Lighting equipment

The lights which we will be using are:

Arri 650w Tungsten Fresnel

These lights allow us to follow the three point lighting rule and light the characters features as well as scenery.

Arri Minicyc Tungsten Floodlight

This filmlight will allow us to create a general wash over certain scenes as well as help in achieving certain shots such as the silhouette desired in the window shot.

Uni-com LED lantern

These Uni-com LED lights allow us to highlight specific features on the characters face as well as emphasising wounds.  The lights are extremely light and portable allowing us to use them even working on difficult locations.

Lighting and shots

I have made a clear plan for each shot from our storyboard indicating the light source position and the position of the camera in relation to the actor or piece of mise-en-scene.

Lighting

We had a lot of fun and difficulty with lighting, and used two main types of light whilst shooting:

•  Natural Lighting: 

Lighting was an important part of our film planning, we required a various array of equipment. As most of our shots were outside we had to depend a lot on getting the timing right for natural lighting.

Using natural lighting, could be tricky as the weather constantly changed, yet it gave some of the best effects, as filming on a cloudy day gave the footage a nice dreary, post apocalyptic feel/effect which can be emphasized in editing.

• Lamps and other lights: 

 However when filming inside, we also used equipment such as LED lights, which give a strong, hard rimmed light which can fill an entire scene, and which allows us to light from different angles.

For our shoot we have two powerful LED light disks, which are portable and can be used in most locations. They have the option of changing intensity, as they have a switch with three settings which will adjust how many lights on the disc are switched on.

 (Our actor Drake holding the LED discs)

 

•  Light intensity:  

Another way to change lighting intensity we found by experimenting with positioning the lights behind different objects, to create a dimmer effect or dappled effect. We also found that the stronger the light intensity the darker shadows and shading can be produced.

Lighting research

Camera shots can be highly important in creating an effective film trailer for example a handheld camera shot is conventionally used to create the feeling of being chased or to give a sense of being watched. Lighting is also a key element are group are looking at as effective lighting can be a key element involved in creating the feel of 'fright'- vital for a thriller, it is also important to consider lighting fro our film trailer, as the wrong lighting may make the makeup (fake blood, wounds etc. appear redundant and un-realistic).

Lighting:

For our film trailer, the lighting is incredibly important for each shot/scene. We are most interested in looking at lighting which can help create a foreboding/ominous mood. Unlike a supernatural film, we don't want to suggest other worldly events i.e. a film centring possession may use lights to create light orbs and reflections to suggest the paranormal.  To achieved the desired atmosphere i'm looking into using shadows, and the effects of using different types of lights.

Key elements to lighting:

(side lighting)

• When lighting, it is important to control the lighting direction- for example a high angle will cast shadows under the eyes- a good technique if you're trying to make a character appear weary or crazed. 
• A technique I discovered online, Is called side lighting- it consists of using a light, or (if we can find the resources using several lights) and focusing it on one side of something. This lightning technique works well with most mise em scene, but particularly on face's.
• When used on a face it, will have the appearance of creating a divide between the two half's of a persons features.
• We are thinking to use this technique on a protagonist in our film trailer, as it can imply that that character feels conflicted about something, or that there is multiple aspects to their persona.
• Side lighting is a technique used to bring out shadows, as lighting props/faces from the side creates shadows which emphasises textures.
• Shadows- conventionally create eerie, spooky atmosphere, good to show hiding scenes or to make something enigmatic.
• If we wanted to emphasise a particular part of mise en scene i.e a rock covered in face blood, side lighting would create small shadows, in the groves of the rock giving it a more dramatic look- a technique that would work well with the genre of action/thriller as bloody garments and gore are conventionally essential to creating a thrilling atmosphere.

• I also researched into how to create silhouettes- finding that back lighting is really good at achieving this. If you have someone stand in front of a bright light source, then you only see their outline, their form. It’s difficult to “see into the shadows” to see their face, or the texture of their clothing.

• Another important thing to consider whilst using lights- is the intensity or brightness. For example using a dim level of lighting- can be useful to create an impression of drunkenness or disorientation, especially when combined with a handheld camera shot, as the effect is shaky and can create confusion for the audience.
• However using dim lighting can also have it's down sides as an overly dim shot can result in loss of detail and poor quality camera shots.