Lighting: My Achilles Heel

[HamTonks]

I'm new here -- I'm not new to film (or, in my case, video), but lighting has always been one aspect of the filmmaking process that I've yet to grasp (to my satisfaction, at least).

I've decided that in my next short, lighting will get more love than it has in the past.

I cannot afford (or access a rental place for) kino flos, HMIs, or anything this advanced -- think a VERY Indie budget. I'm shooting for using standard foam board to bounce fill, shop lights for key lighting, etc.

I do need guidance, though -- an example for you: I've gained access to some great locations. A "podunk" police station, an empty hangar, etc. I stagger at the thought of figuring out how to light some of these scenes.

So please, if you could, tell me how to essentially build my light kit from Wal-Mart of Home Depot purchases. Also, any idea what I could use in place of diffusion paper? Some silk, maybe?

Sorry if this is longwinded -- here: an abridged version:

I need lighting advice for some indoor scenes, varying in brightness (help with my 3-point technique), outdoor scenes, interior car scenes (night and day) and even a warehouse scene (preferably one source of light, overhead, with a soaking wet concrete floor [love the effect]). I also need recommendations of how to get these shots accomplished from nearly everyday items (shoplights, foam boards... think Wal-Mart or Home Depot).

Sorry if this is a lot to ask, but there are some wise folks on this board. Thanks in advance.

 

[tinx]

a few no-budge lighting pointers...

a few no-budge lighting pointers...

cheap lighting ideas:

1- You can get some work lamps (with the metal rim and the clamp) and screw on some photoflood bulbs.

2- for diffusion you can bounce off white table cloth, or strike through plastic white table cloth (this actually works well, to soften sunlight).

3- China balls with tungsten bulbs-- you can get these at Ikea.

4- Christmas lights. Yes. The really long ropes of little lights (not the Colored ones, obviously.) You can tape them row by row in a black or white cardboard box and use it as a soft light source. I haven't tried this yet but I got the idea from a member of the ASC.



hope that helps

 

[Nantia]

to make a kino flo type light....you can also use flouresents which are really cheap and build ur own flicker free balist, ill post u how later on its really easy but u need some knowlage on electrics, so maybe ask some one who knows to help, using gels to correct the green. (or at most home depo places theyll have tungstun and daylight tubes for ur flouresent bulbs. And finally u make urself "barn doors, out of plastic, its worked really well for me!