Our PSA team had rehearsal shooting on 14 March 2014
(Friday). We start the shooting at about 2pm and I was responsible for the
lighting which plays an important role in film shooting.
First we shoot a lady swinging on a rocking chair and there
are wounds and bruises on her face and body.
The director wants to create an image with the lady which
only one side of her face is seen while the other side is in shadow. This is my
first time using the lamp and I’m not good at controlling it. We try to shoot
the scene with a direct light from one side of the lady. But the effect is not
as good as we imagine. The picture comes out too bright and yellowish but we
manage to get the shadow that we want. In addition, the wall is white colour as
a result it reflects light.
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| Photo from Google |
Other than that, the lamp heats up easily, in a few seconds
the plates at the side of the lamp become steaming hot. We need to switch off
the light after one minute. I was thinking that why the designer of the lamp do
not attach a fan with it. Another thing that I don’t like about the lamp is the
smell when it’s heated up. Another problem is the tripod; there are some shot
that we require the light from below to the top. But the minimum height of the
tripod does not support that. So we have to hold it using our hands.
After the shooting, I have realized the importance of
lighting and do a little research on film lighting.
According to Creative Skill Set Organization, there is a Lighting
Department in film production; the different members of the Lighting crew are
responsible, together with others such as the Camera crew or Designer, for the
look and feel of the images that are captured on the screen. Although some
productions may make use of daylight, for the most part it is necessary to use
artificial light to achieve the visual image required. They set up a wide range
of lighting equipment to achieve a variety of moods, atmospheres and effects,
as well as helping to make the actors, performers and participants look right
for their roles.
Lighting is referred to as the filmmaker's paintbrush or the
raw material of the filmmaker’s world, said lights film school. The footage
would turn out too dark and ultimately underexposed without any type of light.
With too much light, the pictures would turn out overexposed. Lighting, like
other elements of composition helps you place emphasis on subjects that are of
more interest, while taking away attention from objects that hold lesser
importance to the overall shot. Light and shadows can also create mood, draw
your attention to a specific area, modify shape, create a 3rd dimension or
bring out texture in an object. Another key element in filmmaking is shadow
caused by lighting as they help create the illusion of three dimensions in a
shot. The shots would record images without form or curvature and would appear
lifeless and dull without shadows. The atmosphere of a picture is affected
profoundly by the color of daylight. Being conscious of the color of light
around you will allow you to manipulate the mood set by each of your shots. Changes
to the color of light are often more dramatic at the beginning and end of each
day. At dusk and dawn, have your video or film camera ready and prepared to
capture the experience.
Here is a video which teaches us about simple video lighting
technique.
Reference:
The Lighting Department, retrieved from http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/lighting/
on 14 March 2014.
Lighting For Film Sets, retrieved from http://www.lightsfilmschool.com/articles/lighting_tutorial/index.html
on 14 March 2014.
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