Not ideal. I do use them for interviews but you have to be careful as they sit on your camera, draining battery power, over a distance in a dark space they have all the strength of a decrepit glowworm. but if you get too close to a subjects face they blast them with Here, I am going to look at lighting as it can make a big difference but it doesn't have to be a big budget. Just doing these few simple things can really make your video look like it was shot with a really good camera.
Generally you want to keep your light level up but the trick is to work within a certain range Take time to practice and learn as you go. Too bright and everything gets washed out too much. Too dark and you get a grainy image without much colour.
When I have observed how semi-pro's go about their work you can end up sitting around for ages while they decide how to set up. Generally too much light was directed at the actors creating harsh shadows which was then countered with another light to get rid of the shadows, which in turn created another shadow etc. etc. It can be a slow and frustrating process and sometimes needed to be started all over again.
My advice, keep it simple and fast. Work with the light that is already there.
- Put as many existing lights and lamps on in the room to increase the room's overall light level.
- Replace existing lightbulbs with more powerful lightbulbs.
- Use a reflector to bounce an existing light source onto your subject.
Reflectors
A reflector is a piece of silvery, gold or white fabric stretched over a frame. You can get some really cool ones that spring open into massive circles and are easy to pack away in to a small size again. They come in two main varieties : silver/white and gold/white (the gold is good for warming up flesh tones). They are always a good investment, but if you can't afford them there's a cheaper solution around the corner.
Do it yourself reflectors
Nip down to the supermarket and get hold of some really big cardboard boxes and some aluminium foil. Cut the boxes into massive sheets taking advantage of its folds, and stick the foil to the boards to create folding reflectors. Use the shiny side of the foil for a hard reflector or the dull side for a more diffuse reflector. You could also try looking for reflecting sun shades like people put in their car windows on hot sunny days (rare I know).
Getting more complicated now...
On board camera lights.
Not ideal. I do use them for interviews but you have to be careful as they sit on your camera, draining battery power, over a distance in a dark space they have all the strength of a decrepit glowworm. but if you get too close to a subjects face they blast them with head on light, which flattens rather than flatters your subject and creates big shadows over the rest of your picture.
Battery powered / portable lights
If you dont have access to mains power and you need something more flexible than a light on top of your camera then look at something like a hand basher (I know, a strange name). You light is powered by a really heavy battery belt and is limited in how long it will work for (45 - 60 mins is fairly typical). You can hand hold them or fix to a tripod if your working on your own. Don't leave then on any longer than you need to so you can conserve power
Now for the big lights. Proper big lights like the pros use. Remember our budget (or lack of budget) here so don't buy 'em, rent 'em.
Big Lights
You are looking at anything from 300watt through to the fairly common Redhead around 800w and on to the blondes at 2000 watts (2kw) and beyond.
Redheads are good because they can generally run off domestic ring mains (although trip switches are always best used still). Blondes are very similar but more powerful so it comes down to how much light you think you need.
There are loads of other types but outside of the scope of this tips page. Contact us on duncan@sousproductions.com if you want more specific information.
Most lights including reds and blondes, come with stands which you can adjust to the appropriate height, they also have filters and barndoors so you can adjust the quality and quantity of light they put out. There's a couple of things to watch out for when you are using these. Be very careful when adjusting the barn doors as they tend to get quite hot (here speaks a man who saw the skin off his fingertips vaporize before his eyes). Oh, and make sure that the stands are secure and that nobody can accidentally knock them over. Also switch off and allow to cool before moving as this will help avoid blowing the bulbs which are relatively expensive.
If you're shooting in a small room keep the lights switched off when you're not using them as the room can get very hot very quickly.
Avoid Backlighting- This is where your subject is standing with the sky or a window or white wall behind them. The camera goes 'Hey, loads of white I better set my exposure to that', so when you come to look at your footage all you can see it a silhouette of your subject and you can hardly see their face. Solution - turn around, and use the light from the wall/window to light your subject (Some cameras might have a BLC - Backlight Compensation button, but dont always give great results).
If you have to film with the bright background then this is where additional lighting or a reflector will really help as it will provide fill in light to brighten up the subject in the foreground allowing you to reduce your exposure and not lose your main subject.
Hope these help you get started. Lighting does not need to be expensive. You can probably hire the lights listed above for around £15 and £30 per day. Dont forget that reflector too. If you have plenty of nice natural light you can use the reflector to bounce light on to your subject and it doesnt have to cost much either.
If you have any experience of do it yourself approaches or in the use of the light described above that could be useful to know then please add your comments.
Good luck