• • • • Explain how the color temperature of light affects the video image. Recall methods to control lighting intensity. Identify the steps in the procedure to light a set. Describe the television lighting techniques presented and identify the instruments used with each technique. Introduction Professional Terms 3200° Kelvin (3200K) back light background light barndoors basic hang bounce lighting C-clamp cross-key lighting diffusion dimmer fill light flag flood light floor stand fluorescent lamp four-point lighting Fresnel gel grid hard light honeycomb incandescent lamp instrument Kelvin color temperature scale key light lamp light hit light plot limbo lighting raceway rough hang scoop scrim soft light spotlight three-point lighting triangle lighting Objectives After completing this chapter, you will be able to: • Identify the various types of lighting instruments and cite unique characteristics of each. • Compare the characteristics of incandescent lamps with the characteristics of fluorescent lamps. There are two main functions of lighting for television production: • To meet the technical requirements of the camera. There should be enough light to produce an acceptable picture on the screen. • To meet the aesthetic requirements of the director. Sufficient lighting is necessary to create the desired mood, from an artistic standpoint. A romantic dinner, for example, should have a different lighting design than a football game. Ultimately, the television screen is a flat piece of glass. Industry professionals try to create the “illusion” of a three-dimensional image by manipulating many objects and aspects of a program. To create three-dimensions: • Shoot a person in a three-quarter angle, rather than straight on or in profile. • Apply makeup to the talent to create lines of light and shadow. • Paint a production set to create the illusion of three dimensions. • Arrange set elements to create a foreground, middle ground, and background. • Make certain areas more prominent on the screen through the creative use of light and shadow. • Creatively use a shallow depth of field when shooting. Special lighting is necessary in television production because, typically, the lens aperture is closed significantly to accomplish great depth of field. Closing the lens aperture requires that the light level be increased, or a wonderfully focused picture will be a wonderfully focused dark picture. 295 296 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Using Professional Terms instrument: The device into which a lamp is installed to provide illumination on a set. It is imperative that consumer terms not be used in a professional studio environment. Using the correct terminology is considered an entrance exam for broadcasting employees. You risk losing respect and credibility among industry peers and superiors if you use consumer terms or misuse professional terms in the workplace. The importance of correctly using industry terms cannot be overstated. Average consumers call the lighting fixture on the side table in their living room a “lamp” and the part inside that glows a “lightbulb.” Television production industry professionals do not use these terms. The lighting fixture is called an instrument and the part that glows is a lamp. In the industry, a lamp illuminates a set when installed in a lighting instrument. lamp: Part of a lighting instrument that glows when electricity is supplied. The consumer term for this item is “lightbulb.” Talk the Talk When referring to a lighting instrument, just the word “instrument” is typically used. “This instrument needs a new lamp.” The word “lighting” is understood and is not actually spoken when industry professionals use this term. Other terms used to refer to a lighting instrument are “fixture” or “head.” Sometimes, the name used refers to the wattage of the lamp, such as “1K,” “2K,” or “baby.” It is important to learn the naming conventions used in your workplace when you are a new employee. • • In the television production industry, the word “light” has two definitions: “Lights” refer to the collection of all the instruments used in the studio or on location. “Let’s turn the lights on now.” Most professionals say “instrument” only when referring to a specific lighting instrument. “Light” also refers to the illumination created by turning on a lamp. For example, the lighting engineer may use a light meter to measure the amount of light hitting or reflecting off an object on the set. Types of Light hard light: Type of illumination used in a studio that creates sharp, distinct, and very dark shadows. soft light: Type of illumination used in a studio that creates indistinct shadows. The two types of illumination used on a studio set are defined by the type of shadows they produce—hard and soft. See Figure 15-1. Hard light creates a sharp, distinct, and very dark shadow. Hard light is the type necessary to create shadow puppets against a wall. If a hard light instrument is hung from the ceiling of a TV studio and pointed straight down onto an object, a perfectly-shaped shadow is created on the floor below the object. The line on the floor between areas of light and shadow is thin and distinct. Soft light creates indistinct shadows. Pointing a soft light instrument straight down onto an object creates an indistinct shadow pattern on the floor. There is no definitive line between areas of light and shadow. The lighted area gradually fades into shadowed area. Chapter 15 Lighting 297 Figure 15-1. Hard light creates sharp, distinct shadows. Soft light creates indistinct shadows. Hard light Soft light Types of Lighting Instruments Nearly all studio hard lights are a type of spotlight, Figure 15-2. Spotlights create a circle of light in varying diameters. These instruments can be fixed to a pipe on the ceiling or wall, placed on a stand, or be very moveable. Moveable spotlights can be moved by hand or be motorized and operated by remote control. Moveable spotlights, “spots” for short, are often used in theatrical presentations when the spotlight follows a person walking around the stage. Convertible spotlights have a sliding lever on the body of the instrument, Figure 15-3. These instruments may be referred to as “focusing fixtures” or “focusable fixtures.” The instrument is a hard light in one setting and converts to a somewhat softer lighting instrument by sliding the lever. The Fresnel, pronounced “fruh-NEL,” is a hard lighting instrument, Figure 15-4. It is a lightweight instrument that is easily focused and can spotlight: Type of hard light instrument that creates a circle of light in varying diameters. Fresnel: A hard light instrument that is lightweight and easily focused. 298 Figure 15-2. Spotlights are instruments that create hard light. Figure 15-3. A convertible spotlight is very versatile because it can create hard or soft light. Figure 15-4. A Fresnel is a lightweight, focusable, hard lighting instrument. Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Chapter 15 Lighting produce a great deal of light. Fresnel instruments are named for the inventor of the Fresnel lens, Augustin-Jean Fresnel. Because the instrument is named after a person, “Fresnel” should always be capitalized. A flood light is a soft lighting instrument that provides general lighting in a large area. One of the most common flood lights is a scoop, Figure 15-5. It is a half-spheroid shaped instrument that creates a great deal of light. Accessories Some situations may require light to be projected in a specific shape or be blocked from hitting a particular object on the set. Barndoors are the most commonly used items to shape and block light, Figure 15-6. Barndoors are fully moveable metal flaps that attach to the front of an instrument. The operator moves the barndoors into the beam of light to block or reshape the light. 299 flood light: A soft light instrument that provides general lighting in a large area. scoop: A common type of flood light with a halfspheroid shape that produces a great deal of light. barndoors: Fully moveable black metal flaps attached to the front of a lighting instrument; used to block or reshape the light. Figure 15-5. The scoop lighting instrument is named for its domed, or scoop, shape. (Mole-Richardson Co., Hollywood, CA) Barndoors Figure 15-6. Barndoors allow the light to be shaped, rather than merely projecting light in a large circle. 300 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Safety Note The entire lighting fixture gets extremely hot when turned on, including the barndoors. If the instrument is on or has recently been turned off, wear gloves when handling the barndoors. ! Cinefoil™ and Blackwrap™ are two professional products used by most lighting designers to reshape light. These products are flexible, rolled sheets of aluminum that can be wrapped around the front of an instrument. Cinefoil and Blackwrap are flat black in color, so they do not reflect light. Budget-conscious production environments often use aluminum foil to produce the same effects as Cinefoil, Blackwrap, and barndoors, Figure 15-7. Use heavy-duty foil instead of regular aluminum foil—heavier foil resists accidental tears better and can withstand the extreme heat of the instruments for a longer period of time. While aluminum foil works to reshape light, aluminum foil is shiny and reflects light—sometimes uncontrollably. Be aware of wayward reflections and correct any lighting problems and hot spots on the set. Some very interesting and creative shadow patterns can be created using inexpensive aluminum foil on instruments. To use aluminum foil to shape or block light: 1. Tear off a sheet several feet long. 2. Shape the aluminum foil into a cylinder. 3. Attach the cylinder to the front of the instrument with metal paper clips (not plastic or vinyl coated clips). 4. Turn the lighting instrument on. 5. Shape the foil by hand. Safety Note Do not use transparent tape, masking tape, or duct tape to attach foil to an instrument. The tape may ignite! This poses a serious safety risk to every person on the set and in the building. Also, if a fire ignites, water from the sprinkler system will damage every piece of video equipment, the set, costumes, props, and all other valuable items in the studio. light hit: A white spot or star shaped reflection of a lighting instrument or sunlight off of a highly reflective surface on the set. flag: A flexible metal rod with a flat piece of metal attached to the end; used to block light from hitting certain objects on the set. ! Brightly polished objects, like a silver serving tray or brass lamp, may be among the elements included in a shot. However, highly reflective surfaces create a white spot or star-shaped reflection of a lighting instrument or sunlight, which can be reflected into the camera lens. This reflection is called a light hit and is generally considered an undesirable effect. The easiest solution is to remove the reflective object from the set. If this is not an option, a flag needs to be placed between the lighting instrument and the reflective object, Figure 15-8. A flag is a metal rod with a flat piece of metal attached to the end. The metal rod is flexible, about 2′–3′ long, and has a clip on the end. This rod is attached to the side of a lighting instrument Chapter 15 301 Lighting with the excess length extending in front of the instrument. A small, flat piece of metal cut into a shape is attached to the clip. The lighting designer bends the rod until the flag is positioned between the light source and the reflective surface on the set. The flag blocks light from the reflective object, but the rest of the set remains illuminated by the lighting instrument. Figure 15-7. Heavy aluminum foil can be used to shape the light projected from an instrument. Figure 15-8. A flag prevents light hits by blocking light from hitting a particular item on a set. A—Shiny surfaces on a set reflect light from the lighting instruments used. B—A flag is placed between the lighting instrument and the reflective surface on the set. (Courtesy of Matthews Studio Equipment) C—With the light blocked from shiny surfaces, light hits are avoided. Lighting instrument Flag A B C 302 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Safety Note Do not use wooden dowels or cardboard to make a flag. When exposed to the heat of a lighting instrument, these materials become a fire hazard. • • ! Other ways to remove a light hit include: Spray the item with dulling spray available from photo supply stores. The spray can be removed with a damp cloth after the shoot. Spray the item with inexpensive hair spray. Hair spray is also water soluble for easy removal. Fluorescent Lamps incandescent lamp: Type of lamp that functions when electricity is applied and makes a filament inside the lamp glow brightly. fluorescent lamp: Type of lamp that functions when electricity excites a gas in the lamp, which causes the material coating the inside of the lamp to glow (fluoresce) with a soft, even light. Figure 15-9. Fluorescent instruments can hold multiple lamps and can be hung from a grid or placed on lighting stands. (Photo courtesy of LowelLight Mfg., Inc.) The types of instruments discussed to this point in the chapter use incandescent lamps. Incandescent lamps contain a filament inside the lamp that glows brightly when electricity is applied. Incandescent lamps used in television production are usually tungsten, tungsten halogen, or quartz halogen. A fluorescent lamp functions when electricity excites a gas in the lamp, which causes the material coating the inside of the lamp to glow (fluoresce) with a soft, even light. Older fluorescent lamps were unsuitable for use in television production environments due to the bluish or greenish color temperature of the lamps. Professional television lighting fluorescent lamps are available in various shapes, sizes, and color temperatures, Figure 15-9. The most important color temperature in the television industry is 3200° Kelvin. Color temperatures are discussed in detail later in this chapter. Chapter 15 Lighting 303 Fluorescent instruments and lamps have several advantages over incandescent varieties. • Fluorescent lamps cost less to purchase, cost less to replace, and provide tremendous energy savings. • Fluorescent lamps typically produce three to four times more light per watt, compared to tungsten halogen sources. • Fluorescent lamps produce only a fraction of the heat generated by incandescent lights. With less heat produced by lights, the air conditioning system does not have to work as hard to keep the studio at a cool, comfortable temperature. • Fluorescent lamps are longer-lasting than incandescent lamps. While lamp life is usually rated by the manufacturer between 8,000 and 10,000 hours, lamps gradually darken with age, reducing their efficiency, and should be inspected periodically. • Fluorescent lamps can be touched with a bare hand while turned on. The lamp is warm, but not warm enough to cause any discomfort. To the human eye, a fluorescent lamp appears considerably less bright than an incandescent lamp. While the illumination is less bright, the images created under fluorescent instruments appear beautifully on video. This is because professional video fluorescent lamps provide the exact frequency of light required by the camera. An incandescent lamp spreads a wide frequency of light, most of which the camera does not need. Also, since fluorescent lamps are not as bright as incandescent lamps, talent is less likely to squint at the camera due to bright lights on the set. Incandescent instruments are still needed on a set, but using fluorescent instruments can reduce the number of incandescent instruments needed and, therefore, reduce the cost of operation. Supports for Lighting Instruments Lighting instruments may be attached to floor stands in the studio. A floor stand has three or four legs and a long vertical pole to which a lighting instrument is clamped. Studio floor stands often have wheels on the legs for ease of movement. Even though floor stands are convenient, they have several disadvantages (Figure 15-10): • They are top-heavy when an instrument is attached to the top of the pole and may be tipped over easily. • The power cord for the instrument lies on the floor of the shooting area and is a tripping hazard. To be safe, the power cords should be taped to the floor. • They occupy valuable floor space. • Studio personnel can accidentally cast a shadow on the entire set by walking in front of a floor stand and instrument. On a remote shoot, however, floor stands are a necessity. The crew should be aware of where the floor stands are positioned and be cautious around them. Some smaller, portable lighting systems come with large spring-loaded clamps. The clamps allow instruments to be attached to a flat, steady object, like the edge of a bookcase, door, or table, Figure 15-11. In the studio, the best mounting option for lighting is to use a grid, Figure 15-12. Most studios have a grid hanging about twelve inches below floor stand: A lighting support with three or four legs and a long vertical pole to which a lighting instrument is attached. grid: A pipe system that hangs from the studio ceiling and supports the lighting instruments. 304 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-10. A floor stand can support small lighting instruments, but there are several precautions the crew must observe. Attached instruments can make a floor stand top-heavy. Staff walking past a floor stand can cast a shadow on the set. Power cords should be taped to the floor. Figure 15-11. This large clamp allows an instrument to be attached to a sturdy shelf, door, or table. Chapter 15 Lighting Figure 15 12. A grid is the pipe system that hangs from the ceiling and supports the instruments. The raceway supplies electricity for the instruments. Grid Raceway 305 the ceiling. The grid is made of pipe that is at least two inches in diameter. Lighting instruments attach to the grid using a C-clamp, Figure 15-13, which is built into the instrument. The bottom of the “C” attaches to the instrument and the top hooks onto the pipe. A large threaded screw is tightened to firmly press against the pipe and secure the instrument safely to the grid. C-clamp: A clamp in the shape of a “C” that is used to attach lighting instruments to the grid. Safety Note Any instrument hanging on the grid should have an additional safety chain attached. The chain should loop around part of the instrument and around the grid pipe. If the C-clamp comes loose, the safety chain prevents the instrument from falling to the ground and possibly injuring someone standing beneath it. Since barndoors can be removed if desired, some barndoors also accommodate a safety chain to prevent them from accidentally falling off an instrument. ! Figure 15-13. A—C-clamps are used to attach lighting instruments to the grid. B—This fluorescent instrument is hung from a grid by a C-clamp and can be swiveled in any direction. (Photo courtesy of LowelLight Mfg., Inc.) B A 306 raceway: The system of electrical cables and outlets used to power lighting instruments on the grid. The raceway either hangs beside the grid pipes or is mounted to the ceiling above the grid. Television Production & Broadcast Journalism The raceway either hangs beside the grid pipes or attaches to the ceiling above the grid, Figure 15-12. The electrical cables and outlets that power the instruments on the grid are part of the raceway. Each of the many outlets on the raceway is numbered and corresponds to a dimmer or switch on the lighting board. The lighting instruments are plugged into the outlets and are powered selectively from the lighting board. This eliminates the need to climb ladders to turn the instruments on and off. The electrical wiring is not placed within the grid piping due to the possibility of puncturing or crushing the pipe while tightening a C-clamp. If a C-clamp is overtightened and punctures a grid pipe, the electrical current that might be running inside the wiring would pose a great danger to the lighting director or gaffer on the ladder. Safety Note Placement of instruments on a grid must be carefully considered in studios with a ceiling-mounted sprinkler system. Instruments that get very hot cannot be positioned near sprinkler heads. Heat from the instrument can melt the sensor in a sprinkler head, which will activate the entire sprinkler system. This would be a real danger for studio personnel and a disaster for all the electronic gear. ! Colors of Light Colors reflect different frequencies of light. A frequency is measurable and can, therefore, be graphed. In 1848, the scientist Lord Kelvin devised a system to quantify and measure color. At that time, a black carbon rod was considered the blackest item available. Using the concept that black is the absence of color, Lord Kelvin applied heat to the black rod. Each time his eye could discern a color change, he noted the color and measured the amount of heat applied to produce that color, Figure 15-14. Based on the Figure 15-14. Approximate values of the Kelvin Color Temperature Scale. Temperature Color 2000K Red 2500K Yellow 3000K Pale Yellow 3200K White 4000K Green 4500K Greenish Blue 5000K Blue 6500K Cobalt Blue 7000K Violet 10,000K Black Chapter 15 Lighting data collected, Lord Kelvin created a scale for measuring colors known as the Kelvin Color Temperature Scale. The Kelvin Color Temperature Scale measures color temperatures in degrees Kelvin. Modern technology allows us to use combinations of materials, such as tungsten, quartz, and halogen gas, to produce light of the same color temperature without applying the extreme levels of heat Lord Kelvin used. However, some instruments that use lamps made of these materials still get incredibly hot and will immediately burn the skin if touched after being on for as little as 15 seconds. As mentioned earlier, the fluorescent lamps used for television lighting do not produce a great amount of heat while operating. 307 Kelvin Color Temperature Scale: A scale developed by the scientist Lord Kelvin for measuring color temperatures of light in degrees Kelvin. Production Note The colors of light are not similar to the colors of paint. The principles that apply to each are different. With light, the color white is created when all the colors of light are combined. Black is the absence of all colors. A television screen is black until it is turned on. The screen becomes bright white, even though the lights creating the image are red, green, and blue. White Light The most important result of Lord Kelvin’s research to television production is that 3200° Kelvin (3200K) equals white light. In order to reproduce colors and flesh tones properly on television, the light hitting an object must be white. Talk the Talk When temperature is written in degrees Kelvin, the word “Kelvin” is replaced with an upper case “K,” such as 4500K. When this same temperature is spoken aloud, the last two zeroes of the temperature reading and the word “degrees” are omitted, as in “45K.” Most home videos taken indoors have a yellow hue to them, Figure 15-15A. This is because the lamps inside the instruments in most homes are considerably cooler than 3200K and produce light that is less than white. The Kelvin temperature of most incandescent lightbulbs for home use is about 2000K. On the other hand, video taken under regular fluorescent ceiling lights has a greenish hue, Figure 15-15B. The fluorescent lights used in classrooms and professional buildings are considerably warmer than 3200K. These lights are between 4000K and 4500K. Light in that temperature range is blue greenish and produces a gray, unhealthy look on natural flesh tones. Video shot outside under sunlight appears to be tinted with a shade of blue, Figure 15-15C. Sunlight is 5000K and up, which produces various shades of blue. 3200° Kelvin: The temperature of white light in degrees Kelvin. Also noted as 3200K or “32K” when spoken. 308 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-15. A—Color temperatures below 3200K cause the yellowish tone of pictures taken in consumer house lighting. B—A standard fluorescent light creates a blue-greenish tint due to a color temperature in the 4000K–4500K range. C—The camera sees sunlight in a bluish tint. B A C Visualize This Think of the Bunsen burner used in science classes. The hottest part of the flame is blue in color and the coolest part of the flame is yellow in color. This corresponds to the colors of light. Light sources warmer than 3200K create images with a blue tint. Light sources cooler than 3200K create images with a yellow tint. Production Note In art classes, reds and yellows are referred to as “warm” colors and blues and greens are referred to as “cool” colors. The terms “warm” and “cool” in art class refer to the emotional feeling attributed to a particular color. Using the Kelvin Color Temperature Scale, however, warm and cool colors are opposite from those in art class. To create an “emotionally” warm color with lighting, we have to reduce the temperature (make it cooler) of a 32K light. To create an “emotionally” cool color, like blue, we have to increase the temperature (make it warmer) of a 32K light. Chapter 15 Lighting 309 Objects on television appear as their actual color only when pure white light, 3200K, is used. Most television lamps are rated at 3200K. This temperature rating refers to the color of light emitted by the lamp, not the brightness of the light emitted. Brightness is indicated by the wattage of the lamp. A 1000-watt, 3200K lamp is much brighter than a 300-watt 3200K lamp. However, both produce the same white light. To get the necessary 3200K white light at home or when shooting outside, two options are available: • Bring enough lighting instruments to flood the shooting area with white light and overcome the natural light of the area. • Trick the camera into thinking it is getting white light, even though it is not. To “trick” the camera, activate the white balance circuit while the camera is pointed at a white object on the set that is under the lighting you are balancing for, such as sunlight, incandescent light, or studio lights. The camera is forced to see the object as white, without regard to the type of light hitting it. The camera then sees all other colors correctly because it has been balanced to one color—white. Other colors then fall into place on the scale. For example, assume that the color orange is two shades up (warmer) from red and two shades down (cooler) from yellow on the Kelvin scale. Each color is identified by its relationship to adjoining colors. Accurately identifying one of the colors places all the other colors into their proper position because the one color specified is used as a reference point. Interesting effects can be produced by intentionally throwing off a camera’s white balance circuit. For example, point a camera at a red object and white balance on it. The camera tries to turn anything red in color into white. In the process, every other color of the spectrum shifts, as well. This effect can only be achieved when the camera is in “manual” white balance mode. If the camera is in “automatic” white balance mode, the camera operator cannot control the circuit in any way. The automatic white balance circuit can be disabled on some high-end consumer cameras and all professional cameras. Colored Light Some programs or specific scenes require colored lights to be used on the set. For example, a rock concert typically has many different colored lights on the set. For a nightclub scene in a dramatic production, the audience expects to see various mood-enhancing colored lighting instruments. To turn the white light from a lamp into a colored light, a heat-resistant plastic sheet called a gel is used. Gels can be purchased from theatrical lighting stores and are available in hundreds of shades and colors. The plastic material is cut into a small rectangle that fits into a special gel holder on the front of a lighting instrument, Figure 15-16. The white light passes through and becomes the color of the gel. Because colored lighting instruments are often used to create a specific mood or effect, it is important that the audience is able to see the colored lighting on the screen. In order for the audience to properly perceive the colored lights, the camera should be white balanced with the colored lights turned off and only white lighting instruments turned on. When the colored lights come on, the camera sees each color. White balancing on an gel: A heat resistant, thick sheet of plastic placed in front of a lighting instrument to turn white light from a lamp into a colored light. 310 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-16. A gel can change the color of the white light emitted from an instrument. object that is under a colored light throws off the camera’s color reproduction circuits. A production location may have a window or glass door to the outside. If the program is shot during daylight hours, blue sunlight will stream into the room while shooting. One solution is to place a CTO (color temperature orange) gel on the inside of the window. The CTO gel converts sunlight coming in the window from 56K to 32K. Another solution is to convert all the lighting instruments at the location to sunlight using CTB (color temperature blue) gels. CTB gels convert the 32K of the lighting instruments to 56K. When all the light at the location is the same color temperature, perform a white balance and the recorded image will appear correctly lit. Lighting Intensity Once lighting instruments have been set up, either on a set or on location, controlling the intensity of the light becomes an important task. For example, if a person or object is too brightly lit in a shot, they may appear to glow. Depending on the time of day, natural sunlight may cast dark shadows on the talent’s eyes, nose, and chin. If the lighting instruments are the convertible type, the easiest solution is to move the lever from “spot” to “flood” or “flood” to “spot.” If the lighting intensity issue is not resolved, several other techniques are effective in reducing the amount of light that hits an object on the set. Move the Instrument Moving lighting instruments farther away from or closer to the set is a simple solution to control the intensity of light. Move a lighting instrument farther away from the set to reduce the amount of light hitting objects on the set and decrease lighting intensity. To increase the lighting intensity, move the instrument closer to the set. Chapter 15 Lighting 311 Replace the Lamp Replacing the lamp with one of lower wattage decreases the intensity of the light. For example, remove a 1000-watt lamp from an instrument and replace it with a 400-watt lamp. Make certain the new lamp is rated at 3200K. A lower-wattage light rated at 3200K will provide the same color of light, but less light overall. Use Diffusion or a Scrim Diffusion material is placed on the front of a lighting instrument to soften the light and reduce lighting intensity, without reducing the color temperature. When placed in front of a lighting instrument, diffusion material appears translucent, Figure 15-17. These devices are most commonly attached using a gel holder, but metal paper clips may also be used. diffusion: A translucent material that is placed in front of a lighting instrument to soften and reduce the intensity of light, without altering the color temperature. Production Note A piece of spun fiberglass cloth may be used as diffusion material. The fiberglass material may be found at an auto parts store, as it is commonly used to repair fiberglass car bodies. Fiberglass cloth cannot be placed in a gel holder, however. Heat from the lamp is too intense for the fiberglass and can darken or melt the material. Fiberglass cloth should only be used with lamps that are less than 1000 watts. Clip the fiberglass cloth to the front of the barndoors with metal paper clips. A scrim is a device used to reduce the intensity of light, Figure 15-18. Scrims are made of wire mesh or black woven, heat resistant-material and may be purchased from a theatrical supply house. Metal window screening (not nylon) may be used as an economical scrim and is available at scrim: A wire mesh or woven material placed in front of an instrument to reduce the intensity of light. Figure 15-17. Diffusion material reduces and softens the light coming from an instrument. 312 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-18. A wire mesh scrim is mounted in a frame that snaps into the front of an instrument. (Photo courtesy of LowelLight Mfg., Inc.) hardware stores. Metal window screening may be cut to size and inserted into a gel holder. Use Bounce Lighting bounce lighting: A lighting technique where a lighting instrument is not pointed directly at the subject of the shot, but the light is bounced off of another object, such as a ceiling, wall, or the ground. Bounce lighting is produced when an instrument is pointed at a photographic reflector, the ceiling, a wall, or the ground instead of directly at the subject of a shot, Figure 15-19. Two things occur when light is bounced off another object: • The light takes on the color of the object it was bounced off. Always bounce light off a white or light gray object. • The light’s intensity is reduced. One technique is to bounce light off a highly reflective surface, such as a mirror. This increases the distance between the light source and the object, which reduces the light level. A white tablecloth or bed sheet placed on the ground at the talent’s feet reflects light back at the face from below. The reflected light fills in dark shadows created by the sunlight. In addition to their use for bounce lighting, white tablecloths and bed sheets are handy sources for white balancing a camera. Other common tools used for bounce lighting are vehicle sunshields and aluminum foil. Many people place a folding vehicle sunshield inside the windshield to reduce the effects of direct sunlight and heat when a car is parked. The reflective side of a sunshield is an effective bounce lighting tool. A reflector may also be made using regular kitchen aluminum foil. Chapter 15 313 Lighting Figure 15-19. A white surface can bounce light to help fill in a dark shadowed area of the subject. Key light only Bounce lighting Final image Crumple up the foil, flatten it out into a rough rectangle, and tape the foil to a piece of cardboard. If it is not crumpled first, the foil will be too reflective, like a mirror. The wrinkled foil creates a more subtle reflective surface. Bouncing light off a mirror or other highly reflective surface is a technique that may compensate for insufficient lighting in certain areas on a set. For example, if it is not possible to place a lighting instrument in a particular spot, hang a mirror in that spot and position it to add illumination to the area needed. Production Note Mirrors can be used with cameras, as well. If there is not enough room to position a camera in a tight space, a mirror can be placed where the camera needs to be. The mirror reflects the image you want to record and the camera shoots into the mirror. When using a mirror in this way, do not include any items in the shot that contain writing; letters are reversed when reflected in a mirror. Use a Dimmer A dimmer is attached to the power control of a lighting instrument and can reduce or increase the amount of electricity flowing through the instrument. Dimming an incandescent instrument is the least desirable solution. A lamp glows because the electricity flowing through it heats the filament. In television production, that filament glows white. Using a dimmer to reduce the amount of electricity flowing through the lamp causes the light to dim and cool. When a lamp cools, it progressively takes on a reddish tint. The reddish tint becomes perceptible to the camera if an incandescent instrument is dimmed more than 10%. This is why many television studios do not use the dimmer function on the lighting board. Instead, the instruments are simply turned on or off. Fluorescent lamps may be dimmed with no negative effects. dimmer: A device attached to the power control of a lighting instrument that regulates the amount of electricity that flows to the lamp. 314 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Preserving the Life of Incandescent Lamps Exercise extreme care to ensure that incandescent lamps last as long as possible to avoid costly replacement. Incandescent lamps operate at very high temperatures because their glow is created by a white hot metal filament. The high operating temperatures of these lamps require that some basic precautions be taken for use and handling. Never turn incandescent lamps on and off in rapid succession. Regular studio lamps burn out in a very short time if they are flashed on and off. To achieve a strobe light effect, use a strobe light. Do not move incandescent instruments while the lamp is hot, whether turned on or recently turned off. The filament in an incandescent lamp is very fragile when hot—any jarring movements can cause it to break. If the filament breaks, the lamp must be replaced. The barndoors should never be completely closed with the lamp turned on. The lack of ventilation and build-up of heat can cause the lamp to burn out prematurely. Some instruments may be swiveled in any direction, including upside down. With instruments of this type, ensure that the heat of the lamp is not directed at the base of the instrument, so the heat does not go into the base. Consult the manufacturer’s material for information and cautions about this issue. An incandescent lamp should never be handled with bare hands or fingers. Handle the lamp using the foam it is packed in, a paper towel, or tissue paper, Figure 15-20. No matter how clean, there is always a certain amount of oil on the skin that is transferred to the surface of the lamp. When the lamp is turned on and reaches high operating temperatures, the oil boils to the point of evaporation. This creates a cooler spot on the hot glass surface of the lamp, which may cause the hot glass to shatter. Many instruments have a special groove in front of the lamp to accommodate a wire safety mesh that will trap glass fragments in case the lamp shatters. If a lamp is accidentally touched, it should be wiped clean with alcohol and a soft cloth before being turned on. Figure 15-20. Oils on the skin will ruin a lamp. Never touch a good lamp with your bare fingers. Chapter 15 315 Lighting Planning the Set Lighting Before the set is built, the lighting designer meets with the set designer and program director. In this meeting, the director describes what the set looks like, provides a set diagram, and explains the movement of the talent on the set. The director may also express specific lighting preferences. During set construction, the lighting designer (LD) studies the set diagram and determines the placement and aiming of lighting instruments. When the lighting decisions are final, the LD develops a diagram for instrument placement, or light plot (Figure 15-21). After the set is built and dressed, the LD lights the set. Instruments are hung over the set according to the light plot and plugged into the raceway. light plot: A diagram developed by the lighting designer that indicates the placement of lighting instruments on the set of a program. Figure 15-21. A light plot indicates the placement, color, and aiming of the lighting instruments. B B Window Hallway Bookshelves Chair Chair Door Coffee table B B B Window Table and chairs Table Counters and kitchen appliances B Couch Camera 1 Camera 3 Camera 2 Key: –750w flood B–Blue gel –1500w flood –250w spot –500w spot 316 basic hang: The initial process of hanging instruments over the set according to the light plot and plugging them into the raceway. Also called a rough hang. Television Production & Broadcast Journalism This is called the rough hang, or basic hang. The goal of a rough hang is to place instruments in the general location they need to be for the production. After the rough hang is complete, the LD notifies the crew and turns out all the lights in the studio. The set must be completely dark so the LD can evaluate the placement and see the effect of the moving each instrument. To light the set, the LD and crew follow a general procedure: 1. The LD turns on one instrument. 2. The LD or a gaffer puts on heavy work gloves, climbs a ladder, and manually aims and focuses the instrument on a specific area of the set. Move the instruments very gently when hot. If jarred sharply, the incandescent lamp may burn out. Safety Note Always wear protective gloves when adjusting a lighting instrument that is turned on to prevent fingers from being burned, Figure 15-22. Do not use gloves with rubberized palms or finger grips. The rubber will soften or melt when in contact with a hot instrument. Inexpensive work gloves with leather palms and finger tips are a good option. ! Figure 15-22. Always wear protective gloves when handling hot instruments. Chapter 15 Lighting 317 3. Once aimed, the instrument is turned off. 4. The next instrument is turned on and adjusted. The steps are repeated for each instrument on the set. 5. When the entire light plot has been aimed and precisely focused, all the instruments are turned on at once and any final adjustments are made. Production Note Some lighting designers prefer to light the set with general illumination using mostly floodlights, turn off all the general lighting, and then position spot lighting in the specific areas that talent will be moving or standing. General lighting is then turned back on and final adjustments can be made. Other lighting designers prefer to start with areas specific to the talent and then set up the general lighting. Both techniques work well. Techniques of Television Lighting Each of the following basic lighting techniques may be used in production studios of any size. Properly using each technique is crucial to creating quality shots for a program. Three-Point Lighting Three-point lighting, sometimes called triangle lighting, is the most commonly used photographic lighting technique in television production. Three-point lighting is designed to both make a person look attractive and create the appearance of three-dimensionality on the flat, two-dimensional television screen. Three-point lighting uses three instruments for each person/object being photographed: • key light • fill light • back light Each of the three instruments performs a specific function, Figure 15-23. three-point lighting: A common lighting technique that uses three lighting instruments for each person or object photographed: a key light, a fill light, and a back light. Also called triangle lighting. Key Light The key light provides the main source of illumination on an object, Figure 15-24. It is usually in front of and above the object, and on an angle to the left or right. A key light is never placed directly above or directly in front of an object. Imagine the face of a clock. The subject of the shot stands in the center of the clock and the key light is located at either four-thirty or five o’clock on the right side of the stage or at seven o’clock or seven-thirty on the left side. When placing the key light, location of the primary light source must be considered. If lighting a living room for a scene that is supposed to take place at noon, the primary source of light would probably be the windows of the room. If the window is on the talent’s right side, the key light is placed on the talent’s right side to augment the sunlight coming in from the window. key light: The lighting instrument that provides the main source of illumination on the person or object in a shot. 318 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-23. This illustration presents the general placement of instruments in a threepoint lighting setup. 12 Back light 9 3 6 Key light Key light Figure 15-24. The key light is a hard light that supplies the primary source of illumination on an object. The fill light somewhat reduces the harsh shadows created by the key light. The back light illuminates the top of the head and shoulders. The proper use and placement of each of the three instruments produces a well-lit, threedimensional subject. Key light Fill light Back light Three-point lighting Chapter 15 319 Lighting A key light is a hard light—it produces sharp shadows. If a person is lit only with a key light, the side of their face opposite the key light will have heavy nose and chin shadows and their eye will be completely shadowed. Fill Light The fill light is placed opposite the key light and above the talent to light the other side of the talent’s face, Figure 15-24. If the key light is positioned at five o’clock, for example, the fill light is placed at seven o’clock. The fill light is a softer light that is lower in intensity and reduces the dark shadows created by the key light to a certain extent. If the fill light completely eliminated the shadows created by the key light, it would be a second key light and would create a flat image on the television screen. The fill light must be lower intensity than the key light to leave some shadows that create a three-dimensional appearance. Notice the difference in brightness between the key light and fill light in Figure 15-24. fill light: A lighting instrument that is placed opposite the key light and above the talent to provide illumination on the other side of the talent’s face or object in the shot. Back Light The back light is placed above and behind the talent at the twelve o’clock position, Figure 15-24. It must be positioned fairly high so that none of the cameras on the set shoot directly into the instrument. The purpose of the back light is to provide some illumination on top of the talent’s head and shoulders. It also serves to separate the talent from the background. Inexperienced lighting personnel often confuse a back light with a background light. However, these instruments pointed in opposite directions on a set. A background light is pointed at the background of the set, but a back light is pointed at the back of the talent. When using three-point lighting, there is a three-point lighting setup for every member of the cast, at every spot on the set they move or remain stationary. This is why there are so many lighting instruments on the lighting grid of a television studio. back light: A lighting instrument that is placed above and behind the talent or object in a shot, at the twelve o’clock position, to separate the talent or object from the background. background light: A lighting instrument that is pointed at the background of a set. Assistant Activity The areas on a set where talent or important objects will be positioned for a period of time are lit using three-point lighting. Look back to Figure 15-21. Locate the instruments configured for three-point lighting and determine where talent or important objects will be most consistently positioned on the set. Four-Point Lighting Four-point lighting includes four instruments (two key lights and two fill lights) that are placed in a square around the talent, Figure 15-25. The two key lights are positioned diagonally opposite each other, and the two fill lights are placed in the remaining two corners. In four-point lighting, the camera can arc all the way around an object and the lighting levels remain sufficient. An advantage of four-point lighting is that it is easy to set up, somewhat easier than three-point lighting. However, this technique requires more instruments, electricity, and lamps, which results in increased cost. four-point lighting: A lighting technique that uses four lighting instruments for each person or object photographed: two key lights and two fill lights. The two key lights are positioned diagonally opposite each other, and the two fill lights are placed in the remaining two corners. 320 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-25. Four-point lighting is easier to set up than three-point lighting, but requires an additional instrument. Key light 12 Fill light 9 3 6 Fill light Key light Cross-Key Lighting cross-key lighting: A lighting technique that covers more than one person or object in the lighting spread using only two key lights and one back light. Cross-key lighting can cover more than one person or object in the lighting spread using only two key lights and one back light, Figure 15-26. As an example, picture two people sitting in chairs on the set. Both chairs are angled slightly toward each other, but both are generally facing six o’clock. In crosskey lighting, a key light is placed at four o’clock and another is placed at eight o’clock. A back light is positioned at twelve o’clock. Two back lights may be Figure 15-26. In crosskey lighting, Key light 1 provides key lighting for person A and the fill light for person B. Key light 2 provides key lighting for person B and the fill light for person A. Back light 12 9 3 6 Key light 1 Key light 2 Person A Person B Chapter 15 Lighting 321 used in some cases. The cross-key technique works because the key lights hit both characters, but are not at the same distance from each character. The amount of light that hits the nearest talent is brighter than light from the same instrument that hits the talent farther away. The key light nearest the talent on the right is the fill light for the talent on the left. The key light for the talent on the left becomes the fill for the talent on the right. A few more instruments may be necessary when using cross-key lighting, but the final number of instruments is significantly lower than using multiple three-point lighting setups. Cross-key lighting reduces energy costs, as well as the heat produced by the instruments. Lighting with Fluorescents The principles of studio lighting with fluorescent fixtures are the same as lighting with conventional fixtures—revealing shape, form, and texture to create an interesting three-dimensional image. See Figure 15-27. Studio fluorescents are soft lights. When used properly, soft light is pleasing on Background lights Back lights Key and fill lights Studio camera Figure 15-27. Placement of fluorescent instruments on a news set. 322 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-28. A honeycomb is placed in front of a fluorescent instrument. The hundreds of small holes act as miniature barndoors and make the soft fluorescent light much more directional. (Photo courtesy of Lowel-Light Mfg., Inc.) honeycomb: A device that attaches to fluorescent instruments to reduce the shape and size of the light beam, making the light more directional and easier to control. people’s faces and easier on the eyes than hard edge spotlights. If used incorrectly, however, soft light can produce a flat, uninteresting image. The placement of fluorescent instruments is identical to the three-point lighting technique previously discussed for incandescent instruments. Lighting starts with a key light. The key is the primary source of illumination that reveals the shape of the subject. When using a large soft source as a key, the light scatters all over the studio. To control the “scattered” light, most fluorescent instruments are equipped with a honeycomb that reduces the shape and size of the light beam (Figure 15-28). A honeycomb does not make the light much harder, but it makes the light more directional and easier to control. Talk the Talk A honeycomb may also be called a grid. The word “grid” also refers to the support system used to hang lighting instruments. Use the context of the sentence to determine the intended meaning of the word. The second fixture is the fill light, which illuminates the opposite side of the subject’s face and fills in any objectionable shadows. Often in multicamera setups, a ring of lights is placed in front of the subject to provide a key light and fill light combination that covers the subject when they turn in any direction to address various cameras on the set. The next fixture is a back light, sometimes called a hair light, which is placed directly behind the subject. A very narrow honeycomb is usually used with the back light to prevent light from spilling forward and creating lens flare. Back light provides separation from the background and produces a “glamorous” halo of light. The final lights to be positioned are directed at the back of the set. A very simple set uses several fixtures aimed at the back wall to produce an even wash of light for an indistinct background. A studio can be adequately lit with fluorescent fixtures alone, however focusing spotlights may be added for both the talent and areas on the set. The Camera Light Many consumer and news cameras are equipped with a built-in light. When a reporter is doing a location shot, it may seem logical to use the Chapter 15 Lighting 323 on-camera light for additional lighting, as needed. If other lighting options are available, do not use the on-camera light. Because of the light’s proximity to the camera lens, the talent will have a “deer in the headlights” look— the talent’s eyes will appear overly large and their face will appear very flat. In general, using the camera light by itself produces an unattractive image of a person. An acceptable image may be created using the on-camera light if an additional light can be added on one side of the camera. For example, a hand-held sun-gun light can be pointed at the talent from a distance of about four feet on the left or right side of the camera. Car headlights can also be used as a side light, if necessary. Production Note You have, undoubtedly, seen images on evening news programs in which one of the cameras on location pans a large crowd of reporters and news cameras. All the other news cameras in the background have the camera lights on. In this instance, the oncamera lights from all the news cameras function as additional side lighting for every other camera at that location! Contrast Ratio The two extremes of light are black (the absence of all light) and white (the presence of all light). Contrast ratio (Chapter 14, Image Display) is the relationship of the amount of darkness to the amount of lightness in a picture. A television camera and a television set have difficulty reproducing black and white simultaneously. Therefore, large quantities of these colors are rarely seen in the same picture. Some television studios have solid black curtains that surround the sides of the studio. A completely solid black or white background can be very useful. If, for example, the talent is staged with a black, white, or any solid color background, viewers consider the talent to be removed from reality. A solid-colored background gives no visual clues to where or when the action is taking place. Lighting with this kind of background is called limbo lighting. Limbo lighting creates a background that is a solid, indistinct color. For example, many car commercials are shot on a white floor with an indistinct white background. Also, singers often perform in front of a solid black background, Figure 15-29. A solid background concentrates the viewer’s attention on the performance or main object in the shot. Lighting Check Always check the lighting setup on a monitor with the contrast, brightness, color, and tint controls set correctly. If the shot does not look good on the monitor, stop shooting immediately. The cause of the poor image displayed on the monitor must be determined before shooting continues. A likely culprit of this problem is the monitor itself. limbo lighting: A lighting technique in which the background of the set is lit to create the illusion of a solid-color, indistinct background. 324 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Figure 15-29. Limbo lighting is used when the talent or subject is in front of a completely indistinct background. To ensure that the contrast, brightness, color, and tint controls are set correctly on the monitor, perform the following: 1. Turn on the color bar generator in the video camera. 2. Verify that the color bars display in the proper order on the monitor. Color bars are discussed more fully in Chapter 25, Getting Technical. 3. If the color bars are incorrect, adjust the contrast, brightness, color, and tint on the monitor until the bars display correctly. 4. Turn the color bar generator off and the camera will operate as usual. 5. If the images on the monitor still do not appear properly, the camera may need adjustment before shooting can continue. Production Note To check a monitor’s contrast, brightness, color, and tint settings when using a camera that is not equipped with a color bar generator, perform the following: 1. Find a tape that you have watched and know the images have good color. 2. Place the tape in the camera and play it. 3. Watch the monitor and check the colors. 4. If colors on the monitor are incorrect, adjust the monitor settings until the colors are displayed correctly. Do not make any adjustments to the camera’s color controls until you verify that the monitor has not caused the display problem. If the monitor is operating correctly, either the video engineer or a camera repair shop will adjust the color controls on the video camera. This adjustment requires Chapter 15 Lighting the use of test instruments and procedures that are not familiar to most production staff. Adjusting any of the color controls on a camera to improve the picture on a monitor that needs adjustment will affect the actual recorded image. As a result, viewers will need to adjust the contrast, brightness, color, and tint controls on their own televisions to improve the picture. You probably have never needed to adjust these controls on your television at home while watching a network television program. This is because all programs adhere to industry-established standards regarding contrast, brightness, color, and tint levels. The goal is to shoot a program in the correct lighting situation, so the viewing public can sit back and watch your awardwinning television program. 325 326 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Wrapping Up Unfortunately, many inexperienced television production personnel consider lighting to be an afterthought. Proper lighting is extremely important. As part of an assignment, a student produced a commercial for a burglar alarm system. In the commercial, the burglar climbed into a house at night and triggered the burglar alarm. When viewing the commercial, it was difficult to miss the lack of a picture. There was only a black screen with sound. The student said that he intended the picture to be dark because it took place at night. He had successfully produced a radio program, but not a television program. Audiences accept a slightly darker scene as “night,” especially when shot with a dark blue filter on the camera. But, a completely black screen is not an acceptable depiction of “night.” If viewers are unable to clearly see what the camera is shooting, they change the channel and the program’s effort to communicate fails. Review Questions Please answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Do not write in this book. 1. What is the difference between hard light and soft light? 2. Name the types of lighting instruments commonly used on a production studio set. 3. What items can be used to redirect or change the shape of light? 4. What are the advantages of using fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent lamps? 5. How is power supplied to the lighting instruments that hang from the studio ceiling? 6. How do different frequencies (colors) of light affect a recorded video image? 7. Describe three methods used to reduce the intensity of production lighting. 8. What are two effects of bounce lighting? 9. What precautions should be taken to preserve the life of incandescent lamps? 10. List the steps involved in lighting a set. 11. Identify the instruments used in three-point lighting and explain the function of each. 12. What is cross-key lighting? 13. How is a honeycomb used with fluorescent instruments? 14. What is limbo lighting? Activities 1. Look around your home and identify the light created by the following instruments as either hard light or soft light: • The tabletop lighting instruments in your living room. • The instrument that illuminates your desk. The lighting fixture in your bathroom. • The lighting instrument over your kitchen table. • The lighting instrument over the stove in your kitchen. • The instrument that generally lights your bedroom. 2. Research the experiments and discoveries of Lord Kelvin. Choose one of his accomplishments (other than the Kelvin Color Temperature Scale) and write a report on it. Be prepared to present this information in class nc e • 327 Lighting Te ch n ol Sc ie Chapter 15 og y STEM Integrated STEM and Academic Activities Curriculum En 2. What is the frequency of a color? What is the unit of measurement used to indicate color frequency? 3. To convert Kelvin values to degrees Celsius, subtract 273.15 from the Kelvin value or °C = K – 273.15. Using this formula, convert the following Kelvin values to Celsius: A. 2000K B. 3200K C. 4300K 4. To convert degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius value by 1.8 and add 32 to the product or °F = (°C × 1.8) + 32. Using this formula, convert the Celsius values calculated in the previous activity to Fahrenheit. 5. Create a set diagram for one of your productions or a production you have been involved with. Include all the fixed elements on the set. Write an explanation of the program, the program’s message, and the movement of talent on the set to be used by a lighting designer. em at ic at h ne er in g M 1. Identify the gas (or gases) used in fluorescent lights. How does the gas inside a light create illumination? s gi 328 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism www.rtnda.org Website of the Radio Television Digital News Association and Foundation. The RTDNA (association) sets standards for and provides programs that encourage excellence in electronic journalism. The RTDNF (foundation) offers development opportunities and educational resources for journalism professionals and educators.
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