American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1952)

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COMMONSENSE LIGHTING ( Continued from Page 29) it was noted that colors reproduce satis¬ factorily as long as the shaded parts of the scene are given at least 25% as much light as highlighted areas. There¬ upon, indoor filmers went all-out for the more brilliant lighting. The lighting effect in Nature having the greaest impact upon us is strong backlighting which occurs when the sun is shining from behind the objects at which we are looking; limning them with a narrow halo of highlight, while the general front illumination is soft and subdued. Since such backlighting pleases us so much, it is not surprising that backlighting is used extensively in indoor filming. Now, let us consider what we have learned from Nature: 1. All lights — except one — should have a high position in relation to the principal objects in the scene. Ob¬ viously, we are accustomed to light which reaches the scene from high UP 2. The one light which is not placed high up is the fill light. This is placed near the camera, usually on the side away from the main light, and its function is to soften or elim¬ inate the shadows which are cast by the main light in much the same way that reflected light from the sky and other objects softens shadows out¬ doors. It should be as diffused and non-directional as possible. In other words, any shadows which it casts should not be perceptible nor dis¬ turbing. 3. The key light, (main light) which illuminates the actors and principal foreground objects should come from a single light source. If more than one lamp is used, then they should be close together so as to function as one unit. In lighting a typical indoor scene for best results, the key light should be set for 45 degree lighting, meaning that it will occupy a position which is to the right or to the left of the camera, and playing upon the main actors or fore¬ ground objects at a 45 degree down¬ ward angle. It should he set to the side, so that if two lines were drawn, one from the camera to subject, the other from light to subject, these lines would be at a 45 degree angle from each other, converging on the subject. At these angles, the main light can be placed near or far away, depending upon the strength of the light, and the effect desired. 4. The fore ground and the background should receive equal illumination, 30 • Amkiucan Cinematographer generally speaking, but the strength of the light from movie lamps falls off sharply with distance. We can¬ not depend upon the main lights to illuminate the background, and so floodlights or spotlights are placed outside camera range to illuminate the background. A meter reading will indicate when the background lighting is at par. 5. Backlighting in a modified form from that which enchants us out¬ doors is used to produce threedimensional effects by a lighting phenomenon known as “separation.” Lights are placed high up and as far behind the actors as is feasible, (without the lightstands coming into picture range). If spotlights are used, their concentrated beam should not be so strong as to ap¬ pear overbright. Its effect is ob¬ served from camera position with all lights lit. The limning effect sep¬ arates the planes in the scene and it will be most pleasing when dark ob¬ jects or shadows in the background set it off. Conversely, a light back¬ ground will devaluate backlighting. A favorite trick is to keep the upper parts of the background quite dark thus giving full play to the back¬ lighting of the hair and shoulders of players, (usually occupying that part of the screen picture). The second category into which in¬ terior lighting falls, embraces lighting effects dictated by the presence of room lamps and other light sources which are within range of the camera. This was covered in the first of these discussions in the September 1951, American Cine¬ matographer. In that article we recom¬ mend that the highlight and shadow patterns which are created when ordi¬ nary room lights are turned on be studied with a view to reproducing similar effects on the screen for amateur movies. Can the basic lighting princi¬ ples — the familiar light patterns that we like — be used in conjunction with at¬ tempts to simulate the effects of ordi¬ nary room lighting? Well, let’s say that a compromise may he reached. The establishing shot, (long shot) is important because it shows the position of the room lamps in relation to the actors and thus fixes the overall scene in the minds of the audience. The au¬ thenticity of the lighting is revealed be¬ cause the photo lamps are placed so as to make it appear that the light illumi¬ nating the room might conceivably have come from the room lamps. Actually, a room lamp even with a photoflood bulb inserted will not do much more than throw a pattern of highlight from the bottom and from the top of the lamp¬ shade. To make up for this deficiency, • January, 1952 the main lamp projects light on the scene from the general direction of the room lamp, and this light is concen¬ trated upon the faces of actors or prin¬ cipal objects in the scene. When the camera is moved in for medium shots and for the closeups, room lamps are usually out of picture range, and it is then that the “cheating” is done. The lighting of the actors may be modified to conform more nearly to basic lighting. Why must this be? Well, let us sup¬ pose that a table lamp in the scene is located to the right of an actor who faces the camera. The long shot may have established this from an oblique camera angle, but we have cut to a front view closeup of the actor’s face. Were we to merely substitute a photo lamp in the position occupied by the table lamp in the long shot, it would throw a hard, unflattering light on the side of the actor’s face. Instead, we raise the key light and bring it as far to the front as possible without destroy¬ ing the illusion that the highlight is coming from the table lamp. Like a magnet, the ideal of basic lighting keeps pulling us onto safe ground. The change in camera position also permits modifications of the fill light, the backlighting, and the lights which iluminate the background. These re¬ adjustments are made for utmost pic¬ torial impact without too much regard for the original lighting in the long shot, (unless there is conflict). Changing and adjusting the lights can provide an endless variety of high¬ light and shadow patterns within the basic lighting framework. The main light may be set to the right or to the left of the camera and can be raised or lowered at will. It can be set directly over the camera for certain effects. But always, the eye of the cameraman must scrutinize and evaluate the changes made by shifting the lights. Only con¬ stant study will reveal the limitations steming from good taste; a helpful rule is to reject first lighting efforts. Keep shifting the lights about until the spot is found in which each light serves your purpose best. And now, we come to the third cate¬ gory — lighting large areas. Not long ago, we were giving a demonstration of interior lighting, and two interesting questions were asked by people in the audience: “Tell me how to get artistic lighting effects with one No. 1 photoflood lamp in a reflector, and an 8mm camera?” was one of the questions. The other was something like this, “My child invari¬ ably keeps running around the room when I try to get shots of him. How can I light the whole room so I can (Continued on Page 33)