Lesson on Light

In this seminar Mark taught us about many aspects to light involved in films, such as the refraction of light. We were taught 6 qualities of light which are:

1. Intensity
2. Quality (hard light: produces a hard shadow whereas soft light: produces softer shadows)
3. Direction
4. Spread (e.g floodlight, localised, spotlight)
5. Colour Spread
6. Duration

We received a handout with information all about different lighting techniques and terms, for example dappled light is used to describe the light that goes through trees.

We then moved onto specific lighting equipment, where Mark taught us specifics such as specific equipment on light, such as 'barn doors', controlling the spread of the light we use in our films. On film sets, lights are referred to as 'fictures' and extra time is need to set them up to create the desired look on camera.

Hard light - produces - hard shadow
Soft light - produces - soft or no shadow

A bulb is also know as a bubble and Mark also taught us about shadows with lighting; for example the closer an object is to the white screen the harder the shadow. Dimmers are used to reduce the intensity of light which could help with creating a 'softer' atmosphere in a film scene.

300-500 watts = Mazar/Masar
150 watts = inky dinky/inky
1K = pup
2K, 5K, 10K

Lights also use coloured gels and Neutral Density gels reduce the intensity of light and these are attached to the barn doors with metal clips or wooden pegs; also know as C47s. Diffusion material i also used to make a hard light softer.