Night scenes with visible lights at DVinfo.net

Brandt Wilson · May 16th, 2003, 04:45 PM

With the lack of low light sensitivity, how would you shoot a scene in a darkened hallway with visible 100 watt bulbs in the ceiling, while maintining the shadow and contrast detail of the scene?

This would be shooting the scene fairly brightly lit while maintaining natural contrast.

Would this need to be corrected in post?

Alex Knappenberger · May 16th, 2003, 06:05 PM

Even night scenes are light very well -- in good movies.

Look up some stuff on the internet about lighting for night...here's a good article at DV.com:

http://dv.com/features/features_item...02/jackman1002

Frank Granovski · May 16th, 2003, 06:13 PM

Alex, use "url" instead of "img" for links.

Brandt, if the lighting is too low, have you considered replacing the 100 watt bulbs with say, 250 watt bulbs?

Do you want this hallway scene to look like it is shot at night? If that's the case, replace the 100 watt bulbs with higher wattage blue bulbs.

Alex Knappenberger · May 16th, 2003, 06:24 PM

If the lights are in the shot, and he wants it to look like night, then you don't want them to be higher wattage, for sure...you want them to be less, actually. You want to light the scene with other lights, not visible in the shot, behind the camera (IE: the popular 3 point lighting method)...see the DV.com article I posted.

Frank Granovski · May 16th, 2003, 06:32 PM

Alex, I suggested the cheapest solution; and blue lights will do it. Bulbs are cheap; video lighting isn't.

Brandt Wilson · May 16th, 2003, 10:31 PM

Frank, you may have hit on the solution here. What I'm looking for is somewhat reminiscent of the lust room in Seven. Bright white bulb in a red room, except that my bulbs will look dim and dingy.

I think the problem I'm trying to wrap my brain around is trying to make a brightly lit room look "natural". As light levels ramp up, you lose control over contrast, unless you use a lot of lights on their own dimmer channels.

I have a single chip 1/4" JVC that I might test your idea with...I'm supposed to do some "technical videographic tests" at the local shutdown mental hospital to find out what our lighting needs will be. Maybe they'll let me relight the hall.

Thanks!

Frank Granovski · May 16th, 2003, 10:44 PM

If you're thinking of shooting 1 subject in a situation like this, use 1 normal but brighter than a 100 watt bulb, casting over the subject. The rest of the bulbs, blue.

However, I don't recall the movie, "7". So I'm not exactly sure what you want to do. However, blue lighting is used to shoot so that the footage looks it was night time or dark. A softening filter might help some of the harshness of the bulbs. A yellow filter will give a footage a browner color, like it's in a old bulding (coupled with the lighting I suggested). Best way is to experiment!

May 16th, 2003, 04:45 PM	#1
Brandt Wilson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 220	Night scenes with visible lights With the lack of low light sensitivity, how would you shoot a scene in a darkened hallway with visible 100 watt bulbs in the ceiling, while maintining the shadow and contrast detail of the scene? This would be shooting the scene fairly brightly lit while maintaining natural contrast. Would this need to be corrected in post?

May 16th, 2003, 10:31 PM	#6
Brandt Wilson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 220	higher wattage blue bulbs Frank, you may have hit on the solution here. What I'm looking for is somewhat reminiscent of the lust room in Seven. Bright white bulb in a red room, except that my bulbs will look dim and dingy. I think the problem I'm trying to wrap my brain around is trying to make a brightly lit room look "natural". As light levels ramp up, you lose control over contrast, unless you use a lot of lights on their own dimmer channels. I have a single chip 1/4" JVC that I might test your idea with...I'm supposed to do some "technical videographic tests" at the local shutdown mental hospital to find out what our lighting needs will be. Maybe they'll let me relight the hall. Thanks!

May 16th, 2003, 06:05 PM	#2
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	Even night scenes are light very well -- in good movies. Look up some stuff on the internet about lighting for night...here's a good article at DV.com: http://dv.com/features/features_item...02/jackman1002

May 16th, 2003, 06:13 PM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Alex, use "url" instead of "img" for links. Brandt, if the lighting is too low, have you considered replacing the 100 watt bulbs with say, 250 watt bulbs? Do you want this hallway scene to look like it is shot at night? If that's the case, replace the 100 watt bulbs with higher wattage blue bulbs.

May 16th, 2003, 06:24 PM	#4
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	If the lights are in the shot, and he wants it to look like night, then you don't want them to be higher wattage, for sure...you want them to be less, actually. You want to light the scene with other lights, not visible in the shot, behind the camera (IE: the popular 3 point lighting method)...see the DV.com article I posted.

May 16th, 2003, 06:32 PM	#5
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Alex, I suggested the cheapest solution; and blue lights will do it. Bulbs are cheap; video lighting isn't.

May 16th, 2003, 10:44 PM	#7
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	If you're thinking of shooting 1 subject in a situation like this, use 1 normal but brighter than a 100 watt bulb, casting over the subject. The rest of the bulbs, blue. However, I don't recall the movie, "7". So I'm not exactly sure what you want to do. However, blue lighting is used to shoot so that the footage looks it was night time or dark. A softening filter might help some of the harshness of the bulbs. A yellow filter will give a footage a browner color, like it's in a old bulding (coupled with the lighting I suggested). Best way is to experiment!