T351 Lighting Lab

Field Lighting Exercise

Overview - In teams, you will light and shoot an interview and an item or product. Before next week's lab you will observe and critique your team's shots.

Instructions: Form teams of 3-4 people. Each person will be in charge of achieving two different interview lighting setups of the same subject. When each person in the group is finished, select a product (watch, iPhone, soda, computer, etc.) and individually create and capture one artfully lit shot of it, such as what you might see in a commercial. While you shoot, visibly and audibly slate each lighting set up. (Your name, lighting setup# and the style of lighting you are trying to achieve, such as narrow, silhouette, etc.). After capturing all of the interview and product shots you should individually log, review and critique your work. When you are finished, submit a QuickTime file to the T351 folder (saved as your username_lighting), and bring a log and critique before the next lab.

You will be graded on your lighting, composition, log & critique. While audio is not critical, be sure to use a lav or shotgun mic to record your subject and your audible field slates.

Section One – Indoor Interview

Compose, light and shoot an interview setup. Your on-camera subject will be one of your partners. Position them as if they were facing an unseen interviewer positioned next to the camera. (MCU- no interviewer visible) Use at least two different lighting set ups without changing the camera shot. Choose from the following, or make up your own: broad with soft key, narrow with soft key, broad with hard key, narrow with hard key, artistic, silhouette, etc. You might try a gel over the back or hair light. A slash of color in the background adds visual interest.

Field slate your takes visually and audibly to help you identify your lighting setup. (You can use the camera mic or a lav)

Be sure to actually ask your interview subject questions and let them answer for at least 15 seconds or so, so we have time to observe the shot you have lit.

Section Two - Product or Item

As a team select a single item or product to shoot. (iPhone, soda, computer, etc.) Consider the framing and backdrop that you would use if the item was for a documentary or for a product advertisement. Try to create a style or mood through your set and lighting- and most of all, try to make your item look good. The framing, composition, backdrop and lighting will all be important. Once you have the product framed nicely, each person will light and shoot at least one different lighting setup. Visually and audibly slate your takes. Try both hard and soft light. Perhaps a colored gel as a backlight. Which do you think makes your product more appealing? Does it look good enough to be used in a commercial?

When you are through, log and critique your footage. You will turn in:

• Quicktime file saved as your username_lighting
• Log - (note timecode #, take, and lighting setup)
• Critique - What shots looked best to you & why? What was easy or difficult about the process? Do you feel more comfortable with lighting?
  

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