CAMERA AND LIGHTING TECHNIQUES

How and why does lighting affect camera techniques for moving image?

High quality, and well thought out lighting can mean the difference between your film looking like low budget social realism, and a big budget blockbuster. David Sterritt describes the use of elaborate lighting as part of the; "classical Hollywood style" [it] results from a cluster of principles, practices, and procedures that Hollywood studios (and others eager to emulate their financial success) have promulgated since the 1920s. Among its main characteristics are;

-Three-point lighting that maximizes the visibility and clarity of images" [1]
By describing it as a Hollywood Style, Sterritt suggests that lighting is essential to create a frame where the editing is as invisible as it is in Hollywood films.

This shot from the short film My Utopia [2] shows how the room looks normally, and how the lighting has made the frame appear. Their choice of lighting is directly affected by the shot they use in this scene. All shots are either extreme close ups from a high angle on the students, or they're this very shot below, at different levels of close ups and long shots, so as to keep the lighting on the chalkboard the same the whole time.

[2]



Each camera technique is unique and implies a different meaning to the last. The effect of a camera technique is less prevalent if the cinematography is the same through each shot. By having obvious, and artistic lighting that contrasts shot by shot, the scene not only becomes more artistic and vibrant, but the messages being conveyed are more obvious.
[4]
For instance, in this scene from True Detective, a continuous panning/tracking shot is used with no cuts. From the point that they enter the house, the lighting changes dramatically depending on which room Cohle enters. This technique is used because, had they used cuts and static cameras to show Cohle entering each room, it would have given an image of calmness and control, it would have been focusing on Cohle instead of the state of the house, and not accurately depicting the chaos and danger that a handheld tracking shot shows.

Because of the director choosing to use a tracking shot, both the drastic and subtle changes in each room had to be displayed solely from the cinematography. There's backlighting on Cohles body the whole way through, to emphasise the focus on the environment, we see his face lit up briefly as he passes through the hallway between rooms, just to give us a quick glimpse at his facial expression and a clue as to the situation from his mind. The only room in the house without low key lighting is the child's room, suggesting innocence.

This explanation of the scene through lighting is used so commonly in film because it's easy to see that dark = bad and light = good. By using exaggerated contrasts like in this sequence, every audience member can subliminally pick up on negative characters or scenes simply from the lighting. This is supported by an analysis in Cinematography theory and practice; "Take this opening frame from Punch Drunk Love. The wide and distant shot emphasises his isolation and loneliness reinforced by the colour scheme and the lack of wall decoration. The dull shapeless overhead fluorescent lighting underscores the mood and tone of the scene." [3]

1 The Films of Jean Luc Godard: Seeing the Invisible
2 http://stillmotionblog.com/lighting-with-purpose/
3 Cinematography theory and practice 2nd edition
4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HuFuKiq8U

lighting equipment and setups for the following scenarios;

• A small documentary where portability is paramount

-LED, Adjustable/dimmable brightness Light Kit with Carrying Bag & Stands. Weighs just under 30 pounds for portability. Comes with a carrying case and softboxes that fit over the lights to diffuse them and cast an even, flattering glow on your interview subject.

-Micro-LED on-camera light. Heat Free LED, reduced fire risk. Flicker free output for continuous, smooth shots. Battery powered for portability. Lightweight and compact.

• ‘Talking head’ style interviews

-2 lamps with softboxes. One key light for the majority of the face, one fill light further away for a softer brightness to fill in the darker parts to the side.

-1 lamp without softbox on boom mic (with counterweight) that points down from behind head. This is the hair light to separate the subject from the background.

-2 lamps with barn doors, pointed at background for the backlight.

• A ‘night time’ shoot.

- 1 harsh lamp without softbox to put behind subjects out of shot as a hair light. Positioned high up and pointed down. Good for urban environments, less for rural areas.
- 1 - 2 very bright backlights for buildings or structures behind subjects to create backdrop that separates subjects from background. Best in urban area.

- 1 very dim key light near camera, pointed at faces, only to make sure faces aren't completely in shadow.