How we control light for film and video

1. Warm Up
 What is a spotlight, a floodlight, and a
softlight?
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2. Controlling Light
Use lighting techniques by using reflected light.[13Bii]
Use lighting techniques by understanding color
temperatures.[13Biii]
Use lighting techniques by using filters.[13Biv]

3. Available Light
 Available light will often provide much or all of your
video light.
 Available light is whatever illumination already
exists at the location you are preparing to light
for video.
 Controlling available light means modifying and
redirecting it to improve the quality of the image. In
working with available light, you control its quantity,
direction, and color.

4. Controlling Quantity
 Controlling the quantity of available light
means reducing it when it is too intense.
 In order to reduce light quantity, your
principal tools are flags, screens, and silks.
 Flags are flat, opaque cards, usually
constructed of metal, thin plywood, or
fabric on a metal frame.

5. Screens
 Screens are large expanses of plastic mesh
stretched on frames. Small screens can be
held by stands or by crew members, but most
are mounted on support structures. Screens
block only part of the light.

6. Silks
 Silks look and work like screens, except that they
are sheets of thin white synthetic fabric.
 Silks reduce the intensity of the light on the
subject and also diffuse the light, changing it
from a single, directional beam to an overall glow.
 Because silks diffuse the light as well as reduce it,
they change the light source’s quality as well as its
quantity.

7. Controlling Direction
 If you have enough direct light to cast
shadows, you can multiply its effect by
bouncing it back on your subjects.
 Reflectors are large boards with bright
surfaces that are positioned to receive light
from directional sources and aim it back at
subjects.

8. Controlling Color
 The color of light can be changed by:
 Using tinted reflectors.
 Color filters placed directly on the camera lens.
 Using color filters on the light or window.

9. Color Temperature
 Color temperature is the overall color cast
of a light source.
 The higher the color temperature, the bluer
the light.

10. Color Temperature Meters
 A color temperature meter is a light meter
that measures the relative blueness or
redness of “white” light.

11. Activity – Mastering Reflectors
 We will be going outside to practice using
reflectors with available light.
 CAUTION!! Never aim a silver reflector at a
subject’s eyes from a close distance. To avoid
eye discomfort or even injury, keep silver
reflectors at least 15-20 feet from the subject
when using them as key (main) lights.