122 The Digital Filmmaking Handbook, 4E

In the past, it has been generally accepted that video looks lousy when compared to film. But thanks to HD, video has come a long way and is used for lots of great looking indie films. The key is to create the same sort of moody, subtle, expressive lighting that you see in a movie shot on film.

First, a film look is not appropriate for all projects. News footage and other documentarystyle productions that use run-and-gun, shot-on-the-fly footage are designed simply to convey some specific factual (hopefully) content. Style is not a concern. Similarly, your production may not need a traditional film look either because the material doesn’t need such a look, or simply because you can’t afford the time and expense of shooting with complex lighting setups. These are decisions you’ll need to make early in your preproduction process.

However, no matter what type of lighting you ultimately decide to use—even if it’s none at all—a knowledge of film-style lighting can be very important. Though you may not be setting actual lights, you can still make decisions about where to position your camera, or choose to use some simple lighting implements such as reflectors, that can make a substantial difference in your image quality.

Throughout this chapter, we’ll cover both film-style lighting and also the special needs that arise when lighting for video, especially when circumstances do not allow for traditional filmstyle lighting. But first, the basics . . .

WHAT TO WATCH

The Godfather employs a style of lighting that was developed in the Italian Renaissance known as “chiaroscuro,” which literally means “light/dark” and is often described as pools of light. The paintings of Caravaggio are the most famous example of chiaroscuro lighting and The Godfather trilogy borrows heavily from paintings of this era for its lighting design, color palette, shot design, and symbolism.

The Art of Lighting

Lighting is one of the most powerful, yet subtle, filmmaking tools available. Film noir classics, such as The Maltese Falcon, are known for their creative use of light and shadow, while modern comedies often feature a bright, simple lighting style that is similar to television. No matter what your film is about, creative lighting can enhance the mood and emotion of your story.

Three-Point Lighting

Three-point lighting is the basic, jumping-off point for more complicated lighting setups. Three lights are used to light a single subject—usually an actor—from three directions (or points). The primary light source, called the key light, is used to illuminate the subject and is usually positioned at an angle (see Figure 6.1). The key light is a strong, dominant light source and is often designed to replicate a light source in the scene such as the sun or a lamp (see Figure 6.2 [top]).

Figure 6.1

A diagram of a typical threepoint lighting setup, including camera placement and subject.

The second light, called the back light or sometimes the kicker, is positioned behind the subject and is used to separate the subject from the background (Figure 6.2 [middle]). This separation lends a sense of depth to the image and helps make your subject “stand out” better. You can see the effect of the back light in just about any type of video production, even the evening news. Note that well-lit newscasters usually have a ring of light around the top of their heads, or at least a good strong highlight on the top of their head. This rim lighting is created by the back light, and serves to give their head a more discernible shape. Sometimes the back light is a different color—bluish or orange. Making choices about the relationship between the key, fill, and back lights is part of the art of cinematography. After we present a few more key lighting concepts, you’ll be ready to try your hand at the three-point lighting tutorial later in the chapter.

A third light, called the fill light, is used to “fill in” the strong shadows caused by the key light. Usually the fill light is quite a bit dimmer and more diffuse than the key light (Figure 6.2 [bottom]). The idea is not necessarily to get rid of the shadows, but to achieve a pleasing contrast ratio between the lights and shadows on the subject, so that neither bright lights nor dark shadows are dominant.