[Need Advices] Office Lighting

[Tong Hang Ning]

Hello everyone,

I need advices lighting an office scene in this location.

Office
1 by Oscar Tong, on Flickr

Entrance, Opposite side of the office (Will not film here)
2 by Oscar Tong, on Flickr


There will be more than 10 office tables and chairs with people sitting and working.
We will only be showing the white wall on the back and white wall on the left.
The director wants white clean look on this scene. It should be ok to have a flat lighting look but I would like to give some separation from the people to the background.
Any advices will be much appreciated! Thanks!


This is a student film and we will be given
Scarlet-X
2k Tungsten
1k Tungsten
750 Rifa open face
650 Tungsten
300 Tungsten x2
and a 2 by 4 Kinoflo x2
With some C-stands, diffusion and grip stuffs.
Will be renting Aputure 300D x 2 as well

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

One thing I would investigate is putting small desk lamps on each desk. (be careful of odd color temps unless that helps you). By carefully positioning the lamps and talent at each desk you might be able to break up that flatness and get decent levels on faces without so much heat from above. Another idea would be to put bright white paper(s) on any desk where you could use some bounce fill and a black folio or something on desks where the level is already too hot.
The go to move for separation is rim light, but with a white wall in the background and multiple subjects it's less than ideal.
Leverage wardrobe/production design to create "zones" of color to break up the flat look. I'd also suggest flagging right above frame in selected areas to create darker zones for contrast. Break a leg.

Cheers - #19

 

[SUNILPREM]

Hang Kino Flo or some thing like that, with Grid and paper on top of the office table, then fill with some china ball ,you will get some awesome office light


Thanks
Sunil Prem

 

[Oron Cohen]

Do you have any floor plan that you made that you can show? so it's possible to see the table arrangement etc.

Your lighting kit seems very random, is that because that's what they have?
Not sure why you are renting those 300D lights? if you want office look, rent more Kino's or better and easier some Aladdin's or similar as they are very easy to rig from the top. Also Maybe get some polly boards and try to rig them from the top and bounce your bigger tungsten lights off of them.
Generally speaking you want to create a soft light look and most of the lights in your list aren't soft lights.

BTW, you didn't specify if you got Fresnel or open face 1K and 2K?

Hope it helps.

 

[Raphaël_FR]

use sis projectors : http://maluna.fr/lucioles.asp

 

[jordan levy]

with all the white walls, the less light the better. i agree with some desk lighting and maybe rigging a few kinos from the ceiling, take your biggest light, bounce it and simulate a little window light coming in as well.

 

[Ty Hunt]

One thing I would investigate is putting small desk lamps on each desk. (be careful of odd color temps unless that helps you). By carefully positioning the lamps and talent at each desk you might be able to break up that flatness and get decent levels on faces without so much heat from above. Another idea would be to put bright white paper(s) on any desk where you could use some bounce fill and a black folio or something on desks where the level is already too hot.
The go to move for separation is rim light, but with a white wall in the background and multiple subjects it's less than ideal.
Leverage wardrobe/production design to create "zones" of color to break up the flat look. I'd also suggest flagging right above frame in selected areas to create darker zones for contrast. Break a leg.

Cheers - #19

Yup. All of this.