Lighting an airport scene at night

[zack86]

Hi,
Next month I going to start filming a sceen at an airport, outside, along a chain link fence, by a cargo road that is not well lit. I have a 30 amp generator and two 100' lengths of extension cords to light roughly 3250 watts including two fresnels. The two teenage actors for the first scene will be standing looking through the fence talking to each other. The second scene involves just one of the guys. He gets arrested at this same spot by the police (I have arranged an arrest scene with the police department) The police car will have flashing blue lights which I hope will add to the overall look of this scene. Although the two scenes happen at different parts in the 45 minute movie, (my first one by the way) I'll have to film them the same night since my permit for the airport and use of the police dictates that. SO...I need help lighting both scenes. Some gells maybe? I'm using a Sony F355 XDCAM HD, a jib arm with a good fluid head attached. Thanks in advance for your help.
Richard

 

[yellowpit]

Lighting Airport scene

Lighting Airport scene

One thing to consider is how far to put your lights from your action. If the lights are close to the scene you'll create just a pool of light. Fine if you're simulating a street light.
If you back the lights off 100 feet you'll have lower light levels, but you will be able to spread the action out over a wider and deeper stage.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Sort of depends a lot on the look you want to achieve, and what the "freebies" there are in the background in terms of lighting. Obviously there is no point in shooting at an airport at night if you don't have a lit background with planes in the shot. So perhaps given that you've found a spot with that in the background, that may determine how you want to shoot the guys at the fence. You may decide on a simple overhead effect as if from a streetlamp. You may even be able to use a paper lantern for that.

 

[professor aire]

Sometimes airports have lighting around their exterior edges, even if just at service points. It probably wouldn't be that hard to give the audience the impression that there's a service light nearby that's providing some extra illumination.