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