Intro to Film - Lighting

Natural Source

The sun or moon

Basic properties shared by all lenses are:

1. Aperture 2. Focal Length 3. Depth of Field

Aperture

1. Determines the amount of light passing through the lens 2. Controlled by the iris

Low Key Lighting

1. High ratio between bright illumination to deep shadow 2. Produces gloomy, mysterious atmosphere

Normal Lens

1. Images correspond to our day-to-day experience of depth and perspective 2. Normal sense of focus

Artificial Source

1. Lights - aka "instruments" 2. Reflectors 3. Silks

High Key Lighting

1. Low ratio between bright illumination to deep shadow 2. Bright, even lighting, no strong shadows

Filters

1. Optical Modifiers 2. Range from special effects to exposure control

Telephoto Lens

1. Produces deep-angle views 2. Brings distant objects close 3. Flattens space and depth, makes subjects look closer together than they are 4. Narrow depth of field

Backlighting

1. Semi-silhouetting 2. Used to create sense of depth

Properties of Lighting

1. Source 2. Quality 3. Direction 4. Style

Direction

1. The angle of light hitting actor or setting 2. Helps produce the contrast, shadows, etc. that suggest the time of day, mood, and location

Focal Length

1. The distance from the optical center of the lens to the focal point on the film stock/sensor 2. Affects how we perceive perspective, perception of size, scale, and movement

Wide Angle Lens

1. Wide Angle View 2. Things appear further away or further apart than they are 3. Almost all objects in focus

Zoom Lens

Can simulate the effect of camera movement toward/away from the subject

Soft Light

Diffused light from varying directions - Softening details, decreasing contrast

Depth of Field

Distance in front of the lens in which subjects appear in sharp focus

Naturalistic Lighting Style

Does not draw attention to itself

Classical Lighting Style (3 Point Lighting)

Emphasizes the 3-Dimensionality of the scene & subject's face

Color Filters

Filter over the lens, changes or enhances the color of the scene

Film Noir Lighting Style

High contrast; harsh shafts of light, dramatic light-dark patterns

Fast Stock

Highly sensitive to light; good for low-light scenes/sets, documentaries

Hard Light

Light shining directly on subject - Crisp details, defined border - High contrast between illumination and shadow

Speed of a Stock

Refers to the amount of light needed to expose the images

Slow Stock

Up to ten times less sensitive; better at capturing color, less grain

Available Lighting

Using natural light sources that are readily available in a scene