The Ultimate Guide to Cinematic Lighting Techniques — part two of our mini-series on how to get cinematic lighting, including lighting tips for subjects, backgrounds, daytime and nighttime scenarios.
30 Best Cinematography Techniques (eBook) ►►
The Ultimate Guide to Film Lighting Pt. 1 ►►
StudioBinder Blog ►►
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro — Cinematic Lighting
01:00 - Why Film Lighting Matters
01:09 - Single Subjects
06:15 - Multiple Subjects
08:55 - Exterior Day
12:42 - Exterior Night
16:21 - Interior Day
18:46 - Interior Night
22:19 - Takeaways
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Special thanks to:
DiCasaFilm ►►
Creative Path Films ►►
postPerspective ►►
Tim de la Torre ►►
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CINEMATIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES — PART TWO
Cinematic lighting is something most filmmakers are after but what is cinematic lighting anyway? Many people agree that the difference between amateur and professional film is decided by the quality of a project’s lighting. In the first episode of this cinematic lighting guide, we covered the basics of lighting, and the general styles and approaches. Now we’re going to discuss how to get cinematic lighting by shooting subjects, backgrounds, daytime vs. nighttime, and interiors vs. exteriors.
CINEMATIC LIGHTING SETUP FOR SUBJECTS
First, we’ll look at how to light your subjects. Using the most common portrait lighting setups like butterfly lighting, loop lighting, split lighting, and more. Each of these lighting techniques literally casts a different light on your subject, which in turn can alter their characterization and how we relate to them. We’ll also get into how to light multiple subjects in a scene.
HOW TO LIGHT A SCENE — EXTERIOR DAY/NIGHT
There are countless lighting scenarios but they can all be boiled down to basically four — exterior day, exterior night, interior day, and interior night. Shooting outside during the day is difficult mostly because your main light source (the sun) is constantly changing. In our video, we learn from DPs like Robert Richardson shooting Casino and Emmanuel Lubezki shooting The Revenant.
Shooting outside at night presents its own challenges, but with today’s cameras, low-light cinematography is not nearly the challenge it used to be. For example, we learn how DP Jeff Cutter simulated moonlight on Prey or how Jarin Blaschke embraced the shadows on The Witch.
HOW TO LIGHT A SCENE — INTERIOR DAY/NIGHT
Lighting an interior during the day can be a lot easier than shooting outside but you’re still dealing with the sun. DP Roger Deakins blacked out windows and used exterior lighting for the opening scene in Sicario. DP Matthew Libatique had more control with the stage set in The Whale. You can also go more stylized with the nighttime lighting, like Kubrick and his DP Larry Smith did on Eyes Wide Shut.
Cinematic lighting techniques like this are used all the time. And with lessons from masterful DPs, we can all approach any lighting situation with confidence.
#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking
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♬ SONGS USED:
"Somewhere" - Daniele Musto
"Origin" - David A. Molina
"War Dance (Instrumental)" - Rhythm Scott
"Mauretania (Instrumental)" - Sam Barsh
"Morning Sunbeams" - Yehezkel Raz
"Dojo Tradition (Instrumental)" - In This World
"Mr. Moustafa" - Alexandre Desplat
"The Lutz Police Militia"
"Yumeji's Theme" - Shigeru Umebayashi
"Deep Blue"
"Dark Blood" - Jimmy Svensson
"Club Foot Clavipes (Instrumental)" - Isaac Joel
"Full Access" - Jimmy Svensson
"Blue Suede Shoes" - Elvis Presley
"Summer Kisses/In My Body"
"1986" - Angel Salazar
"Staring Into The Abyss" - 2050
"Little Eyes (Instrumental Version)" - Yehezkel Raz
"Double Espresso" - Francesco D'Andrea
"The House Of The Rising Sun" - The Animals
"The Revenant Main Theme" - Ryuichi Sakamoto & Alva Noto
"Assembly Line Dreams" - Ostin Drais
"Glass" - Claudio Laucci
"Thrill of the Chase" - Sarah Schachner
"Five Senses"
"What Went We" - Mark Korven
"Witch's Coven"
"Corporate World" - The Dust Brothers
"Life Boat" - Rob Simonsen
"The Border" - Jóhann Jóhannsson
"Runways" - Stanley Gurvich
"Rabbia e tarantella" - Ennio Morricone
"Musica Ricercata, II (Mesto, rigido e cerimoniale)" - Dominic Harlan
"The Dream" - Jocelyn Pook
"State Lines (Instrumental Version)" - Aaron Kellim
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Music by Soundstripe ►
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