Lighting Question for a Film Lighting Newbie

[Scott Lamoreaux]

I'm trying to do some for fun fitness type videos with my girlfriend similiar to Nike/Equinox. I'm VERY new to film lighting so please go easy on my lack of knowledge

I want to recreate lighting similiar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtVLOW8RsgY

and this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nFzAfTZjRQ&list=PL8E1F674243FE0B63&index=9

Would something like this take care of the task above and also be usable for How-to/interview type settings as well? : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arri-Compac...012?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e579985c


Any help would be great! Thank you guys!

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Yes and no, that first video had huge windows with natural light combined with some powerful HMI's doing cross-lighting, the stronger one coming from the left but occasionally another edge from the right. We're probably talking about an 18K HMI on the left and a 6K HMI on the right, plus a soft overhead source (maybe a bunch of Kinos or an HMI bounce.)

So you can create that sort of cross-light and soft key with your small kit if your sets are much smaller in size and your shots are much tighter. Otherwise you need to think bigger. The close shots in the video could be done with a small kit but not those distant head-to-toe wide shots, particularly with the extra exposure needed for slow-motion. Now if you were lucky and had windows like that on a ground floor and were shooting when the sun was at the right angle on a clear day, then some reflectors outside could be used but you would have a more limited time window in which to work, and if it was overcast on your shooting day, you'd be in trouble.

 

[Scott Lamoreaux]

Yes and no, that first video had huge windows with natural light combined with some powerful HMI's doing cross-lighting, the stronger one coming from the left but occasionally another edge from the right. We're probably talking about an 18K HMI on the left and a 6K HMI on the right, plus a soft overhead source (maybe a bunch of Kinos or an HMI bounce.)

So you can create that sort of cross-light and soft key with your small kit if your sets are much smaller in size and your shots are much tighter. Otherwise you need to think bigger. The close shots in the video could be done with a small kit but not those distant head-to-toe wide shots, particularly with the extra exposure needed for slow-motion. Now if you were lucky and had windows like that on a ground floor and were shooting when the sun was at the right angle on a clear day, then some reflectors outside could be used but you would have a more limited time window in which to work, and if it was overcast on your shooting day, you'd be in trouble.

Thanks for the detailed reply mike. Most of what I plan to do will not be in a space even close to that size or the natty light although I'd love to shoot in that Brooklyn location of the first video.

The space I plan to use will be right like 500-600 sf room. That kit will be enough? Will I be able to create the moodiness as well?

thank you!