Lecture 7 Lighting: What was covered? Do you think the content is relevant to
your project? And why?

Lighting in general contributes to a scene and a mood – and throughout the last couple of weeks I have come to realise how important it really is. I have also learnt how it can make or break a film – it can increase or decrease the standard of the film overall irrelvent to what the script is.

In week 7’s lecture, we look more into how to acomplish different types of lighting – and what lighting equipment to use. Specifically we looked at controlling light – to allow for a realistic lighting setting and to acomplish the over all mood of the scene that is being shot. It’s incredible how much lighting is needed and worth doing – I learnt this while shooting our short film. I also learnt how time consuming it is and how much thought and pre-planning should go into it. But also at the same time, you can’t help certain circumstances on the day, so you have to make do with what you have. Lighting has a huge impact, and I think learning about it was very relvent because it has allowed for me to be able to problem solve on the spot.

In the lecture Paul and Robin spoke about how certain lighting can illuminate a person’s face and features. They spoke about how light can highlight certain parts of the face and how different light can alter how certain features look. It was interesting to see how much the rotation of light, different lighting equipment and directions can alter someones face.

Select from one of the readings from week 5, 6 or 7 and describe two points that you have taken from it. Points that excite you, something that was completely new to you.
It is recommended to read all of the readings.

Ch. 5. Lighting a scene (extracts). In Malkiewicz, K. Film
lighting : talks with Hollywood’s cinematographers and gaffers, (p. 99-115,
128-135). New York: Pretence Hall, 1986.

– Lighting faces: I usually photograph people and I always find lighting something very difficult to get right. But once it is right – it makes such a huge difference, it’s actually incredible. Going from still photography to cinematography was difficult for me (generally because I am such a perfectionist and there is so much control in still then there is with movement). While filming, I was really pushed to compromise some of my views to what something should look like – and this was really good for me. It allowed things to happen naturally. Within the reading it speaks about how to light a face and how much certain light, such as diffused, can really allow for highlighting of certain features – features that compliment.

– Hard light: Hard light can cause such a negatuve affect when its unwanted. When I shoot still and it’s outdoors, I always hope for a cloudy day. Its easy to work with and control the light. When ever I shoot, I will take a white card or a reflector. This can allow a diffuse of hard light and allow is to become softer. What I took from this part of the reading was how important a white card is – it can create a soft and gentle light, that isnt harsh and allows for a realistic and wanted effect. ‘Bouncing’ light off a white card or a reflector creates softer shadows.