22
Techniques of Television lighting When winching television , you will probably notice that people dnd wmel imes the enlire scenes in newscasts, situation comedies. and ga me shows are brig/' lIl y lit with a min i mum of shadows on their faces. But when watching cri me show s or soap operas, there are ohen more deep shadows on the actors' faces than light and even the ( olors are sometimes distorted. The techniques of televi si on lighting suggest how to ac hieve such different lighting effects and more. In most video production situations, especia ll y EfP , avail able lime, and people arE' insufficient for you 10 accomplish motion picture--quality lighling. You may nl ,d, for in stance, that the time allotted to lighting is so short that a ll you can do' s flood the studio or location site with highly diffused light, regardless of the nature of the ev ent to be illuminated. Although such a technique may plea se t he camera and probably the video operator (who of the uniform light levels has linle shadi ng to do ), it does not al ways fulfill the aesthet ic requirements of the production. For example, a dramatic scene that is supposed 10 play on a dark str eet corner will not look convinc ing jf every' thing is brightly and evenly illuminated by softlights. On the other hand. there is no reason to spend a great deal of time on dramatic lighting for such events as newscast s, interv ie ws. or the corporate manage( s telling her employees about recent sale s. Even lighting will do ju st fine. 156

Television Lighting

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Techniques of Television lighting

When winching television you will probably notice that people dnd wmelimes the

enlire scenes in newscasts situation comedies and game shows are briglIly lit with a

minimum o f shadows on their faces But when watching crime shows or soap operas

there are ohen more deep shadows on the actors faces than light and even the (olors

are somet imes d istorted The techniques of television lighting suggest how to achieve

such different lighting effects and more

In most video production situations especially EfP available ~pace lime and people

arE insufficient for you 10 accomplish motion picture--quality lighling You may nld

for in stance that the time allotted to lighting is so short that all you can dos flood the

studio or location site with highly diffused light regardless of the nature of the event

to be illuminated Although such a technique may please the camera and probably the

video ope rator (who becau~ of the uniform light levels has linle shad ing to do) it does

not always fulfill the aesthetic requirements of the production For example a dramatic

scene tha t is supposed 10 play on a dark street corne r will not look convincing jf every

thing is brightly and evenly illuminated by softlights On the other hand there is no

reason to spend a great deal of time on dramatic lighting for such events as newscasts

interviews o r the corporate manage( s telling her employees about recent sale s Even

lighting will do just fine

156

bull

The ever-present time limitat ion should no t preclude good and creative televiSion lightshy

ing but it does call for a high degree o f effiCiency Without a thorough undemanding of

the basic lighting principles you can easily spend all your allotted time and part of the

rehearsa l time on trying to achieve a specific li91IIi09 effeCllhat in the end might look

out of p lace Efficiency in lighting also means careful preparation

This chapter wi ll help you wi th such preparations Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

covers basic and special-effec ts studio lighting techniques and principles section 82

Lighting in Ihe Field addresses lighting techniques for ENG and EFP

background light Illumination of the set set pieces and backshydrops Also caned set figh t

back light Illumination (rom behind the subject and opposite the camera

ca meo lighting Foreground figu res are lig hted with highly d irectional light with the background remaining dark

chroma keying Effect that uses color (usualy b lue or green) (or the backdrop which is leplalted by the background im3ge during a key

color tt mperalure The Sldndard by which we measure the relative reddishness o r blu ishness of white light It Is measured on the Kelvin Kj scale The standard color temshyperature fOf indOOf light is 32001lt (or o utdoor lighl 56O(IK Technically the numbers express Ke l in d elt)rees

contrasl ra tio The d ifference between the brightest and the darkest poftions in the picture (often measured by reflected light in foo t-candles) The conlras t ratio fo r most cameras is normally 401 10 501 which means that the brightest spot in the pk ture should not be more than forty o r fifty times brig hter than the darkest portion without causing 10$s of de ta il in the dark 0 light a reas High-end d igital cameras can e~ceed this ratio

cross-ktylng The crossing of key lights for twO people facing each other

d lffUl t d light Light that illuminates a relatively large area with an Indis tinct light beam Diffused light created by floodshylights p roduces soft shadows

directional light Light that illuminates a re latwely small area wi th a dist inct liQht beam Directional light produced by spotlights creltltes harsh clearly deflned shadows

flllloff (1) The speed with which light intensity decay ~ (2) The speed (degree) with which a light picture portion turns into shadow area Fall falloff meJflS th l t the light areas tu rn abruptly into shadow area~ and there is a great b rightneSS difference between light and shadow areas Slow foOff inshyd icates a very grad ual change from light to dark and a minishymal b rightness difference betwee n light and shadow areas

fillllghl Addit ional light o n the o pposite side of the came ra from the key light to lIiuminate shadow ltl reas and thereby red uce fall off Usually done with fl oodlights

floor p lan A diltlg ram of scenery and propellies drawn onlO a grid pattern Can also refer to floor pion partern

high-key Ught background and ample light on the scene Has nothing to do with the ertical positioning of the key light

Ke lvin (K) Refers to the Kelvin temperature scale In lighting it is the specific measure of color temperature- the relatie reddishness o r bluishness of white lig ht The higher the K number the more bluish the white light The lower the K number the more reddish the white light

key light Principal source of illu mi nation

kicker light Usually d irectional light that is positioned low and fro m the side and the back of the subjec t

I1 ght plot A plan similar to a floor plan that shows the type size (wattage) and location of the lighting instrume nts relatie to the scene to be illuminated and the general d irection of the beams

location survey Writte n assessment usually in the form of a checklist of the production require ments for a remote

low-kty Dark background and illumination of selected areas Has nothing to do with the vertical positioning of the key lig ht

photogrllphlc lighting principle The 1Iiangul1I arrangement of key back and fiIIlight s with the back light oppoSite the camera and directly behind the object and the key and fi ll ligh tS on opposite sides of the camera and to the front and the side of the object Also called riangle lighting

side light Usually d irectiona l light coming (rom the side of an o bject Ach as add itional fi ll light Of a second key light and proides COntour

stlhouett lighting Unlighted objects Of people in (ront of a brightly illuminated backg round

157

----= - bull-~--

81 lighting in the Studio

Llgllfing means he conl rol of lighl a nd shadows BOlh are necessar) 10 show the shape and the texture of a face or an object to suggest a part iular environlllcnl and like music 0 create a specific mood Regardless of whether you do lighting fo r dramatic o r nond ramatic produ ction s )ou wiU fi nd that there are usually many solutions 10 any one problem And tho ugh there is no univer~a l recipe that works for every possible lighlingsiluation lhere are some basic principles that you can easily adapt to a great variet y of sped lk require-Inns Wh en faced with 1lighling task do no t Slart lith anticipated timitalions $Ilttrl h how you wo uld like the lighti ng 0 look Jnd then aclaplta the exshyist ing technical faciliti es and especially Ihe va ilab lt lime

Sect ion 81 covers the fo llowing lighti ng techni quegt

QUALITY OF liGHT Oire lional and dif(uJ OO

COLOR TEMPERATURE The reddihn~H and bluishness of whlfe l ighl and how 10

coolll

LIGHTING fUN(fIONS Telmmologyand speciftc fUfIClonj of he main g1 sovlets

SPEOfI( LIGHTINGTECH NIQUES FlO conllnuous-QClion lo(ge-oreo hlgh-conr05 camro

slhouette and chroma-key a(I(J l ighling 000 cOf)rroJljng eye

and boom shadow

158

CO NTRA ST Contfal forl~ mrowring contfOiL andcolliro1ifIJ OIITOlt

BALAN(ING LIGHT INTE NSITIES Key-to-OOCldight rOlio andkey-o-fill-liyhl ralio

tiGHT PLOT Indiwung the kxtwon of nrumenrsond their bmn~

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Soety pleserving lamps old powel ond using ol w dio monrlOI

QUALITY OF LIGHT Whatever your lighting objective you ill be worlUng with two types of li ght directional and di ffused Normal white light which you get fro m the sun or the light ~u use while reading is never p ure white but hs a slight red shy

d ish or bluish tinge Technically white light has a certain c r rcmper(1furt

DIRECTIONAL LIGHT AND DIFFUSED LIGHT DireCf ollol light produced by spotlights illumina tes a relatively small area wi th a distinct light beam and produces den~c well -defined shadovs The sun on a doudless day acts like a giant spo tlight producing denSf and d istinCT shad ow~

DiffllSed fight illuminates a relHively large area with a wide indistinct beam II is produced by flo odl ights and creates soN transparen t shadows The SlUl on a doudy o r foggy day acts like 3n ideal floodlight because rhe overcast transforms Ihe hush light beams of the sun into highly di ffuscd light

AClUa1y it is the densi ty of the shadows od their fa llof thH indicates whether the light is direc tion 1 o r diffused If yo u looked o nly at the illumi nated side yo u lVould have 3 hard time telling whetHer it was d irectio nal or d iffused light

COLOR TEMPERATURE You JIlay have noticed that a fl uo rescent tube gins oIl a di fferent wh ite light than docs a candle The fluoresce nt tubl ( tu3l1y emits a whi le ligh t that has a bluish -green tinge whereas the candle produces a mo re reddish white Jigh The setting sun gjve~ orr a much more reddish light Ihan dotS the m idday son which is more bluish These color variat ions in tight are called color rcmpernture No te thaI color lempt rtlure nas no thing 10 do ilh phsical

bull bull i

5ection 81 Lighting in the Studio

Reddishmiddotwhile tight 6Iujshmiddotwhit~ light

lOOOK

Candtfli9ht

3200K 4_ 1- 7OOO+K

0 Indoor standard fOf OutdOOl standard Mlllal

vrlilt light fOl white )ight outdOOl

temperature that is how hot the light bulb actually gets it i~ st rictly a measure of tbe relative reddishness or bluishshyness of white light

This reddishness and bluishness of white light can be precisely measured and are expressed in degrees of color temperature or Kelvin (K) degrees In lighting lingo th e degrees are dropped and a specifi c color tem perature is referred to only as d certain amount of K

The color tempera ture standard fo r indoor illumina middot tion is 3200K which is a fairl y white light with Just a liule redd i~ h (warm ) tinge An studio lighting instruments and portable lights in tended for indoor illumination are raled at 3200K ass uming they receive full vorlag Ligh ting instruments used to augment or simulate outdoor light have m ps that emit a 5600 K light They approximate mort the bluish light of Ih l outdoors SUI

When youdim a lamp thaI is rated at 3200K the light ~comes vrogrersively more [(gtddi li-h li- imilar to sunlight at sun~t The color camera when adjusted to seeing wh ile in 3200K light will fa ithfully show this increasing redmiddot d ishness for example the Ivhite shirt of a performe r will gradually turn or1nge or pink and the skin tones will take on an unnatura l r~d glow Some lightingexperts therdore warn against a ll) dimming of lights that illuminate pershyfo rmers or performance areas The skin tones are after 111 the o nly real standard dewers have by which to judge the accuracy of tht lelevision color scheme If the skin colors are disto rled hm can we trust the olller colors 10 be true So goes the argument Practice has shown hOever Ihal you can dim a light by JO percent or even it little more

light

81 COLOR TEMPlRATURE Color temperature is meashysureltl on the Kelvin (1lt) scale It measures the relative reddishness 0 1 bluishness of while light The norm fOI indoor light is 32001lt for ou tmiddot door light S600K

without the colo r change becoming too noticeable on shyco lor mo ni tor Inddeu tall dimming the light s by at least 10 p(rcent gt ill not only reduce pOIgter consumption but just about double the life of the bulbs El1D-UGHTS~ Colof

temperalUre-t white balance Jcontrolling Itry it

HOW TO CONTROL COLOR TEMPERATURE A rou letrlled in chapter 3O u need to wh itemiddotbalance the camera to en~ure the correct color reproduclion even if the illumination has d ifferent colo r temperatures 1011 may find howev~r that occasionally the camera wil refuse to whitemiddotbalUlce although you follow exactly Ihe procedures out lined here This difficu lty mar be caused by a colo r temperat ure tha t is too low Oigh t is too reddish) o r too high (tight is too bluish ) for the automat ic white balance to han dle In this case you need to choose one of the color fill ers on the filter whed inside the camera (see chap ter 3) Light -blue filters compensate for the reddishness of lowmiddot color-tem perature light and amher or light-o range filters comp~nsa le for the bl uishness of high-colo rmiddot temperamiddot lure light

MoS1 professio nal ENG EfP cameras remember sollle of these setups so you can go back 0 the previo lls light middot ing env ironment and recaU the appropriate gtlhite balance automatically Exptrienced eameraperons however prefer to white-hala nce from scratch to be sure tha t the actual colo rs as seen by the camera including white Me a~ true IS possible

AnOlher way to raise the color temperature of th e reddish light (to make it more bluish) i~ by putt ing a light middot

159

bull

160 Chapter 8 TECHNIOUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

1Itctr9h 5llti light bull - bull+T_ _--r ~ --shy

Curtain ~~~~ laltn N attnlf1 Window ~I j Windell

J Key r

~

(d~~ (~lOOa

82 MATCHING COLOR TEMPERATURES OF DIFfERENT LIGHT SOURCES AWhen illuminating ltIn object with indoor light mi~ed with outdOOl light coming through window you need to equalize the colo tempeiltues of both light sources to ensure proper white-balancing

blue gel (sheet of colored plastic) in front o f the lighting instruments lens or you Cltln low~r the colo r temperHure ( to make it more reddish) by placing a ligh t-orange gcl in front o f the liglHing instrument

Whe n shooting an iodonr scene tha t is pa rt iall y iUuminated by o utdoor (S600K ) light comins th rough a window and by portable indoor (]2ooK ) lighti ng inSlru shymellts you have nochoices eit her lo wer the high o utdoor color temperature (bluish light ) Of raise the indoor color temperature (reddish light ) to match the daylight streamshying thro ugh the window In elaburate he ld vroduc tions the usual way is to cover the entire window with amber plastic sheets that act like gigantic fi lt t rs lowering the high outdoor co lor temperature to the lower ind oo r standard The adantage of this method is that lhe hole i nt~rio r is ddjusted to the 3200K standard A quicker and cheaper way is to let the high-co lo r- temverature outdoor ligh t 5tream thro ugh the window and p ut blu ish fi llers in (To nt of the indoor lighting instrumentS 10 raise their light to the outdoor standard SEEIl BlDUGHTS Colo temperature light sources

B To equalize the colo temperltures you can put lightmiddotblue gels on the indoor lighting instuments to raise their 3200K color temperature to the more prominent S600K daylight comshying through the window

(n certain circumstances you can set dway with mix shying light s o f di fferent co lor tempefalUre~ so long as one or th~ other dominates th e illum ination For exam ple if you are in an office that is illuminated by overh ead fl uorescenr lUbes and you need to add key and back lights (see the fol shyl owing discu~sion ) to provide more sparkle and d imension to the performer yo u can mOSI likely use normal portable ligh ting instruments that burn at the indoor color ICIllshyj)tTature standard (]200K ) Why Because the portable instfumenl gt p ro vide the dominant light overpower ing the overhead lights that now act as rather Ieak fill lights T he camer will hav litt le Iroub white-balancing o n lhe strong indoor lights wh ile more or less ignoring the higher color tem perature of the overhead fl uorescent lights

LIGHTING FUNCTIONS You will no tice that lighting term inology is based not so much on whe(he r the instruments (tre spollights or floodlighlS but ra ther o n theil functio ns a nd their positio n relative to the objecl to be lighted

Section 81

TERMINOLOGY Although there are variations for the foHowing terms most ligh ting people in the photog raph ic arts (incl uding video) use thi s standard terminology

bull The key ligh t is the apparent principal soure( of di ~

re(tio nal illuminatio n falling on a subjlct or an area it reveals the basic sll( of the object

bull The back light produces illumination from behind the subject and opposite the callwra it dis ti nguishes the shadOI of the object from the background and emphasizes the objects outline

bull The fill light provides generall y diffused illum ina ~ tioll to r~d l ce shadow or co ntrast range (to slow falloff) [ t (an be direclio nal if the a rea to be lilled in is rather lim ited

bull The )(lckgrollld lighl o r ieligh is ustd specilicall y to illuminate the backgro und o r the set and is sepashyrate from the light provided fo r he perfor mers or performance mmiddota

bull The 5ide light is placed directly to the side of the subject usually o n the opposite side o f the camera from the key ligl1l Sometimes o side ligh ts are used o pposite each other act iug as two keys for special-effects lighting of face

bull The kicker fight is a diramptiona l illuminatio n fcom the back off 10 o ne side of Ihe subjelt t usuall ) from a low angle opposite Ihe key lighl lheteas the back light merely h igh lights The back of Ihe head and the shoulders the kicker light highlights and delines the entire side o f The perron separating him or her fro m the background

SPECUIC FUNCTIONS OF MAIN LIGHT SOURCES How do these ligh ts now function in basic lighting tasks Lets take a look

Key light As the principal source of iUumination the major lu nction of the key ligl1 is to reveal lh e basic shape of the subject SEEI] To achi eve Ihis the key light must produce some shadows Fresnel spotlights medium spread are normaUy used fo r key illuminat ion 8 lt you can lise a scoop a broad or even a sonlight for a ker if you want softer shadows or technically sloer falloff In the absence of expensive softlights some light ing directors (LDs) take

Lighting fn th e SlU dio

~ lighl [spot 01 flood)

8 3 KEY LIGHT The key li9ht epesents the pinClpl lIght wulce nd leveals the bilsic ~hape of he object 01 person

it cue from Iilmmakers a nd still photographers and use reflectors as key and fi ll lights lnstead of diffusing the key and lilllighls with diffusio n material such as scrims or fros tr-d gels you do nor aim the key light (a Fresnel spot) dirElr at the subject but rather bounce it off whi te loam core or a large white posterboard The reflected highly diffused light neverthel ess produces distillct yet extremely soft slow-fal loff ~hadows Some LDs prefer this method overkey-lighting directly with a so ftlight claiming that it gives them more gradual (slower) falloff

Because during the day we see the principal li ght so urce- the sun--o ming from above the key light is normally placed above and to the right or left front side of the object from the cameras point of view Look again at 1igure 83 which shows the woman illuminated with the key light o nly and notice that the falloff is very fast blendshying pa rt of her hair and shoulder with the background To help darify the outline and the texture of the womans right (camera-left) side YO ll obviously need light sources other than the sin gle key light

161

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

bull

The ever-present time limitat ion should no t preclude good and creative televiSion lightshy

ing but it does call for a high degree o f effiCiency Without a thorough undemanding of

the basic lighting principles you can easily spend all your allotted time and part of the

rehearsa l time on trying to achieve a specific li91IIi09 effeCllhat in the end might look

out of p lace Efficiency in lighting also means careful preparation

This chapter wi ll help you wi th such preparations Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

covers basic and special-effec ts studio lighting techniques and principles section 82

Lighting in Ihe Field addresses lighting techniques for ENG and EFP

background light Illumination of the set set pieces and backshydrops Also caned set figh t

back light Illumination (rom behind the subject and opposite the camera

ca meo lighting Foreground figu res are lig hted with highly d irectional light with the background remaining dark

chroma keying Effect that uses color (usualy b lue or green) (or the backdrop which is leplalted by the background im3ge during a key

color tt mperalure The Sldndard by which we measure the relative reddishness o r blu ishness of white light It Is measured on the Kelvin Kj scale The standard color temshyperature fOf indOOf light is 32001lt (or o utdoor lighl 56O(IK Technically the numbers express Ke l in d elt)rees

contrasl ra tio The d ifference between the brightest and the darkest poftions in the picture (often measured by reflected light in foo t-candles) The conlras t ratio fo r most cameras is normally 401 10 501 which means that the brightest spot in the pk ture should not be more than forty o r fifty times brig hter than the darkest portion without causing 10$s of de ta il in the dark 0 light a reas High-end d igital cameras can e~ceed this ratio

cross-ktylng The crossing of key lights for twO people facing each other

d lffUl t d light Light that illuminates a relatively large area with an Indis tinct light beam Diffused light created by floodshylights p roduces soft shadows

directional light Light that illuminates a re latwely small area wi th a dist inct liQht beam Directional light produced by spotlights creltltes harsh clearly deflned shadows

flllloff (1) The speed with which light intensity decay ~ (2) The speed (degree) with which a light picture portion turns into shadow area Fall falloff meJflS th l t the light areas tu rn abruptly into shadow area~ and there is a great b rightneSS difference between light and shadow areas Slow foOff inshyd icates a very grad ual change from light to dark and a minishymal b rightness difference betwee n light and shadow areas

fillllghl Addit ional light o n the o pposite side of the came ra from the key light to lIiuminate shadow ltl reas and thereby red uce fall off Usually done with fl oodlights

floor p lan A diltlg ram of scenery and propellies drawn onlO a grid pattern Can also refer to floor pion partern

high-key Ught background and ample light on the scene Has nothing to do with the ertical positioning of the key light

Ke lvin (K) Refers to the Kelvin temperature scale In lighting it is the specific measure of color temperature- the relatie reddishness o r bluishness of white lig ht The higher the K number the more bluish the white light The lower the K number the more reddish the white light

key light Principal source of illu mi nation

kicker light Usually d irectional light that is positioned low and fro m the side and the back of the subjec t

I1 ght plot A plan similar to a floor plan that shows the type size (wattage) and location of the lighting instrume nts relatie to the scene to be illuminated and the general d irection of the beams

location survey Writte n assessment usually in the form of a checklist of the production require ments for a remote

low-kty Dark background and illumination of selected areas Has nothing to do with the vertical positioning of the key lig ht

photogrllphlc lighting principle The 1Iiangul1I arrangement of key back and fiIIlight s with the back light oppoSite the camera and directly behind the object and the key and fi ll ligh tS on opposite sides of the camera and to the front and the side of the object Also called riangle lighting

side light Usually d irectiona l light coming (rom the side of an o bject Ach as add itional fi ll light Of a second key light and proides COntour

stlhouett lighting Unlighted objects Of people in (ront of a brightly illuminated backg round

157

----= - bull-~--

81 lighting in the Studio

Llgllfing means he conl rol of lighl a nd shadows BOlh are necessar) 10 show the shape and the texture of a face or an object to suggest a part iular environlllcnl and like music 0 create a specific mood Regardless of whether you do lighting fo r dramatic o r nond ramatic produ ction s )ou wiU fi nd that there are usually many solutions 10 any one problem And tho ugh there is no univer~a l recipe that works for every possible lighlingsiluation lhere are some basic principles that you can easily adapt to a great variet y of sped lk require-Inns Wh en faced with 1lighling task do no t Slart lith anticipated timitalions $Ilttrl h how you wo uld like the lighti ng 0 look Jnd then aclaplta the exshyist ing technical faciliti es and especially Ihe va ilab lt lime

Sect ion 81 covers the fo llowing lighti ng techni quegt

QUALITY OF liGHT Oire lional and dif(uJ OO

COLOR TEMPERATURE The reddihn~H and bluishness of whlfe l ighl and how 10

coolll

LIGHTING fUN(fIONS Telmmologyand speciftc fUfIClonj of he main g1 sovlets

SPEOfI( LIGHTINGTECH NIQUES FlO conllnuous-QClion lo(ge-oreo hlgh-conr05 camro

slhouette and chroma-key a(I(J l ighling 000 cOf)rroJljng eye

and boom shadow

158

CO NTRA ST Contfal forl~ mrowring contfOiL andcolliro1ifIJ OIITOlt

BALAN(ING LIGHT INTE NSITIES Key-to-OOCldight rOlio andkey-o-fill-liyhl ralio

tiGHT PLOT Indiwung the kxtwon of nrumenrsond their bmn~

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Soety pleserving lamps old powel ond using ol w dio monrlOI

QUALITY OF LIGHT Whatever your lighting objective you ill be worlUng with two types of li ght directional and di ffused Normal white light which you get fro m the sun or the light ~u use while reading is never p ure white but hs a slight red shy

d ish or bluish tinge Technically white light has a certain c r rcmper(1furt

DIRECTIONAL LIGHT AND DIFFUSED LIGHT DireCf ollol light produced by spotlights illumina tes a relatively small area wi th a distinct light beam and produces den~c well -defined shadovs The sun on a doudless day acts like a giant spo tlight producing denSf and d istinCT shad ow~

DiffllSed fight illuminates a relHively large area with a wide indistinct beam II is produced by flo odl ights and creates soN transparen t shadows The SlUl on a doudy o r foggy day acts like 3n ideal floodlight because rhe overcast transforms Ihe hush light beams of the sun into highly di ffuscd light

AClUa1y it is the densi ty of the shadows od their fa llof thH indicates whether the light is direc tion 1 o r diffused If yo u looked o nly at the illumi nated side yo u lVould have 3 hard time telling whetHer it was d irectio nal or d iffused light

COLOR TEMPERATURE You JIlay have noticed that a fl uo rescent tube gins oIl a di fferent wh ite light than docs a candle The fluoresce nt tubl ( tu3l1y emits a whi le ligh t that has a bluish -green tinge whereas the candle produces a mo re reddish white Jigh The setting sun gjve~ orr a much more reddish light Ihan dotS the m idday son which is more bluish These color variat ions in tight are called color rcmpernture No te thaI color lempt rtlure nas no thing 10 do ilh phsical

bull bull i

5ection 81 Lighting in the Studio

Reddishmiddotwhile tight 6Iujshmiddotwhit~ light

lOOOK

Candtfli9ht

3200K 4_ 1- 7OOO+K

0 Indoor standard fOf OutdOOl standard Mlllal

vrlilt light fOl white )ight outdOOl

temperature that is how hot the light bulb actually gets it i~ st rictly a measure of tbe relative reddishness or bluishshyness of white light

This reddishness and bluishness of white light can be precisely measured and are expressed in degrees of color temperature or Kelvin (K) degrees In lighting lingo th e degrees are dropped and a specifi c color tem perature is referred to only as d certain amount of K

The color tempera ture standard fo r indoor illumina middot tion is 3200K which is a fairl y white light with Just a liule redd i~ h (warm ) tinge An studio lighting instruments and portable lights in tended for indoor illumination are raled at 3200K ass uming they receive full vorlag Ligh ting instruments used to augment or simulate outdoor light have m ps that emit a 5600 K light They approximate mort the bluish light of Ih l outdoors SUI

When youdim a lamp thaI is rated at 3200K the light ~comes vrogrersively more [(gtddi li-h li- imilar to sunlight at sun~t The color camera when adjusted to seeing wh ile in 3200K light will fa ithfully show this increasing redmiddot d ishness for example the Ivhite shirt of a performe r will gradually turn or1nge or pink and the skin tones will take on an unnatura l r~d glow Some lightingexperts therdore warn against a ll) dimming of lights that illuminate pershyfo rmers or performance areas The skin tones are after 111 the o nly real standard dewers have by which to judge the accuracy of tht lelevision color scheme If the skin colors are disto rled hm can we trust the olller colors 10 be true So goes the argument Practice has shown hOever Ihal you can dim a light by JO percent or even it little more

light

81 COLOR TEMPlRATURE Color temperature is meashysureltl on the Kelvin (1lt) scale It measures the relative reddishness 0 1 bluishness of while light The norm fOI indoor light is 32001lt for ou tmiddot door light S600K

without the colo r change becoming too noticeable on shyco lor mo ni tor Inddeu tall dimming the light s by at least 10 p(rcent gt ill not only reduce pOIgter consumption but just about double the life of the bulbs El1D-UGHTS~ Colof

temperalUre-t white balance Jcontrolling Itry it

HOW TO CONTROL COLOR TEMPERATURE A rou letrlled in chapter 3O u need to wh itemiddotbalance the camera to en~ure the correct color reproduclion even if the illumination has d ifferent colo r temperatures 1011 may find howev~r that occasionally the camera wil refuse to whitemiddotbalUlce although you follow exactly Ihe procedures out lined here This difficu lty mar be caused by a colo r temperat ure tha t is too low Oigh t is too reddish) o r too high (tight is too bluish ) for the automat ic white balance to han dle In this case you need to choose one of the color fill ers on the filter whed inside the camera (see chap ter 3) Light -blue filters compensate for the reddishness of lowmiddot color-tem perature light and amher or light-o range filters comp~nsa le for the bl uishness of high-colo rmiddot temperamiddot lure light

MoS1 professio nal ENG EfP cameras remember sollle of these setups so you can go back 0 the previo lls light middot ing env ironment and recaU the appropriate gtlhite balance automatically Exptrienced eameraperons however prefer to white-hala nce from scratch to be sure tha t the actual colo rs as seen by the camera including white Me a~ true IS possible

AnOlher way to raise the color temperature of th e reddish light (to make it more bluish) i~ by putt ing a light middot

159

bull

160 Chapter 8 TECHNIOUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

1Itctr9h 5llti light bull - bull+T_ _--r ~ --shy

Curtain ~~~~ laltn N attnlf1 Window ~I j Windell

J Key r

~

(d~~ (~lOOa

82 MATCHING COLOR TEMPERATURES OF DIFfERENT LIGHT SOURCES AWhen illuminating ltIn object with indoor light mi~ed with outdOOl light coming through window you need to equalize the colo tempeiltues of both light sources to ensure proper white-balancing

blue gel (sheet of colored plastic) in front o f the lighting instruments lens or you Cltln low~r the colo r temperHure ( to make it more reddish) by placing a ligh t-orange gcl in front o f the liglHing instrument

Whe n shooting an iodonr scene tha t is pa rt iall y iUuminated by o utdoor (S600K ) light comins th rough a window and by portable indoor (]2ooK ) lighti ng inSlru shymellts you have nochoices eit her lo wer the high o utdoor color temperature (bluish light ) Of raise the indoor color temperature (reddish light ) to match the daylight streamshying thro ugh the window In elaburate he ld vroduc tions the usual way is to cover the entire window with amber plastic sheets that act like gigantic fi lt t rs lowering the high outdoor co lor temperature to the lower ind oo r standard The adantage of this method is that lhe hole i nt~rio r is ddjusted to the 3200K standard A quicker and cheaper way is to let the high-co lo r- temverature outdoor ligh t 5tream thro ugh the window and p ut blu ish fi llers in (To nt of the indoor lighting instrumentS 10 raise their light to the outdoor standard SEEIl BlDUGHTS Colo temperature light sources

B To equalize the colo temperltures you can put lightmiddotblue gels on the indoor lighting instuments to raise their 3200K color temperature to the more prominent S600K daylight comshying through the window

(n certain circumstances you can set dway with mix shying light s o f di fferent co lor tempefalUre~ so long as one or th~ other dominates th e illum ination For exam ple if you are in an office that is illuminated by overh ead fl uorescenr lUbes and you need to add key and back lights (see the fol shyl owing discu~sion ) to provide more sparkle and d imension to the performer yo u can mOSI likely use normal portable ligh ting instruments that burn at the indoor color ICIllshyj)tTature standard (]200K ) Why Because the portable instfumenl gt p ro vide the dominant light overpower ing the overhead lights that now act as rather Ieak fill lights T he camer will hav litt le Iroub white-balancing o n lhe strong indoor lights wh ile more or less ignoring the higher color tem perature of the overhead fl uorescent lights

LIGHTING FUNCTIONS You will no tice that lighting term inology is based not so much on whe(he r the instruments (tre spollights or floodlighlS but ra ther o n theil functio ns a nd their positio n relative to the objecl to be lighted

Section 81

TERMINOLOGY Although there are variations for the foHowing terms most ligh ting people in the photog raph ic arts (incl uding video) use thi s standard terminology

bull The key ligh t is the apparent principal soure( of di ~

re(tio nal illuminatio n falling on a subjlct or an area it reveals the basic sll( of the object

bull The back light produces illumination from behind the subject and opposite the callwra it dis ti nguishes the shadOI of the object from the background and emphasizes the objects outline

bull The fill light provides generall y diffused illum ina ~ tioll to r~d l ce shadow or co ntrast range (to slow falloff) [ t (an be direclio nal if the a rea to be lilled in is rather lim ited

bull The )(lckgrollld lighl o r ieligh is ustd specilicall y to illuminate the backgro und o r the set and is sepashyrate from the light provided fo r he perfor mers or performance mmiddota

bull The 5ide light is placed directly to the side of the subject usually o n the opposite side o f the camera from the key ligl1l Sometimes o side ligh ts are used o pposite each other act iug as two keys for special-effects lighting of face

bull The kicker fight is a diramptiona l illuminatio n fcom the back off 10 o ne side of Ihe subjelt t usuall ) from a low angle opposite Ihe key lighl lheteas the back light merely h igh lights The back of Ihe head and the shoulders the kicker light highlights and delines the entire side o f The perron separating him or her fro m the background

SPECUIC FUNCTIONS OF MAIN LIGHT SOURCES How do these ligh ts now function in basic lighting tasks Lets take a look

Key light As the principal source of iUumination the major lu nction of the key ligl1 is to reveal lh e basic shape of the subject SEEI] To achi eve Ihis the key light must produce some shadows Fresnel spotlights medium spread are normaUy used fo r key illuminat ion 8 lt you can lise a scoop a broad or even a sonlight for a ker if you want softer shadows or technically sloer falloff In the absence of expensive softlights some light ing directors (LDs) take

Lighting fn th e SlU dio

~ lighl [spot 01 flood)

8 3 KEY LIGHT The key li9ht epesents the pinClpl lIght wulce nd leveals the bilsic ~hape of he object 01 person

it cue from Iilmmakers a nd still photographers and use reflectors as key and fi ll lights lnstead of diffusing the key and lilllighls with diffusio n material such as scrims or fros tr-d gels you do nor aim the key light (a Fresnel spot) dirElr at the subject but rather bounce it off whi te loam core or a large white posterboard The reflected highly diffused light neverthel ess produces distillct yet extremely soft slow-fal loff ~hadows Some LDs prefer this method overkey-lighting directly with a so ftlight claiming that it gives them more gradual (slower) falloff

Because during the day we see the principal li ght so urce- the sun--o ming from above the key light is normally placed above and to the right or left front side of the object from the cameras point of view Look again at 1igure 83 which shows the woman illuminated with the key light o nly and notice that the falloff is very fast blendshying pa rt of her hair and shoulder with the background To help darify the outline and the texture of the womans right (camera-left) side YO ll obviously need light sources other than the sin gle key light

161

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

----= - bull-~--

81 lighting in the Studio

Llgllfing means he conl rol of lighl a nd shadows BOlh are necessar) 10 show the shape and the texture of a face or an object to suggest a part iular environlllcnl and like music 0 create a specific mood Regardless of whether you do lighting fo r dramatic o r nond ramatic produ ction s )ou wiU fi nd that there are usually many solutions 10 any one problem And tho ugh there is no univer~a l recipe that works for every possible lighlingsiluation lhere are some basic principles that you can easily adapt to a great variet y of sped lk require-Inns Wh en faced with 1lighling task do no t Slart lith anticipated timitalions $Ilttrl h how you wo uld like the lighti ng 0 look Jnd then aclaplta the exshyist ing technical faciliti es and especially Ihe va ilab lt lime

Sect ion 81 covers the fo llowing lighti ng techni quegt

QUALITY OF liGHT Oire lional and dif(uJ OO

COLOR TEMPERATURE The reddihn~H and bluishness of whlfe l ighl and how 10

coolll

LIGHTING fUN(fIONS Telmmologyand speciftc fUfIClonj of he main g1 sovlets

SPEOfI( LIGHTINGTECH NIQUES FlO conllnuous-QClion lo(ge-oreo hlgh-conr05 camro

slhouette and chroma-key a(I(J l ighling 000 cOf)rroJljng eye

and boom shadow

158

CO NTRA ST Contfal forl~ mrowring contfOiL andcolliro1ifIJ OIITOlt

BALAN(ING LIGHT INTE NSITIES Key-to-OOCldight rOlio andkey-o-fill-liyhl ralio

tiGHT PLOT Indiwung the kxtwon of nrumenrsond their bmn~

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Soety pleserving lamps old powel ond using ol w dio monrlOI

QUALITY OF LIGHT Whatever your lighting objective you ill be worlUng with two types of li ght directional and di ffused Normal white light which you get fro m the sun or the light ~u use while reading is never p ure white but hs a slight red shy

d ish or bluish tinge Technically white light has a certain c r rcmper(1furt

DIRECTIONAL LIGHT AND DIFFUSED LIGHT DireCf ollol light produced by spotlights illumina tes a relatively small area wi th a distinct light beam and produces den~c well -defined shadovs The sun on a doudless day acts like a giant spo tlight producing denSf and d istinCT shad ow~

DiffllSed fight illuminates a relHively large area with a wide indistinct beam II is produced by flo odl ights and creates soN transparen t shadows The SlUl on a doudy o r foggy day acts like 3n ideal floodlight because rhe overcast transforms Ihe hush light beams of the sun into highly di ffuscd light

AClUa1y it is the densi ty of the shadows od their fa llof thH indicates whether the light is direc tion 1 o r diffused If yo u looked o nly at the illumi nated side yo u lVould have 3 hard time telling whetHer it was d irectio nal or d iffused light

COLOR TEMPERATURE You JIlay have noticed that a fl uo rescent tube gins oIl a di fferent wh ite light than docs a candle The fluoresce nt tubl ( tu3l1y emits a whi le ligh t that has a bluish -green tinge whereas the candle produces a mo re reddish white Jigh The setting sun gjve~ orr a much more reddish light Ihan dotS the m idday son which is more bluish These color variat ions in tight are called color rcmpernture No te thaI color lempt rtlure nas no thing 10 do ilh phsical

bull bull i

5ection 81 Lighting in the Studio

Reddishmiddotwhile tight 6Iujshmiddotwhit~ light

lOOOK

Candtfli9ht

3200K 4_ 1- 7OOO+K

0 Indoor standard fOf OutdOOl standard Mlllal

vrlilt light fOl white )ight outdOOl

temperature that is how hot the light bulb actually gets it i~ st rictly a measure of tbe relative reddishness or bluishshyness of white light

This reddishness and bluishness of white light can be precisely measured and are expressed in degrees of color temperature or Kelvin (K) degrees In lighting lingo th e degrees are dropped and a specifi c color tem perature is referred to only as d certain amount of K

The color tempera ture standard fo r indoor illumina middot tion is 3200K which is a fairl y white light with Just a liule redd i~ h (warm ) tinge An studio lighting instruments and portable lights in tended for indoor illumination are raled at 3200K ass uming they receive full vorlag Ligh ting instruments used to augment or simulate outdoor light have m ps that emit a 5600 K light They approximate mort the bluish light of Ih l outdoors SUI

When youdim a lamp thaI is rated at 3200K the light ~comes vrogrersively more [(gtddi li-h li- imilar to sunlight at sun~t The color camera when adjusted to seeing wh ile in 3200K light will fa ithfully show this increasing redmiddot d ishness for example the Ivhite shirt of a performe r will gradually turn or1nge or pink and the skin tones will take on an unnatura l r~d glow Some lightingexperts therdore warn against a ll) dimming of lights that illuminate pershyfo rmers or performance areas The skin tones are after 111 the o nly real standard dewers have by which to judge the accuracy of tht lelevision color scheme If the skin colors are disto rled hm can we trust the olller colors 10 be true So goes the argument Practice has shown hOever Ihal you can dim a light by JO percent or even it little more

light

81 COLOR TEMPlRATURE Color temperature is meashysureltl on the Kelvin (1lt) scale It measures the relative reddishness 0 1 bluishness of while light The norm fOI indoor light is 32001lt for ou tmiddot door light S600K

without the colo r change becoming too noticeable on shyco lor mo ni tor Inddeu tall dimming the light s by at least 10 p(rcent gt ill not only reduce pOIgter consumption but just about double the life of the bulbs El1D-UGHTS~ Colof

temperalUre-t white balance Jcontrolling Itry it

HOW TO CONTROL COLOR TEMPERATURE A rou letrlled in chapter 3O u need to wh itemiddotbalance the camera to en~ure the correct color reproduclion even if the illumination has d ifferent colo r temperatures 1011 may find howev~r that occasionally the camera wil refuse to whitemiddotbalUlce although you follow exactly Ihe procedures out lined here This difficu lty mar be caused by a colo r temperat ure tha t is too low Oigh t is too reddish) o r too high (tight is too bluish ) for the automat ic white balance to han dle In this case you need to choose one of the color fill ers on the filter whed inside the camera (see chap ter 3) Light -blue filters compensate for the reddishness of lowmiddot color-tem perature light and amher or light-o range filters comp~nsa le for the bl uishness of high-colo rmiddot temperamiddot lure light

MoS1 professio nal ENG EfP cameras remember sollle of these setups so you can go back 0 the previo lls light middot ing env ironment and recaU the appropriate gtlhite balance automatically Exptrienced eameraperons however prefer to white-hala nce from scratch to be sure tha t the actual colo rs as seen by the camera including white Me a~ true IS possible

AnOlher way to raise the color temperature of th e reddish light (to make it more bluish) i~ by putt ing a light middot

159

bull

160 Chapter 8 TECHNIOUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

1Itctr9h 5llti light bull - bull+T_ _--r ~ --shy

Curtain ~~~~ laltn N attnlf1 Window ~I j Windell

J Key r

~

(d~~ (~lOOa

82 MATCHING COLOR TEMPERATURES OF DIFfERENT LIGHT SOURCES AWhen illuminating ltIn object with indoor light mi~ed with outdOOl light coming through window you need to equalize the colo tempeiltues of both light sources to ensure proper white-balancing

blue gel (sheet of colored plastic) in front o f the lighting instruments lens or you Cltln low~r the colo r temperHure ( to make it more reddish) by placing a ligh t-orange gcl in front o f the liglHing instrument

Whe n shooting an iodonr scene tha t is pa rt iall y iUuminated by o utdoor (S600K ) light comins th rough a window and by portable indoor (]2ooK ) lighti ng inSlru shymellts you have nochoices eit her lo wer the high o utdoor color temperature (bluish light ) Of raise the indoor color temperature (reddish light ) to match the daylight streamshying thro ugh the window In elaburate he ld vroduc tions the usual way is to cover the entire window with amber plastic sheets that act like gigantic fi lt t rs lowering the high outdoor co lor temperature to the lower ind oo r standard The adantage of this method is that lhe hole i nt~rio r is ddjusted to the 3200K standard A quicker and cheaper way is to let the high-co lo r- temverature outdoor ligh t 5tream thro ugh the window and p ut blu ish fi llers in (To nt of the indoor lighting instrumentS 10 raise their light to the outdoor standard SEEIl BlDUGHTS Colo temperature light sources

B To equalize the colo temperltures you can put lightmiddotblue gels on the indoor lighting instuments to raise their 3200K color temperature to the more prominent S600K daylight comshying through the window

(n certain circumstances you can set dway with mix shying light s o f di fferent co lor tempefalUre~ so long as one or th~ other dominates th e illum ination For exam ple if you are in an office that is illuminated by overh ead fl uorescenr lUbes and you need to add key and back lights (see the fol shyl owing discu~sion ) to provide more sparkle and d imension to the performer yo u can mOSI likely use normal portable ligh ting instruments that burn at the indoor color ICIllshyj)tTature standard (]200K ) Why Because the portable instfumenl gt p ro vide the dominant light overpower ing the overhead lights that now act as rather Ieak fill lights T he camer will hav litt le Iroub white-balancing o n lhe strong indoor lights wh ile more or less ignoring the higher color tem perature of the overhead fl uorescent lights

LIGHTING FUNCTIONS You will no tice that lighting term inology is based not so much on whe(he r the instruments (tre spollights or floodlighlS but ra ther o n theil functio ns a nd their positio n relative to the objecl to be lighted

Section 81

TERMINOLOGY Although there are variations for the foHowing terms most ligh ting people in the photog raph ic arts (incl uding video) use thi s standard terminology

bull The key ligh t is the apparent principal soure( of di ~

re(tio nal illuminatio n falling on a subjlct or an area it reveals the basic sll( of the object

bull The back light produces illumination from behind the subject and opposite the callwra it dis ti nguishes the shadOI of the object from the background and emphasizes the objects outline

bull The fill light provides generall y diffused illum ina ~ tioll to r~d l ce shadow or co ntrast range (to slow falloff) [ t (an be direclio nal if the a rea to be lilled in is rather lim ited

bull The )(lckgrollld lighl o r ieligh is ustd specilicall y to illuminate the backgro und o r the set and is sepashyrate from the light provided fo r he perfor mers or performance mmiddota

bull The 5ide light is placed directly to the side of the subject usually o n the opposite side o f the camera from the key ligl1l Sometimes o side ligh ts are used o pposite each other act iug as two keys for special-effects lighting of face

bull The kicker fight is a diramptiona l illuminatio n fcom the back off 10 o ne side of Ihe subjelt t usuall ) from a low angle opposite Ihe key lighl lheteas the back light merely h igh lights The back of Ihe head and the shoulders the kicker light highlights and delines the entire side o f The perron separating him or her fro m the background

SPECUIC FUNCTIONS OF MAIN LIGHT SOURCES How do these ligh ts now function in basic lighting tasks Lets take a look

Key light As the principal source of iUumination the major lu nction of the key ligl1 is to reveal lh e basic shape of the subject SEEI] To achi eve Ihis the key light must produce some shadows Fresnel spotlights medium spread are normaUy used fo r key illuminat ion 8 lt you can lise a scoop a broad or even a sonlight for a ker if you want softer shadows or technically sloer falloff In the absence of expensive softlights some light ing directors (LDs) take

Lighting fn th e SlU dio

~ lighl [spot 01 flood)

8 3 KEY LIGHT The key li9ht epesents the pinClpl lIght wulce nd leveals the bilsic ~hape of he object 01 person

it cue from Iilmmakers a nd still photographers and use reflectors as key and fi ll lights lnstead of diffusing the key and lilllighls with diffusio n material such as scrims or fros tr-d gels you do nor aim the key light (a Fresnel spot) dirElr at the subject but rather bounce it off whi te loam core or a large white posterboard The reflected highly diffused light neverthel ess produces distillct yet extremely soft slow-fal loff ~hadows Some LDs prefer this method overkey-lighting directly with a so ftlight claiming that it gives them more gradual (slower) falloff

Because during the day we see the principal li ght so urce- the sun--o ming from above the key light is normally placed above and to the right or left front side of the object from the cameras point of view Look again at 1igure 83 which shows the woman illuminated with the key light o nly and notice that the falloff is very fast blendshying pa rt of her hair and shoulder with the background To help darify the outline and the texture of the womans right (camera-left) side YO ll obviously need light sources other than the sin gle key light

161

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

bull bull i

5ection 81 Lighting in the Studio

Reddishmiddotwhile tight 6Iujshmiddotwhit~ light

lOOOK

Candtfli9ht

3200K 4_ 1- 7OOO+K

0 Indoor standard fOf OutdOOl standard Mlllal

vrlilt light fOl white )ight outdOOl

temperature that is how hot the light bulb actually gets it i~ st rictly a measure of tbe relative reddishness or bluishshyness of white light

This reddishness and bluishness of white light can be precisely measured and are expressed in degrees of color temperature or Kelvin (K) degrees In lighting lingo th e degrees are dropped and a specifi c color tem perature is referred to only as d certain amount of K

The color tempera ture standard fo r indoor illumina middot tion is 3200K which is a fairl y white light with Just a liule redd i~ h (warm ) tinge An studio lighting instruments and portable lights in tended for indoor illumination are raled at 3200K ass uming they receive full vorlag Ligh ting instruments used to augment or simulate outdoor light have m ps that emit a 5600 K light They approximate mort the bluish light of Ih l outdoors SUI

When youdim a lamp thaI is rated at 3200K the light ~comes vrogrersively more [(gtddi li-h li- imilar to sunlight at sun~t The color camera when adjusted to seeing wh ile in 3200K light will fa ithfully show this increasing redmiddot d ishness for example the Ivhite shirt of a performe r will gradually turn or1nge or pink and the skin tones will take on an unnatura l r~d glow Some lightingexperts therdore warn against a ll) dimming of lights that illuminate pershyfo rmers or performance areas The skin tones are after 111 the o nly real standard dewers have by which to judge the accuracy of tht lelevision color scheme If the skin colors are disto rled hm can we trust the olller colors 10 be true So goes the argument Practice has shown hOever Ihal you can dim a light by JO percent or even it little more

light

81 COLOR TEMPlRATURE Color temperature is meashysureltl on the Kelvin (1lt) scale It measures the relative reddishness 0 1 bluishness of while light The norm fOI indoor light is 32001lt for ou tmiddot door light S600K

without the colo r change becoming too noticeable on shyco lor mo ni tor Inddeu tall dimming the light s by at least 10 p(rcent gt ill not only reduce pOIgter consumption but just about double the life of the bulbs El1D-UGHTS~ Colof

temperalUre-t white balance Jcontrolling Itry it

HOW TO CONTROL COLOR TEMPERATURE A rou letrlled in chapter 3O u need to wh itemiddotbalance the camera to en~ure the correct color reproduclion even if the illumination has d ifferent colo r temperatures 1011 may find howev~r that occasionally the camera wil refuse to whitemiddotbalUlce although you follow exactly Ihe procedures out lined here This difficu lty mar be caused by a colo r temperat ure tha t is too low Oigh t is too reddish) o r too high (tight is too bluish ) for the automat ic white balance to han dle In this case you need to choose one of the color fill ers on the filter whed inside the camera (see chap ter 3) Light -blue filters compensate for the reddishness of lowmiddot color-tem perature light and amher or light-o range filters comp~nsa le for the bl uishness of high-colo rmiddot temperamiddot lure light

MoS1 professio nal ENG EfP cameras remember sollle of these setups so you can go back 0 the previo lls light middot ing env ironment and recaU the appropriate gtlhite balance automatically Exptrienced eameraperons however prefer to white-hala nce from scratch to be sure tha t the actual colo rs as seen by the camera including white Me a~ true IS possible

AnOlher way to raise the color temperature of th e reddish light (to make it more bluish) i~ by putt ing a light middot

159

bull

160 Chapter 8 TECHNIOUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

1Itctr9h 5llti light bull - bull+T_ _--r ~ --shy

Curtain ~~~~ laltn N attnlf1 Window ~I j Windell

J Key r

~

(d~~ (~lOOa

82 MATCHING COLOR TEMPERATURES OF DIFfERENT LIGHT SOURCES AWhen illuminating ltIn object with indoor light mi~ed with outdOOl light coming through window you need to equalize the colo tempeiltues of both light sources to ensure proper white-balancing

blue gel (sheet of colored plastic) in front o f the lighting instruments lens or you Cltln low~r the colo r temperHure ( to make it more reddish) by placing a ligh t-orange gcl in front o f the liglHing instrument

Whe n shooting an iodonr scene tha t is pa rt iall y iUuminated by o utdoor (S600K ) light comins th rough a window and by portable indoor (]2ooK ) lighti ng inSlru shymellts you have nochoices eit her lo wer the high o utdoor color temperature (bluish light ) Of raise the indoor color temperature (reddish light ) to match the daylight streamshying thro ugh the window In elaburate he ld vroduc tions the usual way is to cover the entire window with amber plastic sheets that act like gigantic fi lt t rs lowering the high outdoor co lor temperature to the lower ind oo r standard The adantage of this method is that lhe hole i nt~rio r is ddjusted to the 3200K standard A quicker and cheaper way is to let the high-co lo r- temverature outdoor ligh t 5tream thro ugh the window and p ut blu ish fi llers in (To nt of the indoor lighting instrumentS 10 raise their light to the outdoor standard SEEIl BlDUGHTS Colo temperature light sources

B To equalize the colo temperltures you can put lightmiddotblue gels on the indoor lighting instuments to raise their 3200K color temperature to the more prominent S600K daylight comshying through the window

(n certain circumstances you can set dway with mix shying light s o f di fferent co lor tempefalUre~ so long as one or th~ other dominates th e illum ination For exam ple if you are in an office that is illuminated by overh ead fl uorescenr lUbes and you need to add key and back lights (see the fol shyl owing discu~sion ) to provide more sparkle and d imension to the performer yo u can mOSI likely use normal portable ligh ting instruments that burn at the indoor color ICIllshyj)tTature standard (]200K ) Why Because the portable instfumenl gt p ro vide the dominant light overpower ing the overhead lights that now act as rather Ieak fill lights T he camer will hav litt le Iroub white-balancing o n lhe strong indoor lights wh ile more or less ignoring the higher color tem perature of the overhead fl uorescent lights

LIGHTING FUNCTIONS You will no tice that lighting term inology is based not so much on whe(he r the instruments (tre spollights or floodlighlS but ra ther o n theil functio ns a nd their positio n relative to the objecl to be lighted

Section 81

TERMINOLOGY Although there are variations for the foHowing terms most ligh ting people in the photog raph ic arts (incl uding video) use thi s standard terminology

bull The key ligh t is the apparent principal soure( of di ~

re(tio nal illuminatio n falling on a subjlct or an area it reveals the basic sll( of the object

bull The back light produces illumination from behind the subject and opposite the callwra it dis ti nguishes the shadOI of the object from the background and emphasizes the objects outline

bull The fill light provides generall y diffused illum ina ~ tioll to r~d l ce shadow or co ntrast range (to slow falloff) [ t (an be direclio nal if the a rea to be lilled in is rather lim ited

bull The )(lckgrollld lighl o r ieligh is ustd specilicall y to illuminate the backgro und o r the set and is sepashyrate from the light provided fo r he perfor mers or performance mmiddota

bull The 5ide light is placed directly to the side of the subject usually o n the opposite side o f the camera from the key ligl1l Sometimes o side ligh ts are used o pposite each other act iug as two keys for special-effects lighting of face

bull The kicker fight is a diramptiona l illuminatio n fcom the back off 10 o ne side of Ihe subjelt t usuall ) from a low angle opposite Ihe key lighl lheteas the back light merely h igh lights The back of Ihe head and the shoulders the kicker light highlights and delines the entire side o f The perron separating him or her fro m the background

SPECUIC FUNCTIONS OF MAIN LIGHT SOURCES How do these ligh ts now function in basic lighting tasks Lets take a look

Key light As the principal source of iUumination the major lu nction of the key ligl1 is to reveal lh e basic shape of the subject SEEI] To achi eve Ihis the key light must produce some shadows Fresnel spotlights medium spread are normaUy used fo r key illuminat ion 8 lt you can lise a scoop a broad or even a sonlight for a ker if you want softer shadows or technically sloer falloff In the absence of expensive softlights some light ing directors (LDs) take

Lighting fn th e SlU dio

~ lighl [spot 01 flood)

8 3 KEY LIGHT The key li9ht epesents the pinClpl lIght wulce nd leveals the bilsic ~hape of he object 01 person

it cue from Iilmmakers a nd still photographers and use reflectors as key and fi ll lights lnstead of diffusing the key and lilllighls with diffusio n material such as scrims or fros tr-d gels you do nor aim the key light (a Fresnel spot) dirElr at the subject but rather bounce it off whi te loam core or a large white posterboard The reflected highly diffused light neverthel ess produces distillct yet extremely soft slow-fal loff ~hadows Some LDs prefer this method overkey-lighting directly with a so ftlight claiming that it gives them more gradual (slower) falloff

Because during the day we see the principal li ght so urce- the sun--o ming from above the key light is normally placed above and to the right or left front side of the object from the cameras point of view Look again at 1igure 83 which shows the woman illuminated with the key light o nly and notice that the falloff is very fast blendshying pa rt of her hair and shoulder with the background To help darify the outline and the texture of the womans right (camera-left) side YO ll obviously need light sources other than the sin gle key light

161

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

bull

160 Chapter 8 TECHNIOUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

1Itctr9h 5llti light bull - bull+T_ _--r ~ --shy

Curtain ~~~~ laltn N attnlf1 Window ~I j Windell

J Key r

~

(d~~ (~lOOa

82 MATCHING COLOR TEMPERATURES OF DIFfERENT LIGHT SOURCES AWhen illuminating ltIn object with indoor light mi~ed with outdOOl light coming through window you need to equalize the colo tempeiltues of both light sources to ensure proper white-balancing

blue gel (sheet of colored plastic) in front o f the lighting instruments lens or you Cltln low~r the colo r temperHure ( to make it more reddish) by placing a ligh t-orange gcl in front o f the liglHing instrument

Whe n shooting an iodonr scene tha t is pa rt iall y iUuminated by o utdoor (S600K ) light comins th rough a window and by portable indoor (]2ooK ) lighti ng inSlru shymellts you have nochoices eit her lo wer the high o utdoor color temperature (bluish light ) Of raise the indoor color temperature (reddish light ) to match the daylight streamshying thro ugh the window In elaburate he ld vroduc tions the usual way is to cover the entire window with amber plastic sheets that act like gigantic fi lt t rs lowering the high outdoor co lor temperature to the lower ind oo r standard The adantage of this method is that lhe hole i nt~rio r is ddjusted to the 3200K standard A quicker and cheaper way is to let the high-co lo r- temverature outdoor ligh t 5tream thro ugh the window and p ut blu ish fi llers in (To nt of the indoor lighting instrumentS 10 raise their light to the outdoor standard SEEIl BlDUGHTS Colo temperature light sources

B To equalize the colo temperltures you can put lightmiddotblue gels on the indoor lighting instuments to raise their 3200K color temperature to the more prominent S600K daylight comshying through the window

(n certain circumstances you can set dway with mix shying light s o f di fferent co lor tempefalUre~ so long as one or th~ other dominates th e illum ination For exam ple if you are in an office that is illuminated by overh ead fl uorescenr lUbes and you need to add key and back lights (see the fol shyl owing discu~sion ) to provide more sparkle and d imension to the performer yo u can mOSI likely use normal portable ligh ting instruments that burn at the indoor color ICIllshyj)tTature standard (]200K ) Why Because the portable instfumenl gt p ro vide the dominant light overpower ing the overhead lights that now act as rather Ieak fill lights T he camer will hav litt le Iroub white-balancing o n lhe strong indoor lights wh ile more or less ignoring the higher color tem perature of the overhead fl uorescent lights

LIGHTING FUNCTIONS You will no tice that lighting term inology is based not so much on whe(he r the instruments (tre spollights or floodlighlS but ra ther o n theil functio ns a nd their positio n relative to the objecl to be lighted

Section 81

TERMINOLOGY Although there are variations for the foHowing terms most ligh ting people in the photog raph ic arts (incl uding video) use thi s standard terminology

bull The key ligh t is the apparent principal soure( of di ~

re(tio nal illuminatio n falling on a subjlct or an area it reveals the basic sll( of the object

bull The back light produces illumination from behind the subject and opposite the callwra it dis ti nguishes the shadOI of the object from the background and emphasizes the objects outline

bull The fill light provides generall y diffused illum ina ~ tioll to r~d l ce shadow or co ntrast range (to slow falloff) [ t (an be direclio nal if the a rea to be lilled in is rather lim ited

bull The )(lckgrollld lighl o r ieligh is ustd specilicall y to illuminate the backgro und o r the set and is sepashyrate from the light provided fo r he perfor mers or performance mmiddota

bull The 5ide light is placed directly to the side of the subject usually o n the opposite side o f the camera from the key ligl1l Sometimes o side ligh ts are used o pposite each other act iug as two keys for special-effects lighting of face

bull The kicker fight is a diramptiona l illuminatio n fcom the back off 10 o ne side of Ihe subjelt t usuall ) from a low angle opposite Ihe key lighl lheteas the back light merely h igh lights The back of Ihe head and the shoulders the kicker light highlights and delines the entire side o f The perron separating him or her fro m the background

SPECUIC FUNCTIONS OF MAIN LIGHT SOURCES How do these ligh ts now function in basic lighting tasks Lets take a look

Key light As the principal source of iUumination the major lu nction of the key ligl1 is to reveal lh e basic shape of the subject SEEI] To achi eve Ihis the key light must produce some shadows Fresnel spotlights medium spread are normaUy used fo r key illuminat ion 8 lt you can lise a scoop a broad or even a sonlight for a ker if you want softer shadows or technically sloer falloff In the absence of expensive softlights some light ing directors (LDs) take

Lighting fn th e SlU dio

~ lighl [spot 01 flood)

8 3 KEY LIGHT The key li9ht epesents the pinClpl lIght wulce nd leveals the bilsic ~hape of he object 01 person

it cue from Iilmmakers a nd still photographers and use reflectors as key and fi ll lights lnstead of diffusing the key and lilllighls with diffusio n material such as scrims or fros tr-d gels you do nor aim the key light (a Fresnel spot) dirElr at the subject but rather bounce it off whi te loam core or a large white posterboard The reflected highly diffused light neverthel ess produces distillct yet extremely soft slow-fal loff ~hadows Some LDs prefer this method overkey-lighting directly with a so ftlight claiming that it gives them more gradual (slower) falloff

Because during the day we see the principal li ght so urce- the sun--o ming from above the key light is normally placed above and to the right or left front side of the object from the cameras point of view Look again at 1igure 83 which shows the woman illuminated with the key light o nly and notice that the falloff is very fast blendshying pa rt of her hair and shoulder with the background To help darify the outline and the texture of the womans right (camera-left) side YO ll obviously need light sources other than the sin gle key light

161

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Section 81

TERMINOLOGY Although there are variations for the foHowing terms most ligh ting people in the photog raph ic arts (incl uding video) use thi s standard terminology

bull The key ligh t is the apparent principal soure( of di ~

re(tio nal illuminatio n falling on a subjlct or an area it reveals the basic sll( of the object

bull The back light produces illumination from behind the subject and opposite the callwra it dis ti nguishes the shadOI of the object from the background and emphasizes the objects outline

bull The fill light provides generall y diffused illum ina ~ tioll to r~d l ce shadow or co ntrast range (to slow falloff) [ t (an be direclio nal if the a rea to be lilled in is rather lim ited

bull The )(lckgrollld lighl o r ieligh is ustd specilicall y to illuminate the backgro und o r the set and is sepashyrate from the light provided fo r he perfor mers or performance mmiddota

bull The 5ide light is placed directly to the side of the subject usually o n the opposite side o f the camera from the key ligl1l Sometimes o side ligh ts are used o pposite each other act iug as two keys for special-effects lighting of face

bull The kicker fight is a diramptiona l illuminatio n fcom the back off 10 o ne side of Ihe subjelt t usuall ) from a low angle opposite Ihe key lighl lheteas the back light merely h igh lights The back of Ihe head and the shoulders the kicker light highlights and delines the entire side o f The perron separating him or her fro m the background

SPECUIC FUNCTIONS OF MAIN LIGHT SOURCES How do these ligh ts now function in basic lighting tasks Lets take a look

Key light As the principal source of iUumination the major lu nction of the key ligl1 is to reveal lh e basic shape of the subject SEEI] To achi eve Ihis the key light must produce some shadows Fresnel spotlights medium spread are normaUy used fo r key illuminat ion 8 lt you can lise a scoop a broad or even a sonlight for a ker if you want softer shadows or technically sloer falloff In the absence of expensive softlights some light ing directors (LDs) take

Lighting fn th e SlU dio

~ lighl [spot 01 flood)

8 3 KEY LIGHT The key li9ht epesents the pinClpl lIght wulce nd leveals the bilsic ~hape of he object 01 person

it cue from Iilmmakers a nd still photographers and use reflectors as key and fi ll lights lnstead of diffusing the key and lilllighls with diffusio n material such as scrims or fros tr-d gels you do nor aim the key light (a Fresnel spot) dirElr at the subject but rather bounce it off whi te loam core or a large white posterboard The reflected highly diffused light neverthel ess produces distillct yet extremely soft slow-fal loff ~hadows Some LDs prefer this method overkey-lighting directly with a so ftlight claiming that it gives them more gradual (slower) falloff

Because during the day we see the principal li ght so urce- the sun--o ming from above the key light is normally placed above and to the right or left front side of the object from the cameras point of view Look again at 1igure 83 which shows the woman illuminated with the key light o nly and notice that the falloff is very fast blendshying pa rt of her hair and shoulder with the background To help darify the outline and the texture of the womans right (camera-left) side YO ll obviously need light sources other than the sin gle key light

161

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

162 Chapter 8

8JdIlilhl (lpOl)

Key light lpol ox flood)

84 KEY AND BACK liGHTS The back light provides mOle definit ion to the actual shdpe 01 the subject (her hair on camera-left) separates her (rom the background and gives her hair sparkle and highlights

Back light Adding illumination feam beh ind helps separate the subject fro m the background SEE l Note how rh e- back lighr helps distinguish hetween lhe sh adow side o f the wo man and the dark background em phasizi ng I h~ outline- the contour-of her hair and shoulders We have now t stablished a clear jigurcigrolmd rel a tion ship which means thai we ( ltIn easily pereive a fi gure ( th e woman) in fro nt of a (dark) background Besides providing spatial definit ion the back light adds sparkle and pro fesshysional polish

In general try to position the back light as diHmiddotctly beh ind the subject (Op pOi ff the camera) as possible there is no inherent virtue in placing it somewhat to one side or the other unless it is in th camerls view A morc critical problem is contro ll ing the vertical ilngle at which the back light str ikes the subject If it is positioned directly abov the person or somewhere in that neighborhood Ih back light becomes an undesirable to p light InSlead of revealshying the subjccts conto ur to mak her stand out from the

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

background and giving the hair sparkle the light simply brightens the top o f her head causing dense shadows below her ~yes and chin On the o thcr hand if th e ba(k light is pOSitioned too low it sh ines in to the camera

To get good back light ingon a set you nced a genero us space benveeu th e performance areas ( the areas i l l which the talent move) and the background scenery_ Therefor you must place middotmiddot~u tie furniture such as hairs table ~

sofas or bed$ actuall y used b y the performers at least 8 to 10 frtt 1Iay from the walls tOIMd the cenler of Ihe set If the taknt works roo dose to the scenery the back tight s must be tilted at ver y steep angles to relh over the fiaj and -uch steep a ngles inevitably ( aust undesirable top light

Fill light Now take another look I t figufe 84 Oespite th e back light the di fference bet-cen the light and shadow sid~ is sl ill ralher extreme and the light side of the fltlce still changes abruptly 10 a dense shadow This change is called falloff Falloffmeans the speed (degree) to which a light piclu re po rtio n turns into shadow area If The hange is sudden as in fi gure 84 it is f(l5 falloff With fast fallo ff the shadow side of the subjects face is very denst the cam era ~es no shadow detail To slow down th fallofi that is to make the shadow l es~ prominent and more transparent yOll need some Jilligh t SElIl

Not su rprisingly yo u place the fi1light on the opposi te side of tIl( caOlera from the key lighl A highly diffu sed fl oodlight or reflected light is generally used IS filL The more fi ll light you use the slower the falloff becOIllts When the intensity of Ihe filllight approaches Of even matches that of t ill key light the 1gthadows and with them the fallshyoff are virtUltly eliminated This gives the subjec t a flat look-shadows no longer help define shape ~nd texture

When do ing critical lighting in a specific area nd you do nt want the fin light to spill ovcr too much into the o ther set areas you can usc a Frem el spotlight as fill b) spreading the bea m ltls much as possibl or by pulting a scrim in front o f the lens Yo u can then use the barn doo rs to furt her control rhe spill

The photographic principle or triangle lightmiddot ing With the three main lighl sources (key filt and back) in the triangle sttup you hay established the basic phoshyfographic lighrillg prillciple or tr iangle liglIi llS (s ee figure 85) BUI you are nOt done yet You mUSI now fi ne-tune this lighting arrangement Take a good hard look at the lighted object or if possible the studio monitor to Sfe whether Ihe scene (in our C(lse Ihe d ose--up o f the woman ) need~ some fu rther adjustOlent fo r optimal light 109 Are there any undesirable shadows Are there shadows that distort

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Section 81 Lighting in the Studio

BKiliqlU

Balkqround

K~ light (po Of flood)

8 5 KEY BACK AND flLllIGHTS The ti ll light slows fltlloff making the shadow side (camera-left) more tran~parenl and revealing details without erasing the

bull fOf m-feveatlng shadows altogeth~

bull nllher than reveal the face How is the ligh t balnce Does the fillligill wash out ltIII the necessary shado s or are the shad()w$ still 100 dense~ Is Ihe back lighltoostrong (or the hoy fiU combinatio n

Background or set light To illuminate the back shyground (walls or cyclorama ) o ( the set o r portions of the set thaI are not a direct part of the principal performallCl Mea yo u use the backgrormd light or as it is frequentl y ra iled the $er figlH To keep the shadows o rthe backgro und on tJle same side as those of the perso n o r object in front of it the blckgro und light must strike th e background fro m the Same d irectio n as th t key light sn 16 As you GIn see in the figut the key light is placed 0 11 the camera shyright sioe causing the shado~s o n Ihc subjeltt 10 fall on the camera- len side Consequently the bmiddotackground light is also placed on camera-right to nldke the shadows o n canttra-Jcft correspond with those o f the fo reground II yo u place the background light on the opposite side from

F

86 BACKGROUND LIGHT The backglound hgh l iIIUm(Hles lhe oockground area It must be on the same side of the (3mera as the key lighlto ketp the background shadows (curtain) on the same side as the foremiddot 9roond shadows (woman)

the key the viewer may assume th3t there are tgto separate light sources illuminolting Ihe scen e o r worse that there are rwo sllns in our solar system mD-l IGHTS-+ Triangle 1igh t ing~ key J back Ifill J b3ltkground Itry it

Background light freq uen tly goes beyond its mere suvponi n~ role 10 bffome a majo r production element Besides atlHuat ing an orherw ise dull monoto no us back shyground with a slice o f light or an inleresting cookie the background light can be a mtjor indicato r o f the SI101 5

locale time of day and mood SEE A cookie projec shytion o f p riso n bars on the wall in connection with the clangi ng of cell doors immtdiately plac(s the eve nt in a p rison SEE 11

A long slile o f light o r long shadows falling acro~ s

the back middot~ It of ltIn in terior set suggests in con nection with Olh t r congruent p rodu ction clues late afternoon or evening Dlrk backgrounds and distinct shltldows gl[wrillly suggest a low-key scene (dark background jth selectiw fa st -fdloff lighting) and a d ramatic o r mysterious mood

163

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

164 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

-shy- ~ tt AIli~bull ~ j _ ~ gt~( q shy ~L 411 -w shy

tI

8 7 SETTING MOOD WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING ~~tight The colorful background lighting in thi~ 5et SU9geSls a u endy environment and lin upbeat mood

lido (Ipot 1loodaI) (lpot~J

88 SETTING LOCALE WITH BACKGROUND LIGHTING Sackg round lighting (an place an event in a specific locale o r environment Hefe the backgrouod light produces bar like shadmiddot ows suggest ing tha t the scene takes place in a p rison

A light background and a generally bigh baselight level are usually regarded as a higll-key scen e with an upbeat happy mood That is why situation comedies and game shows are much more brigtllly lighled (higher baselighllevel and tess con trast) than are mystery and police dra mas (lower baMlight level and more contrasl) Do I)ot confuse high-key and low-key wilh high and 10 verlkal hanging posi tio ns o f tbe key light or with the intensity with which it burns

In norm a backgrou nd lighting of an in terior setting try to keep the upper po rtio ns o f the set rela tivel y dark wi th only the middle and lower purl ions (~uch as the walls) iUurninated There are th ree mai n reasons for this commo n light ing prOlclic( ( I) Most indoor ligh ling is designed to illuminate low work areaS rather than the upper portions of walls (2) The performers head is more p leasingly con shytras ted against a slightly darker background Too much light at thai height might cause- a ihQllclle(ffect rendering the face unusually dark O n Ihe other hand fu rn itu re and

(~mra

89 SIDE LIGHT The side ligh strikes the subject flom the side It call act as key andor fi Ji light In this case two OPPOSI II9 side lights are used as twO keys

medi um - and dark-colo red clo thi ng are nicely set off by the lighler lower portions of the set (3 ) The dark upper pon iuns suggest a ceiling You can darken the upper po rshytio ns of the ~ct easily by using oo rn doors to block off any spotlight ( includi ng the backgro und ligh ts) that would hil those ltlfea~

Sid light Usually placed di rectly 10 th sid of the subject the $ide l iglll ca n fu nction as a key o r fi ll ligh t ohen used as a key il produces fast fal lo ff ltOIving half of the fa ce in dense shadow hen used as a fi ll it light ens up I h~ whole shadow siut of lhe face When yOIJ place side lights on o pposite sides o f he person the sides of the (ace are bright wi th the fro nt of the face remaining shadowed SEt The side ligh t becomes a m ajor light so urce if the

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Section 8 1

8dd light

Fi~light

810 IIDEflll-liGHT [fUP The side fill light provide~ soft iUumirlation with the key Spot) addi ng spa ke When the key s turned off the side fin takes over the fUnlt( ioll of the key light

cameras shooting arc is txceplioli rlUy wide If fo r instance the camera moves around the subject from a 6 oclock to an 8 oclock position the side light take$ o n the function o f loe ke ) light and prov d~~ ssemial modeling (lighting for three-dimensional effect) Altl lOugh Fresnel spots al a wide-beam setting are generall y used for side light ing us shymg scoops or broads 3S side lights can produ(e interesting lighting ef(ccls

For extrabrillianr high-ke y lighting you can SUppOll

tlu key light wit h side fiJllighL The fill light gives the key side of the subject basic illumination with the key ligl1l providing the necessary sparkle and accent SEll to

Kicker light Generally a shaf lgtly focused fresnel spOt the kicker light strikes the subject from behind and on the

bull opposite side ofthecilmera from the key light (the fill -light ~ide) Its main purpose is to highlight the subjects contour

bull at a place here key-light fa lloff is the dellsest and where the dense shadow of the subject )ppo~iu the key-ligh ted side tends to merg( with the dark background The fUll shy

lion of the kicker is simihlr 10 Ihat of the back light exce~H that the kic ker rims th e ~ubjec t not at the top-back but at the lower side-bade It usually strikes the subject from below eye level Kicker lights are espeialy useful for crtalshying the illusion of moonhght 5pound1111

SPECIFIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Once you art fami li ar with how to apply the photographic principle in a va riet ofligh ting situations you call move o n to a few specifi c lighting ttch niques TheS( iudude

Ligh t ing in t he S t udio

Blaquokli9lt (fulIlnl~Y)

(rWi intrns~) Owbull

pogtrtion)

ky r~~ll

811 KIltKER LIGHT The kicker light rims the subject oppo~ite the key emphasizing contour like the back li9ht the kicker helps separate the foremiddot ground subject from the backglound

( J) f1 at lighting (2) continuous-action lighting (3) largeshyarea lighting (4) high-contrast lighting (5) cameo lighting (6) silhouette lighting (7) chroma-key area lighting and (8) controlling eye and boom shadows

FLAT LIGHTING Flnr fighr ing means that you light for optimal visibili ty with minimal shadovs Most flat-lighting selUp~ use flo odlights (softlights or fluorescent banks) for from lighti ng and background lighung and more-focused instruments (Fresshynel spots or small broads) for back light s This setup is the [aorite lighting technique for more or less permanentl y im talkd news set ~ alld interview areas SEU1l As you can see in the figu re the uasic lighting triangle is preserved In effec t you have three key lights or if you wish three fiJI lights evenly iUuminating he [ront area The back lights add h~ sparkle and make the flatne~s of the lighting setup les$ not iceable The additio nallgtackground lights illum inatI the set The fl at lighting of sLlch permanent performance

165

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

166 Chapter 8

~ bull ~ f f f

JJJ 812 FLAT-LIGHTING lETUP FOR NEWS This nI-lighting setup consists of three fron1lt11 soft lights that act as key and fill lights three spots or spotted floods (or back lighl5 and three background f1oodlights_

areas has several advamilges ( l) It is quick- all yOu ned 10 do is turn on one 5wiICh dod your ligh ting h dOnt (2) It is flex ibl(- Io or more newspeople can join the news anchor without yom having to reset any lights (3) [t is flattering- the vir tually shadowless lighting hides l ily wrinkles that may have survived the makeup (4) The cameras can maintain their original setup and don have 10 be white-balancecl for every show

The major disadvantage is that it look~ li kE WhfH it is la

CONTINUOUS middot ACTION LIGHTING IAlhen watching dram ltls OT soap operas on tdevision you probilbly notice Ihal many of them have fas t-faHoff lowkey lighting which m ea ns promin ell t shadows and rela tively dlrk backgrounds fn such multi camera productions the cameras look at a scen e from d ifferent points of view and people and carner art lwayson the move Wo uldn l it be easier to light fla t ~ that is to flood the whole performance

area ltith flat light ra ther than with spotligh ts Yes but then the ligh ting would not cont ribute to the mood of lhe scene or how we fccl about the persons acting in it Fortunately the ha~ ic lighting t riangle o f key back md fill tight s call

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

fin I (opliori11)

RI lnd2

Camera

813 MULTIPLEmiddotTRIANGLE APPLICATION In Ihi~ lighting ~etup a separale lighting triangle wuh I I ~ own key back a nd fi ll light is used (Of each o f the two person~ (permiddot formance aIN~) If OoodlightS are used for the key~ you cltln plobltlbly dispen~e with the flill ights

be multiplied and ove rlapped for each set or performanct area for CQ IJl inIIQIIS - lCliorJ lighrrng Even if there are only

two people silting at a rabie you have to use multiple applical ion o f the b3Sic lighting triangle SlUU

10 compenste fo r the m ovem ent o f the perfo rmers you should iIlumimtte all adjaCtnl performance areas so that the basic triangle-lighted areas overlap The purpose

of overlapping is to give the per formers continuous light ing as they m ove from Olle area to another It is aU tOO easy to concentrate only on the major perfo rmance areas and to neglect the ~mltl l1 setmingly insign ifica nt areaS i ll between You ma not even nOtice the uneve nness of such lighting

unti l the performers move across the SC i and all of iI ~~shyden they seem to b( playing a now you see me now you do n game popping alternately fro m a well- lighted area into dcnsc shadow In such situaTions a ligh t m ler colll e~

III han dy to pinpuint the black hotrs

~

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

ICbull Se ct ion 8 1

F~11or Aallll8

~ ~~ ~Il ~-- ~J

Cd mlfa

814 CROSS-KEYING In this lighting selUp the key light fOf perw n A (the camshyera-near person) also func tions as a back light fOf pIi rson B (the camera-far person) and the back light for person A is Ihe key (Of pefson 8

If yo u do no t ha ve enough inst ruments to appl y multiple- triangle lighting for several perfo rmance areas when ligh tin g for continuous action you mllst pll(c the instrum Cnls so that each can servt two or more fu nctions_ In reverSl-angle shooting (or inSI) nCe th( key light for OJ](

performer maybccornc the back light for the other and viet versa The technique is generally ca lled cToss-keyig O r you Oldy have to use a key light to SeTve also as directio nal fill in ~nother area Beciluse fill lights hdve a diffused beam you can use a single fill light to lighten up dense shadows in morf than one area SEEI1 4

Of course the Ippli t ion of li ghting instrum ents [or multiple functions requires exact posit io ning of set pieces sllch as tables alld chairs clearlydetined performance areI$ and blockolg (m ovemen ts of performers) Directors who decide to change blocking o r mo ve sel p ieces aft er Iheuro sel

Li gh t ing in the Srudio 167

has been preltisely lighted are nOl vcry popular with the lighting crew

Accurate lighting is always do ne with basic camera posit ions Ind points of view in mind It thereforc helps immen sely to know at least the basic camera positions and the range o f all major camera viewpoints before stan ing wi th the lighting (see figures 827 and 828) For exampie an object th appem perrecdr welllight((j from a 60d ock ca mera position may look woefull y unlit from a IO oclock position Sometimes as in dramas variety sh ows or rock co ncerts middot unlighted shols from shooting angles that lie outside the lighled pMameter~ may look quile start ling in most other shows of less Aex iblc li ghting formab such as ntws fea tures o r instructio nal programs these sho ts simply look bad

LARGE middot AREA UGHTIHG Fo r largtmiddotarea lrgrillg such as for an audience or orchestra the basic photographic principle still holds all you do is paniaUy overlap Ollt rriangle on ano ther unt il yOll have adequately covered the entire area Instead uf key- light ing fro m just one sid e of the mera and fill -lighting from the o ther however ker-liglu from hoth side~ of lhe CHnera with Frcsnel spltlts in the nood position The key lights from one side act as fill for the other side If the area is rt ally big you can have additio nal sets of Ircsne spots posi tio ned doser to the center

The back ligh ts are strung out in a row orJ ~tl1lj c ird( o pposite Ihe maiJl ca mera positio n The fiU ligh ls (broads or scoops) usuall y come directly from tht front If the cameras move to the sid to )ome of the ke~ lights 1150 IIIIC shy

lion as back lights You can dso ust broads or Ouort~en t

banks instead of Fresn el spots for thb type o f ~ma light shying SEE bull bull 1S

For som e assignments such IS light ing a school gpn for I basketbt lJ game all you need is wough light for the cameras 10 see Iht play~r s and a l least so me o f the spectato rs In this case simply flood the gp ll with high ly diffused light As mentioned one possibility is to usc fairly high-powered open-face instruntlnts with light -di trusing umbrellas

HIGH - CONTRAST LIGHTING The opposite of nat ligh ting is ligft -colllmsr hghtillg much o f wh ich mirror~ motio ll pict urf lighting tech niques Be shycause o f the increased tolerance of lodars video cameras 10

low li ght levels dnd hi gher-contrast lIghting many televishysion plays make (xtensivc uslt of fast -fa llo ff light ing You may have no ticed Ihal some series such as crime or mNlical

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

--- ---

168 Chapter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

Spo[~

l ~ ~ ___ S~~

--- ~ - ~ ~---

815 LARGEmiddotAREA KEYING In th is lighting setup the Fresnel spots 3t the left and right sides fun ction as keys md directional fill lights Fresnel spots are ~lso wung out as regular back ligh ts behind the main action area If necesltIry ~oops provide ltlddit iooal nil lig ht from the front

8 16 fASl-FALLOff LIGHTING ON fAU The fast-falloff l ighting Increases the dr amatic impact of this close-up

shOgts use no t on ly ex tremely fast-fallo ff lighting (harsh shadows) but also color distor tion to intensify the scenes For exam ple extremel) fast falloff on a face inevitably looks mOTe dramatic than if it gtere lighted with slow falloff SEE 116 f3l])LIGHTS~ Design~ high key Ilow key

Pro min(nt side lighting and fast-fallo ff lighting tn be combined for drama tic eflec SU bull 17 And inSlcd of al ays havi ng the key-lighted sid e fa ce the camera ~ou may show the shldoV side 10 establish a cerl aHI

mood 5EE bull bull

In additio n 10 f3St~ f3Uoff lighting color distortion call add dramatic impact In this example the sce ne is purposely given a green tint 5EpoundI19

Rea lize that such lighting effects require nol onlr skill but abo a lot of production time That said you shou ld still try 10 apply some of these lighting techniQue~ whenever pos5ible-1nd when appro priafe to the show If your IiglI ing time is limited however Slay away from such precisio n lighting and stick to the classic lriangle~lightillg approach You might be pleasa ntly surp rised (0 find thaI by turning

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Sec t ion 81 Lighting in the S t udio

8 17 HARSH SIDE LIGHT The fast falloff and prominent side lighting intensify the mysterious mood of the scene

8 18 SHADOW SIDE TOWARD CAMERA The camera-far per()n is lighted so that his shdow side rather th key SIde is seen by the camera This shadow revers has drilmatk impc

on a fc fresnel spots and fill lights you r lighting wililoak quite acceptable

CAMEO LIGHT ING Certain tel~ision shows especially those of a dramatic nature are staged In the middle of an empty studioagaiflSt an unlighted background This telthnique wh ere the pershyformers are highlighted aga inst a plain dark background ~ commonly known as callCO lighring (from the am(Q art for m in nich a ligh t relieftigure is set aga iml a darker

819 COlOR DISTORTION In addition to (astmiddotfalloff ti9ht ing the precariousness of this scene is further emphasized by the gleen nnt

background ) SEE 20 tikI tne dosemiddotup cameo lighting concentrnl (gtS on the talent and not the environment

All c1meo lighting is highlydireclional and is achilved most effectively lIsing spotight~ with barn -doors In sma ll studios the backgro und areas are carefully shielded from any kind of distracti ng spill light with black light-absorb middot ing draperies One of the problems with cameo lighting b that it often txC(cds the acccptable com fa$f [alio between Ihe darkest and brightest spotS in the picture Igth ich rna) lead to olen-xpoMd bright areas and loss of detail as well ltI~

169

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

170 Chap ter 8 TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

8 20 CAMEO LIGHTING n cameo lighting the background is kepI da(k with o nly the foreground pErson ilum inat~ by highly d irectional spotlights

possible color distortion in the dark areas Also because the igltting is high I) di rectional the lalent must meticulously adh ere 10 rhe reh~arsed blocking A slight deviatio n means thilt the talcnt sleps QUI of the light and fo r illi pra ctical purposes disapXars from the SCH en Finall y jf 1 microshypho ne boom is used for sound pickup its distinct shadows )rese nt a constant hatJ rd Some production poopJe use the te rm cameo liglling even when showing part o f a set in the scene

SILHOUETTE LIGHTING Ligh ting for a silhouette dfect is the opposite o( cameo lighting In 5ithQlCne lighrillg you light the backgwUlld but leave the figures ill front unlighted Th is way you see only the contour o f objects and people btll lot their volshyume and lu rUre To Ichicvc 5ilhoueHe lighti ng use highl r diffused light usually from s oftlighl~ eye lights o r scoops ~i th scrims to evcnlr illuminate the background Obvishyously YOll tight in silho uette on ly those scenes lhat gain b emph1Sizing contour SEE I l l You ca ll also use sil houeHe lighting 10 concca llhe idenlity of a p e rSOIl appearing 0 11shy

ca mera mDUGHTS-+ ~~ign-+ 5ilhouetle

CHROMAmiddot KEV AREA LIGHTING The chroma-key set area normally consists of a plain blue or green backdrop It is used to provide a variety o f back grounds that are electro nicllly generatltd replacing th e blue or green areas during Ihe key-a process called croma J(f~)ig A popuhtr use of the chroma key is a weather reporl Although the wealhacasler scemsto be standing in fronl o f a large weather map she- is in fact standing in front o f an empt y evenly lighted blue o r green backdrop OV lten lhe blue o r green areas are electro nically rep laced by the Veal ncr map during the key the wtathercastcr mu~t look

821 SILHOUETTE LIGHTING tn silhouette lighting only the background is lighted with Ihe figure in front remaining unlighted It emphasizes contour

into a monitor 10 see the map SUIu (Set COltlpler 14 for an indepth explanation of tll( chromamiddot key process)

The most important aSpIXt of lighting the chroma-hy Slmiddott area is even background iUumination which means that the blue o r grlen bllckdrop must be lighted Vith highlydifshyfused instrumenl s such as softights o r floodlight banks If there are unusually dlrk areas or hot spots (undcsirilble concentrations o f light ill one area) lhe etectronical ly supshyplied background image looks discolored or worse breaks up Whell lighting Ihc weathercas fer in Ine fo regrou nd preWIlI Iny of the lights used for Ihe fo nground from hitting the backdrop Such spill would upset 11It evenness of the chroma-key backgro und illumination and lead to keying prolgtlems In practice this means thaI the key and directio nallill light (a Fresnel in Ihe flood posi tion) must strike Ihe subject from a steeper-than-normal angle You may fi nd tha using softlighls for the key and fi ll lights o n the weathcrcaster wiU not aff(C1 Ihe ch rotl1 lt1 key even if Ihey spill onto the barkdro p

Sometimes the outline o f a weAther(aSler looks out of focus or seems to vibrate d uring Ihe ch roma ker One of Ihe felsom for sllCh vibrations is that especially dark colshyo rs or shadows at the conlou r line take on a bloe or green tinge caused b a reflection from Ihe colored backdrop During Ihe chroma key these blue or green spotS become tranSparen l and lellne backgroond picture show through To counteract a blue reflection try putting a light-yellow or mber gel on all thc back ligb lS o r kicker light s For green reflectio ns use a light- magenta or softmiddotpink gel The back lights then not o nly separate the foreground subjecl from the backgro und picture through contour illumination bU also nelltralize the blue org~n shadows with the compleshymentary yello or pink filter s As a result the outlin e o f the wtl thercasler will remain relatively sharp even during

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

5~(rion 8 1

822 CHROMAmiddotKEY EFFECT WEATHERCAST A In this weltl therCltl51 the blue background is evenly lighted with flood lights The weatherCltl5te(5 ligh1ed with the S1andltl rd triangle aHltlngement or key back ltlnd fi ll lights

the chroma key Be careful however nOI 10 lei any of the colored back light hi t the arms or hands of the person stilnding in the chroma-key area

Bectuse the blue reflections from thc sky are hard to control outdoors in EFP green is the preferred color for a chroma- ke~ backdrop You un also use gr~n as the chromJ-key color in the studi o especially if the lalent likes to wear blue

CONTROLLING EYE AND BOOM SHADOWS 1vo fai rly persistent problems in studio ligh ting are the

shadows caused by eyeglasses and microphone booms Depending 011 the specific lighting setup such UI1anted shadows can present a fO fm idable challenge to the lightin g cr~middotw Most o ften howeve r you will be able to correct such problems ra ther quickly

Ligh t ing in rhe 5 t udio

8 DUling the chroma key the weathercmer SeEms to stand in frOllt o( the ~ Mellite view

Key light and eye shadows The kq light s striking the subjcct from a stecp angle- will ca use large dark shadows in a ll y indentalion and un der any pro rrusion such lS In

tbe eye ~ockets and under the nose alld chin If the subjeltt wears gla$ses the shadow of th~ upper rim of Ihe frames mily fall directly across the eyes preventing the camera (and the viewer) from sc ~ i ng them clearly SEEI2l

There are several ways to reduce these undesirable shado ws Firs l Iry to lower the verlica l position of tne lighl itself or me a key light farther 31ay fro lll the subshy

ject Vhen yo u lOI er it ( i lh a movable batlen or a rod)

notice that Ihe eye shadows seelll lO move farther up Ihe face As soon as the shadows are hidden behind the upper rim of the giass(s lock the key light in posilion Such a technique works well so long as the subject does not move around 100 much SEU14 Second you call try to nl1uce

823 SHADOW CAUSED BY GLASSES 824 KEY lIGHTlOWERED The steep angle of the key light causes the shadow of the By lowering the key light the shadow moves up and is hidden womans glasses 10 fal righ t 3crO~~ her eyes behind the glasses

171

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

172 Chapter 8

eye shadows by illuminating the person (rom both sides ~ i th similar instruments You can also reposition the 611 light $0 thaI it strikes the subject directl y from th e front ltlnd from a lower ltlnglc thus placi ng the shadows upward away from the eyes Annoying retlections from eyeglasses can be eliminated with the sanl e recipe

Boom shadows Although you may not Il ormfl ily use a large m icrophone boom in toe studio except fo r some dramatic productions the princi ples of dealing with boom shadows also apply to handheld microphone Dooms such as fishpoles and even handheld sho tgun mles

When you move a boom roic in front of a lighTed scene- in this cast a single person- and move the boo m around a liule you Olay no tice shadows on the actor or on the background whenever the mic or boom passes throu gh a spotligh t beam (You can easily test for shadows by submiddot stituting a broomstick or th e- lighting pole) Such shadows are especially distracting when they niOve in and out during a highly ltlramaric scene You can deal with boom shadols in two ways move the lights andlo r the mic boom 50 that th e- shadow falls out of COlmt rd range or use suh highly diffused lighti ng that the shadow becomes aU but il1vislble

First of all you need 10 find the lighllhal is causing the boom shadow As simple as Ihis Illltly seem il is nOI always so easy to spot Ihe lroublemaking instrument especially if several spotlights are illuminating various adjacent areas on the set The tasiest Iay to locate the light is 10 m ove your head direclly in front of tile boom shadow and look at the microphone suspended from the boom The shadowshycausing light wiU now ilHvit ably shine into )our eyes Be cardulnot to stare into rhe light for any prolonged per iod More precisely the iostrum nt liegt at the extension of a line drawn from the shadow to the m icrophone causing it SUlS

To get rid o f the shadow simply turn off the offending instrument You may be pleasantly surprised to fi nd that you have eliminated Ihe shl(o IV without impeding the overall lighting H such a drastic step serio usl y weakens the lighting setup try 10 posit ion the boom so that it does not have to travelthcough this light If you use a handheld fish pole boom walk around the set Ihite pointing the mic towa rd the sound source Watch the shadolV movE on Ihe background wall until it is out of camera range If the microphone is still in a pOSition fo r opti mal sound pickup you have solved the problem You may locate such a shadolv- safe spot more readily Ihen holding o r placing the boom parald to the key- light beam nuner than when crossing it Som~ LDs use th e key and fill1ighl s close to side-light positions 10 provide a co rrido r in which to operate the boom

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

~Jj

~~ ShadDW

8 2S LOCATING THE SHADOWmiddot(AUSING LIGHT The instrument that causes the undesirable boom shadow lies at the extension of a line drawn (rom the shadow O the microshyphon causing it

AnOlher ~imple way to avoid boom shadOs is to lighr more steeply than usual You do this by moving the key light d oser to the set areltl The closer the lights ue to the pcdorma nC( are1 the steeper they will have to be- angled to nit the target The boom I- il now cast its shadow on the studio floor rather than on the talent s face o r background scenery and Inm be oul of camera range TIlt dowllsid(middot to this technique i~ that the steep key lights produce dense md prominent shadOvs under he eyes nose and chi n

YOIl can also Iry to use barn doors to block off the p ll rt of the spotlight Ihat causes the boom shadow Such a technique is especially useful when the shltldoll appea rs in the upper pOln o f the background 5cenery

CONTRAST In chapter 3 you learned about contrast rati o and the way ttlevision cameras react to il In this segment you gct acquainted with how lighting affccis contragtt and how to keep it within tolerable lim its (40 1 to 50 1) Contrast does nOt depend so much on how much light comes from the lighting instruments (incident -light reading) as on how much light is reJ1cclcd by the iUuminaled objects (reflectedshylight read ins ) For example a white refrigerator a yellow plastic ra incoat and a po li shed bra ss plate reflect much more light than does a dark-blue velvet cloth even if they are illuminated by rhe ve-ry same source If you place the brass plate on the velvet cloth thert 1lI1) be 100 much co ntra~ t fo r the television COl mera to handle properly-and )OU have not eVlt 11 begun l itn rhe lighting

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Sec tion 8 1

What YOll haveO consider wht o dealing with conlrlttst is a constlllt relalionsh ip among various factors such as how much lighl fall s on the subject how m uch light is reflected nd how much difference there is berween the foreground and the backgro und or the lightest and darkest spots in the same picture ikltause we deal with relationshyships rather than absolute values we express the cameras COltrasllimil as a rario

CONTRAST RATIO As stated in chapter 3 contrast ratio is the difference between tht brightest and the darkest SpOIS in the pic shytun~ (often measm ed by reflected light in foo t-candles) The brightest SpOt that is th e area reflecting Ihe greltltesl amount of light i ~ called the refererIce whjt and il deter shymines the White levelThe ltlrea refl ecting the least alllolln t of ligh t is the nference bfack hih det~rmines the black level With a contrast limit of 40 I o r 50 I thl reference white should not reflect more than fo rty or fift y rimes the light of the referene black Remember that the contrast is detlrmined not Illccssa rily by the amount of light genershyated by the lamps but by how much lighlt he objects rdlo( t back to the camcrllens

MEASURING CONTRAST You measure contrast with a reflected -light readi ng-by first gtQi nting the light meter clo~e to the brightest spot (often d sma ll white card on the set which serves as the reference while) and then to the darkest spOt (serving as the reference black) Even if you dont have a light meter or waveform monitor for cnecking the conlrast ra tio you can tell by looking althe monitor When th l white areas such as the white tablecloths in ltI restaurant set look aw middot fully bright or the black clothing o f the people sitting al

the tabl tS awfull y black without any detail th e contrast is obviously great and probably exeeds the optimal rat io With a lillk practice sq uinting your eyes when taking a brief look at the set will give yo u a good idea anout lhe COlllrast ratio even witno ut using the ligh t meIer A look at the camera viewfinder o r studio monitor is of COUfse a more accurate and rel iable measuring too GZ)UGHTS~

Mesuement~ (Ontrast

CONTROLLING CONTRAST If yOll fed Iht the contrast ratio is too high think about what you can do 10 reduce it befo re fuss ing with the lightshying For example changing the white tablecloth to a pink or light-blut one l iU help elimi nate the contrasl more readi1r tha n dimming SClTI o of the lights o r asking the talent to change in to slightly lighter-colored clOlhes

Ligh t ing in (he Studio

Such hel p is much appreciated by the viaeo operator (Va) also cillted the 5hader who is ultimately responsible f()( controlling con trasl If there is 100 much con trll$t however even the best VOs haw diffiClllt y unless youre working with top-of-the-Hne camera~ By pull iug down or dlppjl~ Ill br igh test areas of the scene the VO caU5 es the dark areas in the picture 10 also become compressed and they ilre often rendered uniformly black This is by you do not set much detail in Ihe shadOls of a high-con shyHast scene For example it 1 difficult for the camera to reprod uce true skin color jf the talent is wearing ltI highly retlecti ve starched whitt shirl and a ligh t-ltlbsorbi ng black jacket If the camera adjusts for the whit shirt by dipping the white level the talents face will go diHk If the camera tries to b ring up the blilck evel (makillg the black a reas in the picture light enough to distinguish shadow detail) the face will ltlsh out

Docs this mean that yo u have to measure aU items 10 see whether they exceed the acceptable oonrast rat io when S(en together Not at aU A few small shiny items in the p icture will nol upsel a limited contrast ral io espe shycially whn using l1igh-quality cameras Rhinestones on a dress for example make the picture come alive and give it sparkle In fact video opera tors like 0 have something white and so mething black on the set so that they can (gtt the appropriate video levels But avoid having relat ively large extremely bright areas and extcemlt dark ones right next to each other

One big advalllage o f shooling in the st udio is that you can control rh l light intensity and ilh ii the contrast Even if the talent wear contrasting clothes you c1n always reduc the cu ntra 5-t by adjusti ng the key and fij I lights so Ihat the difkrelces between lighr and dark areas are someshywhat reduced

Here are a few tips for preventing an o lerly high conshytrast ratio

bull Be aware o f the general reflectance of the objects A highly reRective ooject obviously needs less illu shymi natio n than does a highly light-absorbing one

bull Avoid extreme brightlle~ con traSts in the sltml shot For example if you need 10 gthow a new line of white ch ill do not put it 011 a dark-purple tableclo th By displaying it all a lighter more light-reflecting cloto you (rllim it the amOllnt of light fall ing on Ihe poreltlin without making the tabkgtlt loth appear too dark and muddy

bull Have the talenl Vo id clo thes whose colors are [00

con trasting (such as a ta rched white shi rt with a black suit )

173

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

174 Chapter 8

Mll n COIlITas problems however occur when shoo lshying outdoo rs on a sunny day These problems lnd how to solve them arc explored in seclion 82

BALANCING LIGHT INTENSITIES Even i f you have cil rcfully adjusted he position Ind lhe beam of Ille key back and ftlllignts you stilnced 10 bal shyaJlc their rllH ilt ilHen silics JOI example t i~ nOI only lhe direction of the lights lhal orient s the viewer in time but also their relative intcmilies A sirollg back ligh t wilh high -key slow-falloff fro nt lighti ng can suggest Ihe early shymorning sun a generous amolln t o f Sirons back light and low-key very low-illlensit fronl lighring can suggest moonligh l l

There is some argumll1 OIooUl whether tolksl balan Ihe keYdnd back lights o r the key and fiJJ lights Actually It malttts litile which yo u do first so lo ng as the end effect is ltI well -bal anced pictu re Becau ~e balancing the three lights of the lighting triangle depends on what you intend to convey to th viewer you cant use precise intensity ratios among h y back and fill lights as an absolute guidt fo r dfective lighting Newnhdess there are some ra tim thai have provnl heneficial for a number of ro utine lighting aSSIgnments You Cd ll always stMI with the~ ra tios and then adjusllhem 10 you r speci fic liShliJlg task

KEY -TO -BACK -LiGHT RATIO In normal condilions back lights h~lVe app roxi matey the same intensity as key lights An unusually intense back light tends to glamorize people a back light with an intonsity much lo~er than Ihat of the key tends to get l o~1 on the monitor A televisioll performer with blo nd hil ir and a light-colored suit will need considerab ly less back light than will a dukmiddothalfed pltrforlller in d ddtk suit The 11 key-to-back-Iight ratio (key and bak lights have equal intensities) can go as high 3~ U5 (the back light has one and l half limes the intensit y of the key) if you need a fair amount o f sparkle o r if the talent has d ark light -absorbing textured hair

KEY -TO -FILL -LIGHT RATIO The fill -light intensity depends on how fast d fallofr you want If you want faSl falloff for dramatic effen lillie fill is needed Jf you Ivant very slolv fallo ff higher-inumiddotnsitr fill is needed As you Colli see there is no si ngle key-to- till shy

I Sec Herbert ic1l1 Siglrr So und MJ rjlI ~ I h ( (I ([ktn lonl Ct lif Thonuon W~hworlh 2)U5) pp 28- 10

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

light rltuio but for slarle ts you may Ialll to try a fill-light intens ity that i ~ half that o ftbe key and go from there Rlt shymember that the 1110re nil light you use the less model ing the key ligh l i~ doing but tnesmoother the texture (such as of a persons facc) occomes If you use lmoM no fill light the dense shadows revea no picture deta il and you tun th e risk of some colo r d isto nion in the shadow areas If for (xampJt- a detective refers to a small scar on the k-ft side of a womans face and a close-up of her face show~ nothing but a dense shadow Iherc Ihe scar should be or when the ~hildolV hides an imporlanl detail in il producrdemo nstra shytion Ihe key-to-fi ll-lighl ratio is obviously wro ng

If you ilre ilsked to ighl fo r a high-lllselight lowshycontrast scene (high-key lighting) you may want to use floodlights [or both Ihe key and the fill wi th the fill blrnshying at almosl the saiOe intensity as the key As you knolv by now higll -kl) has notlung to do with the actual posit ioning of the key Iif-ht but rather Ihe illtensity of the overail ligh [evel Ttw b(k ligot should probably burn with a higher intensity than the key o r the fililighr to provide the necshyessary spariJe 111 a low-key scene the back light is o ften considerably brighter than Inc key and fi ll ligh ts SEE I 26

BId (~Ilt ~I kty 200 Ie Of 1001 kI~

fill (1SOkOfI~lux)

(200 k 1)( 1000 IuxJ

urn

826 LIGHTING RATIOS Llghtill9 rat ios differ depending on the specific light ing task These ratios are a good starting point

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Section B1

Again as helpful as ligh t meters are in establishing

rough light ing rat ios do nOt rely roldy o n them Your

final criterion is how the picture looks on a well -adjusted mo ni tor

LIGHT PLOT The light plot shovs ( ) the loca tion ofrhe li ghting Jl1 Slru shy

ment s rcllIiv( to the set and the ilJuminated objects lOd dreas (2 ) the principal directio ns or the beams and ideally (3) the type and Ihe sie of th e instruments used

III drawing a su( (cssful light plOl you need an accurate floor plan that shoWs the scenery and the stage props the ptincipaltal rnt p05il0I1$ and the majorcamer positions and shooting angles (see seclion 152) Most routine 5hoIs such as news interviews or panel shows are rebtLvely easy to light and do nOI change heir lighting setup from show to show so you dont need a light plol If you have to light an atypical show however such as a graduate dance projcct or an interview with the university president and members of the board of trustees a Iighl plot makes the lighti ng less

Sofllights

Lighting in th e S tudio

arbi rary and saves the creW con siderable time and EIHrgy YOIl can also use it again later for similar setups

An ea~y way to make a light 1101 is to Iut a transparshyellcy over a copy of the floor plan and draw the lighting information on the transparency Use d iffernt icons for ~potlights md fl oodlight s drawing arrows to indi cate the main directions o f the beams SEE bull J7 ANO bull n Sam LDs use smaU cutouts of Ineir $potlighu and floodlighls wllich they then lal on the floor plan and muve into the ppro shypriate posilio ns

Try to work with the set designer (usually the art di(lCmiddotshytor) or the lloor manager (who is responsible for putt ing up the- set) as m uch as possible 10 have them place th tgt set in thE studio where yo u won t have to move any or only a fe w instruments to achieve the desired lighting PIKshying the smaU set to SUil the available ligilling positions is much easier than m oving the lights to sui t the locuion of a small set

Studio ligh ting is successful when you get it done on timE -ith due respect to creative lighting dont fuss over a single dense shadow somewhere on th e backgro und while eglecting 10 lighl the HSI of the sel l( you are really

(amera 011 (U Reflector

o 827 LIGHT PLOT fOR fLAT LIGHTING Of INTERVIEW 828 LIGHT PLOT fOR INTERVIEW USING fLOODS AND SPOTS This light pIol ShoW5 the slow-fa lloff (flaOlighting selup for This interview is lighted for (duer (alloff It lI~es spol ~ fo key d imple intlil vlew Ordinarily ~uch a simple ~etup would not MId blck lights and scoops for flU and b1 ckground lights

require illight plo Note that the ~ketch is ilOI lO S(ale

175

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

176 Chop ter 8

p ressed (or l im e turn Of) some fl oodlights and back lights that hang in approximate positions and hope (or the best More often than no t [he lighting wiJIlook [lcCeplabk

OPERATION Of STUDIO LIGHTS Vhen initially hangi ng lights divide the studio into major performance areas and hang the appropriate instruments (spotligh ts and floodlights) in the triangolar arrangements of the basic photographic princi ple Tq to position the inSlrurllCn lS so tha I they can serve muhi ple funct ions Ihal is light more than one person or several paris of the sel This win help you illuminate all majo r performance areas adequately wirh minimum effo rt and instruments

SAFETY In Ihe actual operat ion o f lighti ng instruments and the associated cont rol equipment you should need the rule (or alJ prod uction activi ties silielylirSI

bull As mentio ned in chapler 7 IllwllYs wear glOleS Wiell

working wiriJ Ilctive ligluing ill)rumenls The gloves will protect you frOnl burns when touchi ng ho t barn doors or lamps and will give you some protectio n from electric shock

bull Always secure the Iighling instrumellls 10 the battens middotit h safety chains or cables and auach the barn doors and sc rims fa the ligh ting instrument s Check all Cc1amps periodically esptcially the bolts that connect the lighting instruments to the hanging device

bull Be careful when plugging in light and when moving active (switched-on ) instruments Beca use tne ho t lamps are especiaUy vulnerable to physica l shock try 110t to jolt the instrument move it gently

bull When replacing lamps wait until the instrument has cooled somewhat Always turn off the instrument before reaching in to remove a burned-o ut lamp As a double proteclIon u nplug the ligh t at the batten Do 1101 lo uch

till Itw I] rfOrtt lamp willT your fingers Fi ngerprints o r allY

other stuff clinging to the quartz housing o f the lamp cause the lamp to ow rhcat and burn out Wear glocs o r if you have nothing dsc use a tissue or even your sh irtt ai l when handling the lamp

bull Watch for o bstacles above and below middothen moving ladders Do no t take any chances by leaning way o ut to reach an instrument Positio ll the Iildder so Ihat you ca n work from behind rather than in (ra nt o f the instrument en adjusting a light t ry not to look d irectly illto it look instead at the object to be lighted and see how the be m

TECHNIQUES OF TELEVISION LIGHTING

strikes it If you must look into the light wear dark glas$Is and do so onl y briefly

bull BeCore )o u start patching (assuming Ihat you use a ph ys ical patchboard ) have aU d immers and breakers in the offposition Do not hot-patch by conn ecting the power cord of thi instrum ent to Ihe power o utle t on tht batten with the breaker switched on Hot-patching can burn your hand and also pil the patches so that they no longer make the proper connection

PRESERVING LAMPS AND POWER Try to arm up large instruments through reduced power by keeping the dimmer low for a short while before supmiddot plying full power This wi ll pro long the lamp life and the Fresnel len ses wh ich occasionally crack when warmed up too fast This warm-up period (about one to three min utes) is essenlial for getting HMI lights up to full opera tion Do nOI o erload a circuit il Olay hold d uring rehearsnl b ut Ihen go o ul just al the wrong time d uring the actual show If extension cords s tar( to get ho t un gtlug and replace them immediately with lowcrmiddot gauge (thicker wire such as 14-gaugc) cables

Do nOI wasle energy Dry runs (withou t cameras) can be done just as efficiently when illuminated by work lights LS by full studio lighting If you have mo abk battens telemiddot scope hangers or pantograph_ try to bri ng the lights down itS d ose as possible 10 the object o r scene to be illuminated As you kno w light intensity drops off considerablr the fart her the light moves fro m Iheobjecc Bring the lighs up full o nly when necessary

USING A STUDIO MONITOR Ifyou intend to use it well-adjusted color monito r as a guide for lighting yo u must be ready for some compromise As noted the lighting is correct if the s tudio monitor shovs what you ant the viewer to perceive To get to this point you should use the monitor as l guide 10 ligh ting rath er than Ihe less d irect light meter But OU may ru n inlo diffishyculties T he video operator Olay leU you that she cannot set up the cameras (adjust them for an optimal video signal) befo re yo u have finished the lighting And you r argument p robably is (a nd should be) that you cannot finish the light iog without checking it o n tbe man ito r

Approach Ihis argum ent with a readiness fo r comproshymise because both parties have d valid point You can do Ihe basic lighti l1g withoul the camera An mcidcllI-light reading (fOOl-cand le o r lux) can help you detect gross in shyadequacies such as insufficient basd ight levels extremely unevcn ill uminatio n or too high a contrast Wi lh some

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177

Sec ti on 8 1

experience you can also leU h ether a shadow is too dense fo r adequate reprod ucti on of color and deta il l3u t fo r the fi ne trimming you nicd atlrJs one camera Altk the VO to work with you after all it is also the VOs respollsibility 10

ddiver optimal pictures The single camera can be roughly set up to the ltxisting illum ination and pointed at the set With the direct feedback of the picture on the studio moni shytor YOII can proceed to correct glaring discrepancies o r simply touch up some of the lighl ingas to beam d irect ion a nd intensity After thi5 nne trimm ing all cameras can be set up and balanced for optimal performance

i lJ~bullbull~abullbull ~bullbull_ bull All light ing uses directional andor diffused light

bull The key light is the plincipal source of ilium ina lion and reveals the basic shape of the oblen

bull The wck light provides more detiniliOll to Ihe objeltls outshyline separates il flom the baCkground and give~ it spakle

bull The fi1llighl reltlultes fa lloH and makes the shadows less dense

bull Most television lighting setups use the basic photographic principle o( triang le light ing of key back ~nd fill lights

bull The background or set IIghl ili uminiHes the background of the ~cene and the sel The side light ac ts as addi tional ti ll or a side key The kicker light is used to outline the conmiddot tour of an object tha t WOuld otherwise blNod in with the Ixlckground

ligh rin g In l he Studio

bull Specific lighting techniques include nat lighting continushyous-action lighting large-area light ing highontrast lighting ca meo lighting silhouette light ing chroma-key area lighting and controlling eye and boom shadows

bull FallaH i ndicate~ how fasl the lighted side of a ~ubject changes to shadow and how dense the shadows are Fasl falloff means that the light and shadow areas are d istinct and that the shadows are dense Slow falkgtH means Ih3t the transition from light to shadow is more gradual and that Ihe shadows are transp3ent Gener31ly f3St fallotf means highontran lighting ~Iow (all middotoff me3ns low-contrast o r f1atlighung

bull A lowmiddotkey scene hls a dark background with selective fast middotfal loff lighting and a dramatic or mysterious mood A high-key scene has a light background a genera lly high baselight level and usually an upbeat happy mood

bull Contras t is the difference between the lig htest and the darkest area~ in a pictu re as meu ured by renened light

bull The contrast MHO IS the contraSI u measured by reflected light The normal optimalcOtluast ra lio i5 401 to ~Ol l t

can be highel (or d igilal cameras which means th3t they (an lolerine a higher conlrasl

bull 6alancing the intensi ties of the various lights depends largely on the desired effect

bull The light plot indicates Ihe location of the lighting instrumiddot ments the principal d irection of their light beams and sometimes the type and SiZE of thE Instruments used

bull ElCerciSE caution during alilighlin9 operatklns_ Do not look dlrKtly Into the Inst ruments and wear gloves when hanshydling the hot lightsshy

177