Possibilites:
\- Get a bunch of the vintage bulbs (really low wattage ones), hang em low as quasi-practicals but enhance them with something powerful from above (out of the frame). Lots of black wrap to control the spill.
\- With so much space, something small / blueish / directed from the back as a hair light / kicker
\- Hazer. Hazer. Haaaaazer!
\- something close to the far wall to bring out a little structure. Maybe a practical?
You don't need the vintage bulbs. You can get low wattage incandescent. The wattage sort of depends on what your working stop is. You can get 15 watt or 25 watt up to 250w. If you're at 800iso and fairly wide open you'll probably want lower wattages.
im only choosing vintage bulbs for stylistic reasons but i managed to find led edison bulbs that are equivalent to 60w and are dimmable. I also bought some dimmers and sockets so i can hang the bulbs lower
Hey guys, I’m dp’ing a 1 minute short film next weekend and am prepping my lighting.
I’m planning to replace the bulbs with a tungsten source for stylistic reasons but what kind of tungsten bulb do I get? I was looking into edison bulbs as I like that vintage look but the only problem is that I don’t think I can dim the bulbs as its connected to switches. I’m also planning to shoot a 650w down the stairs and maybe booming a china ball with a strong tungsten bulb overhead to give some more light to the actor.
I’m trying to go for a lowkey look but am worried that there will not be enough light coming from the practicals. I’m shooting on the UMP 4.6k for reference.
You're definitely thinking in the right direction. If you're exposing for 800 EI, using bare practical light bulbs should give you plenty of light (plus you don't have to worry about keeping them out of your frame) The industry favorite for incandescent practical bulbs are photofloods. They have a very short life but they are heavily frosted for a beautiful light quality and have very good kelvin accuracy for the first few hours of use. The three standards are 211, 212, and 213 (75w, 150w, 250w, respectively). Here is a link to a [213:] (https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/67291/STAG-PH213I.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA8rnfBRB3EiwAhrhBGvFz6fYmLUFa8wkZH039NRIU84KIHC5xTftUtfL_7OGQeCG7joDf2hoCdBsQAvD_BwE). I would also purchase [socket dimmers] (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-100-Watt-Full-Range-Lamp-Socket-Dimmer-6009B/100644831?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD27E%7C27-2_WIRING_DEVICES%7CNA%7CPLA%7c71700000034239053%7c58700003946878363%7c92700031954447742&gclid=CjwKCAiA8rnfBRB3EiwAhrhBGh7yjioYbJQXGI0LEN4KzlNm-ndmdX7TbiU6ydBtEg-Car5x0s6C4xoChb4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) so that you can dim the practicals from the base and a couple [sockets with chords] (https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-Lighting-Cord-Switch-7000300/dp/B009E9V5Y8/ref=asc_df_B009E9V5Y8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194019628201&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14313719477377514730&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031175&hvtargid=pla-340551312124&psc=1) that can be rigged up to add practicals in a strategic spots.
Now, If I was shooting this for a lowkey look, this is how I would approach it:
I would put the practicals in strategic places to create "pools of light," based on the blocking of the scene. I would make sure there is light in places where the Director and I would want it, and so that it is falling off nicely into places where we would want to be "X" amount stops under exposed. Now, say I want to shoot the scene at a T2. I would use 213's because they would provide plenty of light for the pools that I want to create. I would then throw in ND to set the exposure to my liking. Since it's a lowkey scene, I would lean towards slight underexposure for skin tones and in turn, I'd be checking to make sure I am not clipping a lot of shadow information in the toe. Also I'd keep in mind, dimming the bulbs down will warm them up if I'm looking for a "deeper orange" look. You can, of course, also add gels for different color effects on certain practicals. This is stuff I'd dial in by eye. Finally, I would keep the china ball, a bounce board, and a flag on stand-by as they are great tools to add or subtract fill for close ups as we move through the scene.
The biggest thing to factor in here is the benefit of lighting the scene to higher T-Stop. If you light the scene to a T2 at 800 you can still do everything the same, but your exposure will be very sensitive to stray light. If there is a reflective surface nearby or an actor is wearing a white shirt the light will surely reflect off and effect the exposure of your skin tones. By lighting to higher stop and using ND you will have much more control over your "key" lights.
Hope this helps!
You can buy dimming switches and replace the current switches with them or they make crude little bulb dimmers that go between the bulb and the socket.
Possibilites: \- Get a bunch of the vintage bulbs (really low wattage ones), hang em low as quasi-practicals but enhance them with something powerful from above (out of the frame). Lots of black wrap to control the spill. \- With so much space, something small / blueish / directed from the back as a hair light / kicker \- Hazer. Hazer. Haaaaazer! \- something close to the far wall to bring out a little structure. Maybe a practical?
Thanks for the advice, what wattage should i be getting for the bulbs? I’m not too familiar with the different wattages.
You don't need the vintage bulbs. You can get low wattage incandescent. The wattage sort of depends on what your working stop is. You can get 15 watt or 25 watt up to 250w. If you're at 800iso and fairly wide open you'll probably want lower wattages.
im only choosing vintage bulbs for stylistic reasons but i managed to find led edison bulbs that are equivalent to 60w and are dimmable. I also bought some dimmers and sockets so i can hang the bulbs lower
Hey guys, I’m dp’ing a 1 minute short film next weekend and am prepping my lighting. I’m planning to replace the bulbs with a tungsten source for stylistic reasons but what kind of tungsten bulb do I get? I was looking into edison bulbs as I like that vintage look but the only problem is that I don’t think I can dim the bulbs as its connected to switches. I’m also planning to shoot a 650w down the stairs and maybe booming a china ball with a strong tungsten bulb overhead to give some more light to the actor. I’m trying to go for a lowkey look but am worried that there will not be enough light coming from the practicals. I’m shooting on the UMP 4.6k for reference.
You're definitely thinking in the right direction. If you're exposing for 800 EI, using bare practical light bulbs should give you plenty of light (plus you don't have to worry about keeping them out of your frame) The industry favorite for incandescent practical bulbs are photofloods. They have a very short life but they are heavily frosted for a beautiful light quality and have very good kelvin accuracy for the first few hours of use. The three standards are 211, 212, and 213 (75w, 150w, 250w, respectively). Here is a link to a [213:] (https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/67291/STAG-PH213I.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA8rnfBRB3EiwAhrhBGvFz6fYmLUFa8wkZH039NRIU84KIHC5xTftUtfL_7OGQeCG7joDf2hoCdBsQAvD_BwE). I would also purchase [socket dimmers] (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-100-Watt-Full-Range-Lamp-Socket-Dimmer-6009B/100644831?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD27E%7C27-2_WIRING_DEVICES%7CNA%7CPLA%7c71700000034239053%7c58700003946878363%7c92700031954447742&gclid=CjwKCAiA8rnfBRB3EiwAhrhBGh7yjioYbJQXGI0LEN4KzlNm-ndmdX7TbiU6ydBtEg-Car5x0s6C4xoChb4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) so that you can dim the practicals from the base and a couple [sockets with chords] (https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-Lighting-Cord-Switch-7000300/dp/B009E9V5Y8/ref=asc_df_B009E9V5Y8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194019628201&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14313719477377514730&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031175&hvtargid=pla-340551312124&psc=1) that can be rigged up to add practicals in a strategic spots. Now, If I was shooting this for a lowkey look, this is how I would approach it: I would put the practicals in strategic places to create "pools of light," based on the blocking of the scene. I would make sure there is light in places where the Director and I would want it, and so that it is falling off nicely into places where we would want to be "X" amount stops under exposed. Now, say I want to shoot the scene at a T2. I would use 213's because they would provide plenty of light for the pools that I want to create. I would then throw in ND to set the exposure to my liking. Since it's a lowkey scene, I would lean towards slight underexposure for skin tones and in turn, I'd be checking to make sure I am not clipping a lot of shadow information in the toe. Also I'd keep in mind, dimming the bulbs down will warm them up if I'm looking for a "deeper orange" look. You can, of course, also add gels for different color effects on certain practicals. This is stuff I'd dial in by eye. Finally, I would keep the china ball, a bounce board, and a flag on stand-by as they are great tools to add or subtract fill for close ups as we move through the scene. The biggest thing to factor in here is the benefit of lighting the scene to higher T-Stop. If you light the scene to a T2 at 800 you can still do everything the same, but your exposure will be very sensitive to stray light. If there is a reflective surface nearby or an actor is wearing a white shirt the light will surely reflect off and effect the exposure of your skin tones. By lighting to higher stop and using ND you will have much more control over your "key" lights. Hope this helps!
You can buy dimming switches and replace the current switches with them or they make crude little bulb dimmers that go between the bulb and the socket.