3 Basic DIY Techniques for Shooting Better Film Noir
Posted on September 9, 2010 in Cinematography, Lighting | 7 Comments
With only a few days to go till the FilmmakerIQ film noir video contest (September 23rd, 2010), John Hess covers three basic DIY techniques to help you shoot better Film Noir: including simple DIY lights (and why work lights are evil), cookies, and some basic color grading.
6 Comments
Thanks so much for the tip on Shadows! I’ve been struggling with that for awhile.
Good video. I have a light kit, but I’ve actually been using it less and less. Instead I’m using those clamp lights with CFLs. Obviously, that doesn’t make sense for this tutorial since they are too diffused to get good shadows…but it just goes to show you that you can get some incredibly good light (that I find superior to a pro kit in some cases).
Also cookie=cucoloris
COOOOKKKKKKKKKIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS
NUM NUM NUM NUM NUM
The basic advantage that pro lights offer is control and direction. Otherwise, there are so many options with household lighting.
I cut out this part – but the china ball on screen left is powered by a Compact Fluorescent.
True, but most of what you need to do is pretty easy to do with just a flag.
The only exception is a fresnel can be focused…but I’ve found that 90% of the time I work at full flood with opal or 250 on the light because I hate harsh lighting.
A CFL basically looks like a mole fresnel with at full flood with opal on it. So except for the fact that it is not as bright it’s basically doing what I want straight off the bulb. Also, I like the fact that I can be daylight balanced without an HMI or CTB
Lots of companies are actually moving toward the Compact Fluorescent – their solution to not enough light… add more bulbs.
Good video. Thanks!