The subtitle of this lighting text is Lighting Techniques for Video Production. It is based on the premise that you place your key and fill instruments in positions that produce the most effective shadow patterns. Shadow patterns are created in order to establish mood and location, provide concealment, establish flattering portraiture, accentuate texture and create interesting composition.
Most people confuse the term “illumination” with “lighting.” However, a scene may be illuminated, yet far from lit. You will understand the distinction before reaching the last chapter.
Now then, what else can you expect from this book? You can expect to be more aware of the tricks and equipment used by the professionals. When you have finished reading, you will not be an expert lighting designer; that will not happen until you light many sets under a variety of trying circumstances. However, learning about the special accessories and methods I am about to describe will make your work easier and your results more professional. Lighting isn’t an illusion, it is reality. When you erect a light, I guarantee you will get illumination—it may not be the exact effect you desire, but you will see light. The first step is to have a purpose or reason for this particular light.
If you were raised as I was, you believe that federal marshals will storm your home and arrest you for removing the tag from new pillows. After all, the ominous warning reads, “Do not remove under penalty of law.” Well, I have come to the point in life where I rip them off and cry, “Come and get me.”
I was also raised to believe it is a crime to write in books. But I am going to request that you throw caution to the wind and write in this one. Trust me. Your mother will not punish you, and I need your cooperation in order to make an important point about the intentions and methods of this text. Let’s try this “writing in a book” test.
In Diagram 1 (page viii) you will find a jumble of numbers. Get a pencil and give yourself 30 seconds to draw a continuous line from number 1 to number 2 to number 3, etc. At the end of 30 seconds stop and make a note of the number you last connected to the series. Got everything you need? Pencil poised? (The truly brave may use a pen or Sharpie™.) Stop watch set? OK! Ready … begin.
How did you do? Now we will see if we can improve your score. In Diagram 2 (page x) you will see the same jumble of numbers. Notice that there are four small dots located around the edge of the jumble on this page. Draw a vertical line from the dot in the center at the top to the dot in the center at the bottom of the jumble. Now draw a horizontal line connecting the two dots on the left and right sides of the jumble.
Now the jumble is divided into quadrants. Starting at the top left quadrant of the jumble, write number 1. Put number 2 at the top right corner, number 3 at the bottom right corner, and number 4 at the bottom left corner.
I’ll also point out that the numbers are arranged so that the first numeral in a series of four numbers is found in the first quadrant. The next number is located in the third quadrant. The following number will be in the second quadrant, and the next in the series will be located in the fourth quadrant. Then the pattern starts over again. In order, the numbers are found first in quadrant 1, then in quadrants 3 and 2 and finally in quadrant 4. Got it? Good! Now give yourself another 30 seconds and try again.
Armed with that new information you reached a much higher number this second time around, I am sure. While there has been no improvement in your IQ, there has been quite an improvement in your ability to complete the specific task.
In a way, that is what this book will do for your lighting skills. It will not improve your IQ, but it will make it easier and more enjoyable for you to light sets. The book is designed to encourage you to go out and try new things—to experiment and to be creative. After all, like the producers of The Outer Limits, you have total control over what the viewers see and how they perceive it.
A lone lighting instrument is a pretty poor lighting tool. This is especially true of the open-faced instruments that are commonly used for location lighting. The creative control of light is the result of using the various accessories available. You will read about many of them, look at photos of them, and learn the roles they play in the control of light. Some uses will be suggested for each item, but do not limit yourself to the examples given. Try other applications and experiment. Controlling the placement of shadows and spill is what good lighting is all about, so there is a heavy accent on the use of accessories. You may already know about some of these; others may be completely new to you. Some are nice to have, others are a must.
You must light to accommodate the limited capabilities of an electronic system. It is essential that you understand how that system reacts to light; you must also know a bit about the physical properties of light itself. I am the first to admit that I am not an electronics expert or a physicist, and you do not need to be one either to acquire a basic understanding of these disciplines as they relate to your work with lights. Before you learned some inside information about the number jumble earlier, you wasted time looking all around for your next selection. You are just as likely to waste time lighting a set without some inside information about the properties of light and the way the television system is designed to react to those properties. You will make a series of uninformed decisions about instrument selection and placement. Often you may be working against your intended goals.
I begin with some painless lessons in physics and electronics. Every effort has been made to keep explanations non-technical, so hopefully I will understand them. A clear understanding of the first three chapters is essential groundwork for the remainder of the text. There are many authoritative books that deal in greater detail with the subjects of the first three chapters; they are listed in the Recommended Readings at the end of the book. So read on, enjoy, and experiment. And learn to view the art of lighting as an opportunity to create and to make a great contribution to each scene. Remember, viewers can see only what you let them see. Your task is to place the correct amount of light where it is needed and to keep it off areas where it is a distraction. You should provide no more, no less.
I do not believe it is possible for any book to teach you how to light every conceivable situation; every lighting setup is different from every other one. What this book will do is provide the facts necessary for you to make informed decisions regarding instrument selection and placement to meet the challenges faced on location. You will learn to analyze a scene in terms of how lighting can assist with mood, indicate time, and control space. You will learn to analyze and emulate nature, to make the best use of existing light. You will learn to be a watt miser and to use fewer instruments and accessories to light a scene. You will learn to control and create shadows that enhance and clarify the intention of a scene. In other words, you will learn the art of lighting.