Indie Film Tech Tip: China Lanterns

Scott Spears · Dec 10, 2005

Hey,

Here's a little Tech Tip I did on how use inexpensive China lanterns to get a nice softlight for your movies. It's a Windows Media file.

Check out the out Tech Tips on my Filmmaking Page.

Thanks,

http://www.scottspears.net/filmmakpg3.html

Scott

Reminiscence · Dec 10, 2005

Indie Film Tech Tip: China Lanterns

Shot alot!!! I just got myself some Chinese Lanterns. And still need to work with them. But I have a question, how do you get to use them as a spotlight? Like direct it at a certain subject? Other than just using it for ambience...

Sorry for such newbish question, but I'm sure you know what I mean...

Thanks in advance and keep up the great work...

Regards
Reminiscence

Scott Spears · Dec 10, 2005

You really can't do much to make a China lantern directional. It's a big softlight. If you want to cut spill from it, you can attact black wrap (black aluminum foil) or duvateen (black cloth) to areas of it to stop light from going everywhere, but that's about it.

Check out the clip grip kit goodies and there's a small light featured that you can get for under $10 that might serve you better. You'll need some kind of socket, a clamp, a stand and probably some diffusion to make it work.

Good luck.

Scott

greg · Oct 9, 2006

big bad bulbs

big bad bulbs

i've been looking at light bulbs, and you can get a rather large incandescent bulb (calld a "ps35 mogul base") sometimes used in churches and other large industrial settings. cost is about 9 dollars.

they come in 300 or 500 watts, and i was wondering if i could stick one (or even two) of these in a large lantern? what kind of socket would i need, and what else should i keep in mind to avoid fires or explosions?

thanks,
greg

greg · Oct 10, 2006

i went to the hardware store and answered my above question, so no need to worry about that.

scott mentioned wrapping a gel around a lightbulb for color. i am using a 300 watt utility bulb, and feel like this would melt right through a gel, ruining both it and the bulb in the process. how might i gel the lantern bulbs in a ruesable way?

lastly, and this is pretty bonheaded and until i learn some of the basic principals thanks for bearing with me, if i want a low/mood-lighting effect (it's a party scene), and am using a set of lanterns on a dimmer, is there any reason/advantage in using higher-wattage bulbs if they are going to be putting-out less than their maximum amount of light?

thanks,

greg