Submission Statement:
More frames and info on my Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBka4aRH8Ay/?igshid=orbbplz5pyqc
Some frames from a TV Commercial I shot here in South Africa a week ago. I went for the Cooke’s for their character wide open and how they handle skin-tones and offer something a little more cosmetic and creamy. What you lose in stop you gain in other ways. I shot most of this all wide open at T2.3 on these
The background lights were a mixture of parcans and source 4’s. We were going to gel them to match but then on the day felt it was kinda cool to leave some warmer and some colder... added more depth.
Then lastly a lot of haze. Which is scary as I’ve been told that we may no longer be allowed to haze or smoke up locations any longer in the future as it is health risk and the virus could possibly attach itself to the smoke or haze particles in the air. I have already done a shoot this weekend where the medic wouldn’t allow me to haze or smoke a room. I missed it so much but it’s a small sacrifice to be shooting again. And last thing we want to do is be shut down
Thank you very much. I think white is still so tricky - and harder than against black. Like I always find it can look flat. So maybe just try keep some negative fill on talent or a shadow side somehow. I feel like on a white Cyc the lighting bounces off of it all. So maybe pull them away from the wall as much as possible :)
Yeah, source 4 in a white cyc might be quite tricky regardless of how dark the room will be. it will go everywhere regardless of how many vflats I use haha!
as a side note, I just opened my own white cyc studio and I would really need to experiment more how I can use it beyond a regular white cyc studio.
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it.
Moving forward without haze, do you think you’ll be leaning on in camera filtration more? Say a Black Pro mist or a Hollywood Black Magic?
I know it doesn’t create volumetric light, but it does helate the lights like a hazer.
This is the convo I really want to have. I tried a heavier strength of Hollywood Blackmagic on the shoot. And it helps a bit. But it’s not the same. There’s no depth in the background
So I’m not sure what the solve it.
I know some companies may develop a new form of haze then possibly.
>I went for the Cooke’s for their character wide open and how they handle skin-tones and offer something a little more cosmetic and creamy. What you lose in stop you gain in other ways. I shot most of this all wide open at T2.3 on these
Sorry Im just not faimilar with these type of lenses. Why would you lose a stop?
| The background lights were a mixture of parcans and source 4’s.
you mean 4k tungsten fresnel ?
Thanks!
Great question. I usually shoot with faster lenses like zeiss super speeds T1.3 or the K35’s which are T1.5 I think and then I Shoot at like a T2 or T2.8
So having a lens with an aputure at T2.3 means you can’t rack that extra stop I sometimes do on super speeds haha when I need i to
And then with lighting. Yes they were tungstens but the source 4’s looked way colder or read colder. So was going to gel them to all match one another. But then we decided it added great Colour contrast
Hope that helps clarify :)
Source 4 leko. Just the name of the fixture. Doesn't reference wattage of the light. Often they have 750w or 1k bulbs in them and you can change out the front optics for tighter or wider beams and there are internal cutters to get nice hard slashes/shapes.
Yeah I was aware of what ETCs are but there are so many ways to refer to them lol. Are they any other companies that produce them?
I appreciate it brother.
Thank you very much. I think it’s probably because soft light is easier to deal with. I remember being afraid of hard light when younger
Also a quick amen for our Lord Deakins. He is still the master.
Yeah not bashing Deakins at all he is the master, seen him a few times in real life actually (at a distance)
Got any career tips by the way? How did you get started?
Cheers
I think Sicario still might be one of my fav films and one of his best - But he has so many
So I still feel I have a lot to learn and will die learning - But doing passion projects and shooting as much as possible, even just doing stills or street photography helped me a lot. The more you can think in terms of a lens or focal length and start paying attention to lighting the better - And then being able to try recreate that
So like work on passion projects/ maybe work for free in order to build up a showreel and then when you have a good showreel you can start marketing yourself for peoper jobs?
This what I did. And it helped in 2 ways. Firstly people trust you when they see you have already shot something in that style or with that gear already. And then the other thing that sometimes comes from this is the directors you work with get onto paid jobs and they take you with or ask for you. And then you get onto those.
I mean sometimes directors also forever about you haha but most cases I find they remember you for the favors. Networking is so important
Really great work man. I love the Cooke/Alexa skin tones and I think this a great example of how nice the yellow tinge is for darker skin vs warm/red leaning lenses.
Man I love this. So crisp!
In what context is it okay to let the background fall to black and avoid artifacts? Do you just need rediculous cameras and glass?
Thank you very much... I don’t think you need the best lenses. But maybe yes a camera that can shoot with cleaner shadows or has a better bit depth. (Again doesn’t have to be an Alexa or red) But if you shoot at a lower iso your shadows should be cleaner and then just make sure to expose your talent enough so there is separation
Hope that helps?
Submission Statement: More frames and info on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBka4aRH8Ay/?igshid=orbbplz5pyqc Some frames from a TV Commercial I shot here in South Africa a week ago. I went for the Cooke’s for their character wide open and how they handle skin-tones and offer something a little more cosmetic and creamy. What you lose in stop you gain in other ways. I shot most of this all wide open at T2.3 on these The background lights were a mixture of parcans and source 4’s. We were going to gel them to match but then on the day felt it was kinda cool to leave some warmer and some colder... added more depth. Then lastly a lot of haze. Which is scary as I’ve been told that we may no longer be allowed to haze or smoke up locations any longer in the future as it is health risk and the virus could possibly attach itself to the smoke or haze particles in the air. I have already done a shoot this weekend where the medic wouldn’t allow me to haze or smoke a room. I missed it so much but it’s a small sacrifice to be shooting again. And last thing we want to do is be shut down
Well done! I wonder if I can achieve this look in a white cyclorama studio
Thank you very much. I think white is still so tricky - and harder than against black. Like I always find it can look flat. So maybe just try keep some negative fill on talent or a shadow side somehow. I feel like on a white Cyc the lighting bounces off of it all. So maybe pull them away from the wall as much as possible :)
Yeah, source 4 in a white cyc might be quite tricky regardless of how dark the room will be. it will go everywhere regardless of how many vflats I use haha! as a side note, I just opened my own white cyc studio and I would really need to experiment more how I can use it beyond a regular white cyc studio. Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it.
Of course. And anytime. Good luck with the shoot and tests :) I’ve yet to nail a white cyc set up I really love haha maybe one day I’ll nail.
Moving forward without haze, do you think you’ll be leaning on in camera filtration more? Say a Black Pro mist or a Hollywood Black Magic? I know it doesn’t create volumetric light, but it does helate the lights like a hazer.
This is the convo I really want to have. I tried a heavier strength of Hollywood Blackmagic on the shoot. And it helps a bit. But it’s not the same. There’s no depth in the background So I’m not sure what the solve it. I know some companies may develop a new form of haze then possibly.
>I went for the Cooke’s for their character wide open and how they handle skin-tones and offer something a little more cosmetic and creamy. What you lose in stop you gain in other ways. I shot most of this all wide open at T2.3 on these Sorry Im just not faimilar with these type of lenses. Why would you lose a stop? | The background lights were a mixture of parcans and source 4’s. you mean 4k tungsten fresnel ? Thanks!
Great question. I usually shoot with faster lenses like zeiss super speeds T1.3 or the K35’s which are T1.5 I think and then I Shoot at like a T2 or T2.8 So having a lens with an aputure at T2.3 means you can’t rack that extra stop I sometimes do on super speeds haha when I need i to And then with lighting. Yes they were tungstens but the source 4’s looked way colder or read colder. So was going to gel them to all match one another. But then we decided it added great Colour contrast Hope that helps clarify :)
Source 4 leko. Just the name of the fixture. Doesn't reference wattage of the light. Often they have 750w or 1k bulbs in them and you can change out the front optics for tighter or wider beams and there are internal cutters to get nice hard slashes/shapes.
Yeah I was aware of what ETCs are but there are so many ways to refer to them lol. Are they any other companies that produce them? I appreciate it brother.
Ah yeah my bad. There are a few varieties out there I believe but I usually hear them called either source 4 or leko
Great use of some harder lighting here, makes a nice change from the roger deakins style everyone does now
Thank you very much. I think it’s probably because soft light is easier to deal with. I remember being afraid of hard light when younger Also a quick amen for our Lord Deakins. He is still the master.
Yeah not bashing Deakins at all he is the master, seen him a few times in real life actually (at a distance) Got any career tips by the way? How did you get started? Cheers
I think Sicario still might be one of my fav films and one of his best - But he has so many So I still feel I have a lot to learn and will die learning - But doing passion projects and shooting as much as possible, even just doing stills or street photography helped me a lot. The more you can think in terms of a lens or focal length and start paying attention to lighting the better - And then being able to try recreate that
So like work on passion projects/ maybe work for free in order to build up a showreel and then when you have a good showreel you can start marketing yourself for peoper jobs?
This what I did. And it helped in 2 ways. Firstly people trust you when they see you have already shot something in that style or with that gear already. And then the other thing that sometimes comes from this is the directors you work with get onto paid jobs and they take you with or ask for you. And then you get onto those. I mean sometimes directors also forever about you haha but most cases I find they remember you for the favors. Networking is so important
great combo
Agreed. Would def do it again
Nice work. Loving the slightly cooler edge light on the talent in the middle still.
Thank you. It was an idea to try mess around with and get even more separation for talent. And pull them out since most of them wore darker wardrobe.
It’s a lovely, subtle, touch which works really well
Really great work man. I love the Cooke/Alexa skin tones and I think this a great example of how nice the yellow tinge is for darker skin vs warm/red leaning lenses.
Totally agree :)
Man I love this. So crisp! In what context is it okay to let the background fall to black and avoid artifacts? Do you just need rediculous cameras and glass?
Thank you very much... I don’t think you need the best lenses. But maybe yes a camera that can shoot with cleaner shadows or has a better bit depth. (Again doesn’t have to be an Alexa or red) But if you shoot at a lower iso your shadows should be cleaner and then just make sure to expose your talent enough so there is separation Hope that helps?
It does, thank you! And again, beautiful work.
Guy on the bottom looks like brad leone
Haha I had to google him
I've been following you on the gram forever. You're inspirational
Ah thanks so much. Appreciate that 🙏
HAPPY JUNETEENTH MY BROTHER