with an actors silhouette, at least when you want the window to be directly behind as a backlight (because you would have to be blocking out the sunlight and using a light inside the room).

Otherwise, just build your black box and put your lights up.

 

[donatello b]

grips should be able to build you a 8x8 tent around the window ( provided this is ground floor) ...

 

[paulherrin]

grips should be able to build you a 8x8 tent around the window ( provided this is ground floor) ...

Doesn't matter what floor it is... they obviously already found a way to put a lightsource outside of it... you can just attach the box to that.

Pretty cool stuff, if not a little bit humorous to see