15 Lighting

Objectives Identify the various types of lighting instruments and cite unique characteristics of each. Compare the characteristics of incandescent lamps with the characteristics of fluorescent lamps. Explain how the color temperature of light affects the video image.

Objectives Recall methods to control lighting intensity. Identify the steps in the procedure to light a set. Describe the television lighting techniques presented and identify the instruments used with each technique.

Functions of Lighting Meet technical requirements of camera Meet aesthetic requirements of director

Creating 3-D Appearance on TV Shoot people and objects in 3/4 angle Apply makeup and set paint properly Arrange set elements in fore-, middle-, and background Use shallow depth of field Use creative lighting and shadowing techniques

Consumer vs. Professional Terms Lamp Light bulb Professional Instrument

Types of Light Hard light Soft light

Lighting Instruments Spotlights, or spots Flood light Scoop

Lighting Instruments (Cont.) Fresnel

Accessories Barndoors Cinefoil, Blackwrap, or heavy duty aluminum foil Form sheet into cylinder Attach to front of instrument Turn instrument on Shape foil by hand to create shadow pattern

Preventing Light Hits Flag Spray item with photo dulling spray Spray item with inexpensive hair spray

Preventing Light Hits (Cont.)

Safety Note Light fixtures operate at extremely high temps They can ignite flammable objects They can severely burn human skin! Always wear work gloves to prevent injury Recommended gloves are inexpensive cotton gloves with leather palms and fingers

Incandescent Lamps High heat output—dangerous to touch with bare hands Spreads wide light frequency, more than camera needs Brightness can make talent squint on set More costly than fluorescent lamps

Preserving Life of Incandescent Lamps Do not: Turn off and on in rapid succession Move them when they are hot Close barn doors, trapping heat inside instrument Point straight down; heat then enters instrument Handle lamp with bare fingers

Fluorescent Lamps Soft, even glow Relatively inexpensive Low heat output—will not burn hands Long life span Produce much more light per watt than incandescent

Supports Floor stand C-clamp Advantages: Ease of movement, necessary for remote shoot Disadvantages: Can tip over easily, power cord is tripping hazard, occupy much floor space C-clamp

Kelvin Color Temperature Scale

White Light Equal to 3200°Kelvin (3200K) Needed for proper colors and flesh tones on TV Cooler (lower) color temps produce yellowish or reddish tints Hotter (higher) color temps produce greenish or bluish tints

Common Color Temperatures Consumer light bulbs: 2000°Kelvin (20K)— yellowish TV studio lamps: 3200°Kelvin (32K)—white Commercial fluorescent office/school ceiling lamps: 4500°Kelvin (45K)—greenish Sunlight: 5600°Kelvin (56K)—bluish

White Balancing the Camera Camera needs to interpret white light to reproduce colors accurately To “trick” camera into seeing white light: Get illumination as close to 32K as possible Point camera at white object on set and manually press white balance button

Gel

Lighting Set with Colored Lights First, light set with white light to white balance camera Then, turn off white lights and turn on colored lights—camera will see each color

Lighting Room Lit with Sunlight Place CTO (color temperature orange) gel on inside of window to absorb and convert blue light, or Place CTB (color temperature blue) gel on instruments inside the room to match blue sunlight. Then, perform white balance

Lighting Intensity 3200K lights can have different wattage—color is the same but varying amounts of light are produced Varying brightness of lamps is necessary to prevent hot and dark spots on set

Varying Lighting Intensity Move instrument closer or farther away from set Replace lamp with lower or higher wattage lamp Place diffusion material or scrim in front of instrument Use bounce lighting or dimmer

Planning Set Lighting Light plot Basic hang, or rough hang

Light Plot

Three-Point Lighting

Key Light

Fill Light

Back Light Different from background light

Three-Point Lighting

Four-Point Lighting Set-up

Cross-Key Lighting Set-up

Lighting with Fluorescents Same technique used with incandescents Most equipped with a honeycomb

Limbo Lighting

Lighting Check Always view set under designed lighting on television monitor If bad image is displayed, stop shooting and determine if monitor is faulty If monitor is OK, then contrast, color, brightness, and tint may need adjustment

Career Page The Society of Television Lighting and Design www.stld.org.uk

Review Question What are precautions to take when working with incandescent studio instruments and lamps? Do not jar them when they are hot. Do not touch them with your bare fingers, even when they are cold. Do not close barn doors completely. Do not point them straight down. Do not turn them off and on in rapid succession.

Review Question How do you light something using three-point lighting? The key light is above and to one side of camera at about the 4:30 spot. The fill light is on opposite side of camera and above it at about the 7:30 spot. The back light is above and behind subject at about the 12:00 spot.

Review Question What is the difference between hard and soft light? Hard light creates sharp, distinct, and dark shadow. Soft light produces indistinct, gradual change from light to dark with plenty of gray in between.

Review Question What are the functions of light in television? Allows camera to operate effectively and meet aesthetic requirements of director.

Review Question Consumers call them light bulbs—what to lighting professionals call them? Lamps

Review Question What is color temperature of white light? 32K, or 3200K, or 3200° Kelvin

Review Question What effect does temperature have on video image? Cooler temperatures produce yellowish or reddish tints, while hotter temperatures produce greenish or bluish tints.

Review Question Name three ways to vary lighting intensity. Move instrument; use different wattage lamp; place diffusion material or scrim in front of instrument.

Review Question How do you white balance a camera? Try to get illumination as close to 32K as possible, then point camera at white object, then manually press white balance button.

Review Question How would you light a set that requires a lot of colored lights? First, white balance camera, then turn off white lights and turn on colored lights. Camera will see them as colored lights.

Review Question What is the difference between spotlights and flood lights? Spotlights provide circular light in small, defined area, while flood lights provide general lighting in larger area.

Review Question _____ lamps are more expensive and powerful, last longer, and create less heat than _____ lamps. Incandescent; fluorescent

Review Question What is produced when an instrument is pointed at a photographic reflector? A. Dimmer B. Bounce lighting C. Back light D. Diffusion

Glossary 3200 Kelvin: The temperature of white light in degrees Kelvin. Also noted as 3200K or “32K” when spoken. back light: A lighting instrument that is placed above and behind the talent or object in a shot, at the twelve o’clock position, to separate the talent or object from the background. background light: A lighting instrument that is pointed at the background of a set.

Glossary barndoors: Fully moveable black metal flaps attached to the front of a lighting instrument; used to block or reshape the light. basic hang: The initial process of hanging instruments over the set according to the light plot and plugging them into the raceway. Also called a rough hang.

Glossary bounce lighting: A lighting technique where a lighting instrument is not pointed directly at the subject of the shot, but the light is bounced off of another object, such as a ceiling, wall, or the ground. C-clamp: A clamp in the shape of a “C” that is used to attach lighting instruments to the grid.

Glossary cross-key lighting: A lighting technique that combines aspects of both three-point and four-point lighting, with the added ability to cover more than one person or object in the lighting spread. diffusion: A transparent or translucent material that is placed in front of a lighting instrument to soften and reduce the intensity of light, without altering the color temperature.

Glossary dimmer: A device attached to the power control of a lighting instrument that regulates the amount of electricity that flows to the lamp. fill light: A lighting instrument that is placed opposite the key light and above the talent to provide illumination on the other side of the talent’s face or object in the shot.

Glossary flag: A flexible metal rod with a flat piece of metal attached to the end; used to block light from hitting certain objects on the set. flood light: A soft light instrument that provides general lighting in a large area. floor stand: A lighting support with three or four legs and a long vertical pole to which a lighting instrument is attached.

Glossary fluorescent lamp: Type of lamp that functions when electricity excites a gas in the lamp, which causes the material coating the inside of the lamp to glow (fluoresce) with a soft, even light.

Glossary four-point lighting: A lighting technique that uses four lighting instruments for each person or object photographed: two key lights and two fill lights. The two key lights are positioned diagonally opposite each other, and the two fill lights are placed in the remaining two corners.

Glossary Fresnel: A hard light instrument that is lightweight and easily focused. gel: A heat resistant, thick sheet of plastic placed in front of a lighting instrument to turn white light from a lamp into a colored light. grid: A pipe system that hangs from the studio ceiling and supports the lighting instruments.

Glossary hard light: Type of illumination used in a studio that creates sharp, distinct, and very dark shadows. honeycomb: A device that attaches to fluorescent instruments to reduce the shape and size of the light beam, making the light more directional and easier to control. incandescent lamp: Type of lamp that functions when electricity is applied and makes a filament inside the lamp glow brightly.

Glossary instrument: The device into which a lamp is installed to provide illumination on a set. Kelvin Color Temperature Scale: A scale developed by the scientist Lord Kelvin for measuring color temperatures of light in degrees Kelvin. key light: The lighting instrument that provides the main source of illumination on the person or object in a shot.

Glossary lamp: Part of a lighting instrument that glows when electricity is supplied. light hit: A white spot or star shaped reflection of a lighting instrument or sunlight off of a highly reflective surface on the set. light plot: A diagram developed by the lighting designer that indicates the placement of lighting instruments on the set of a program.

Glossary limbo lighting: A lighting technique in which the background of the set is lit to create the illusion of a solid-color, indistinct background. raceway: The system of electrical cables and outlets used to power lighting instruments on the grid. The raceway either hangs beside the grid pipes or is mounted to the ceiling above the grid.

Glossary scoop: A common type of flood light with a half-spheroid shape that produces a great deal of light. scrim: A wire mesh or woven material placed in front of instrument to reduce the intensity of light. soft light: Type of illumination used in a studio that creates indistinct shadows.

Glossary spotlight: Type of hard light instrument that creates a circle of light in varying diameters. three-point lighting: A common lighting technique that uses three lighting instruments for each person or object photographed: a key light, a fill light, and a back light. Also called triangle lighting.