How To Light Quickly

(Cinematic Lighting Lesson 19)

Summary: When you are pressed for time and every second counts knowing how to light quickly can be the difference between getting the shot or not. In this video Ryan shares his secrets so you can light fast while under pressure.

Length: 4:58 minutes

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Video Lesson

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Transcript

Introduction

When the pressure is on with a tight deadline, it’s imperative to know how to light fast. But where do you begin and how do you set yourself up for success? Well in this video, I’ll show you how to do just that.

Have A Game Plan

Have A Game Plan For Lighting (LC119)
To quickly light your scenes, the most important thing is setting yourself up for success from the very beginning of the shoot. This is one reason why preproduction is so important. Scouting the location helps you note what obstacles you’ll face, making you better prepared to light quickly. If you can’t scout the location prior to the shoot, take the time to walk the space and scout the location immediately upon arriving to the shoot.

Block Shot Before Lighting (LC119)

I have been on shoots where the director, producer, or client wanted to immediately start shooting. When this happened we quickly ran into problems and delays, which translated into lost shooting time. Instead, by simply pausing at the start of the day to develop our game plan–identifying what we need to get and how to use the location to its full potential–the rest of the day goes smoother and more quickly.

Follow The Game Plan

Light Wide Shot First (LC119)

Once you’ve figured out your approach for the shoot, stick with that plan and get the shots needed. As soon as you get the shot, move on to the next one. Nothing slows a shoot down more than reshooting something multiple times after it was already successfully filmed.

Key Side Fill Lighting Set-up (LC119)

When it comes to lighting your set…

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Tools We Used

Camera / Audio

Sony Alpha a7S Mirrorless Digital Camera
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Fotodiox Lens Mount Adapter – Canon EOS (EF / EF-s) to Sony E-Mount
Bright Tangerine Misfit Matte Box
Tilta FF-T03 15mm Follow Focus with Hard Stops
Sachtler Panorama 7+7 Head 100mm (similar head: 1006 DV 10 SB Fluid Head)
Sachtler Carbon Fiber Tripod (similar tripod: Carbon Fiber HD Tripod Legs)
MYT Works 4′ Medium slider w/ HiHat
Hollywood Beefy Baby Stand (8.5′) (two, to raise the MYT Works slider)
Movcam Cage for Sony A7S
Sekonic L-758Cine DigitalMaster Light Meter
Wooden Camera A/B Gold-Mount Plate for Sony A7, A7r and A7s
Audio Technica AT835b Shotgun Microphone (similar microphone: Audio Technica BP4071 Shotgun Microphone)
Wooden Camera DSLR A-Box
Delkin Devices 64GB SDXC Memory Card 600x UHS-I
DSC Labs One Shot Reference Chart (Matte Finish)

Behind the Scenes (BTS) Cameras

GoPro Hero3 Black (similar camera: GoPro HERO4 Black)
Sony Alpha SLT-A57
Filmcity DSLR Camera Cage Shoulder Rig kit (FC-03)

Lighting / Grip Gear

How To Cinematically Light A Corporate Video (Cinematic Lighting Lesson 20)

Ahmedsalem says:
December 16, 2016 at 7:46 am

Really I like your approach in lighting key side fill , and I hope to see how you can apply it in a low key scene in a spate tutorial
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Ahmedsalem says:
December 16, 2016 at 7:47 am

Really I like your approach in lighting key side fill , and I hope to see how you can apply it in a low key scene in a separate tutorial
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- Tim says:
  December 24, 2016 at 3:39 pm
  
  Thanks. Key side fill is great for low key lighting set-ups. Reducing or eliminating the fill light will make the shot even more low key. We will add more examples in the future.
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