1. On Location (pages:60-72)
Light!
Without light, there would be no video.
And without good lighting, there would be no good video.
Light comes in two somewhat different forms:
Directly from a light source such as the sun, a light bulb or a
candle.
This is call incident light.
A second kind of light, which has been reflected from and, as a
result, altered by the surface of a material substance, is
reflected light.
It is the way we shape and control reflected light that
determines what the TV camera perceives as a picture.

2.  Lighting has three main purposes:
◦ To define shape and texture of physical forms
◦ To imitate quality of light characteristics of a
situation or setting in reality
◦ To establish and enhance the mood of a
performance or setting
◦ Think about it: You view TV on a flat surface. The
illusion of depth is created by the effects of light
and shadow.
◦ This artificially produced dimension of depth allows
the eye to reconstruct for the brain the real or
intended shape and texture of an object.
Lighting objectives: Creative Purposes

3.  It is the manipulation of shadows, rather
than adding more light, that most effectively
adds form and texture.
 Light from the same direction as the camera
can eliminate rough shadows while side
lighting exaggerates shadows.
 Off-camera lighting effects help to pinpoint a
setting: low-angle lights indicates a campfire
or fireplace; continually flashing red light
indicates presence of emergency vehicle.
Lighting objectives: Creative Purposes

4.  Mood: can be reinforced by quality of light
and its abundance or absence
◦ Comedy is bright and usually a fully lit background.
(high-key lightning)
◦ Conversely, tragedy or fear are communicated
when the area surrounding an actor is dark or dim.
(low-key lighting)
 Special dramatic moods may be used: a
flashing neon sign outside a motel suggests a
seedy part of town
 Cameo lightning is where the performer is lit
but the background is completely dark.
And, performers in complete darkness
against a brightly lit background creates a
silhouette effect.
Lighting objectives: Creative Purposes

5. Equipment for lighting
Sun Gun – the name given to any on-
camera, battery-powered lights mounted
directly above the lens
- Sun Guns are dangerous because
therein lies a problem: Any light
mounted on the camera will throw
substantially more light on objects
close to the camera, rendering them
radically brighter than anything else in
the frame. There’s no detail, no
depth, just a white, shot-spoiling blob.
The secret to using a sun gun well is about not making it look
like a headlight in someone’s face.

6.  If there is not enough available light, there are
some cheap reflectors – think white foam boards
or mirrors – but the best equipment is
expensive.
◦ Kino Flo: The company Kino Flo
produces a constant lighting system
made from compact florescent tubes
ranging from 4- to 2-foot lengths.
◦ Good
because
they are
compact
and
constant
Lighting equipment

7. ◦ Dedo: Four light heads, four
stands, a power unit and cables in
one box
 Each light head has a lens system
 Halogen lamps are easily changed and last longer
than tungsten lamps
Lighting equipment

8. ◦ Chimera: collapsible, lightweight
fabric boxes that deliver a
big, soft, pleasing light.
 Recognized as the lighting industry standard
◦ The bigger the source, the more
◦ flattering the light
Lighting equipment

9.  Lighting on a budget:
◦ China ball: a flimsy paper lantern that provides
effective soft source lighting and less heat
 These are perfect to place between two actors that are
talking to each other, or they just create a nice soft wrapping
light source for your main talent.
The paper provides a nice diffusion
for the light and the sphere creates
an omni pattern – something that will
provide light in all directions.

10.  To start, look for natural light.
◦ Put someone in the brighter part of the
room, letting the background be darker – place
them near the window.
◦ Then, control the light: use a black jacket to
get rid of some light reflecting back. This is
called negative fill. A white poster board or
“bounce card” is positive fill.
◦ The larger you can make the source of the
light, the more flattening the light and the
more real. This is why the Kino Flos are good
because they are big.
Lighting techniques

11.  Key Light
 Fill light
 Backlight
◦ They differ from each other in direction, intensity
and degree to which they are focused or diffused.
 Most likely, your video will not look “right”
without adding lighting, especially if there is
too much light.
 Sometimes, natural light is the perfect light.
(Think sunlight pouring in the kitchen
window.)
 Remember, you have to develop a good eye for lighting.
What do you want to say?
Three types of light

12.  You’re creating the
illusion of a third
dimension – the
formula for basic
lighting is three-
point lighting
◦ The first light set up
in the system is the
most important:
key light – this is
the brightest light
at the front of your
subject, about 45
degrees from the
line drawn between
your subject and
the camera
Three-point lighting

13. Think of key light as the apparent source of light
hitting the talent. (A spotlight is normally used.)
 The key light shapes the face and
features, including the eye itself and should be
placed off to the side of the talent, between 30
and 45 degrees.
 Should be placed high enough to give some
shadow under the chin and nose, but low enough
to get the light directly in the eye socket.
Key light

14.  Fill light is used to fill in on the dark side.
◦ Fill light also softens some of the harsher
shadows created by the bright key light.
 Outdoors, when the sun is your key light, you
often use a reflector or bounce card to create a fill
light.
 The fill light is placed 45 from the
camera, opposite the key light and set at half
intensity.
 Creates subtle and pleasing effects
 Should not be as strong as key light
 The key and fill light should normally
be placed 30 to 45 degrees from a
line drawn straight in front of the
talent
Three-point lighting

15.  Backlight is for separation:
◦ Backlight accentuates features such as
hair, shoulders, so don’t put a person with dark
hair on a dark background. You need color
separation.
◦ Without backlight, the subject appears flat and
tends to blend into the background
◦ The China ball is the cheapest, easiest source
for light and easy way to deliver subtle lighting.
◦ Keep the China ball close to the subject – the
more you back away, the harder the light
becomes and the more shadows you get.
 You can see the round China ball in the subject’s
eyes when it is close to the person. It’s flattering.
Lighting techniques

16.  Third in the three-point setup.
 Smaller, lower-wattage light placed directly
behind subject and in line with the camera
 Creates a visual separation between the
subject and the background
 Light should be aimed at the person’s neck to
create a subtle rim around the subject
◦ Blondes and old folks with thin hair often need a bit
less backlight.
No back light
Back light

17. ◦ In this assignment, you will have to function as
the producer-writer-director as well as serve in the
basic production positions.
◦ Get 10 to 20 second segments – sometimes, this
is totally out of story sequence.
Interview setup

18.  Tips
 Monitor VU or volume unit meter
 Wear headphones
 Use viewfinder not LCD screen
 Use microphones for interviews
 Get a-roll and b-roll

19.  Always wear headphones when you’re
shooting. It’s the only way to troubleshoot
sound issues before it’s too late.
◦ Tips: Keep all doors and windows closed when
you’re recording. Silence phones (vibrate
makes noise, too.)
◦ Turn off appliances that cycle – fridge, A/C
◦ Pause when planes pass overhead
◦ Make sure everyone knows there is no talking
allowed when the camera is rolling: quiet on
the set!
◦ Keep blankets to muffle noise!
Sound

20.  The goal in recording is to make it
clean, crisp, free of noise and
interference.
◦ You’ll need an ear for trouble
◦ The quality of your recordings will depend on
how well you manage the location, which mics
you use and where they are placed and how
you nip problems in the bud
◦ The most common problem is the difference
between the line level and mic level feeds, so
monitor the audio going into the camera
Sound

21.  The on-camera mic is often
sufficient, unless you want to be
recognized as a professional.
◦ Shotgun mics – Limits the sounds to what’s in
front of the camera
◦ Records in one direction – the direction it’s
pointed
◦ The long-barreled design of the mic cancels
and rejects most audio that approaches from
the sides.
Mics

22.  Lavaliere mics
◦ Tiny mics designed to be used close to the
sound source – tie pin or clip on mics
◦ For broadcast and talk shows – 6 to 8 inches
from a person’s mouth
◦ Can be wireless, or run off the camera but
often needs batteries of its own
Mics

23.  Stick mics
◦ Basic mics that resemble lollipops or icecream
cones
◦ The darlings of the news business
◦ Chosen not for sensitivity and fidelity but
ruggedness.
◦ Can add an air of immediacy and journalistic
integrity to your production
Mics

24.  PZM – pressure zone mics
 The boundary effect mic
◦ Not the most common or conventional, but can
be used to pick up the entire room
◦ It’s commonly suspended upside-down just
above the surface in its housing.
◦ It relies on reflected sound and offers a better
response than putting a couple of stick mics
around the table.
Mics

25.  Choosing the proper place for a mic is just
as important as choosing the right mic.
 Some are designed for distance, some are
designed for balancing extraneous sound.
 Sound changes over distance and minor
changes can alter the mic’s sound.
 Be aware of noisy clothing like silk, and
noisy bracelets.
 The best sound is obtained when the
speaker speaks across the mic’s
pickup, rather than directly into the mic.
Mics

26.  A boom is used with the shotgun or any
other mic and mounted at the end of a
telescoping arm.
 Silence: Silence is not silent. Room tone
or ambient noise is needed.
 Try to remember to keep the talking and
extraneous noise to a bare minimum
when recording sound
Mics

27.  It’s considered bad journalistic style to
fake it or ask for a do-over; the challenge
is getting things right the first time.
◦ Lean, brace, prop, hang, do whatever is
necessary to steady your shots
◦ Use horizons and strong vertical elements near
the center of the screen to be sure your shots
are level.
◦ Bracket your moves. Hold the shot for at least
5 seconds before the move starts and after the
finish.
◦ Don’t use the LCD screen – they are super
sensitive to light and often give the wrong
impression
Rolling tape

28.  Shoot sequences: the man typing, the
computer screen, his fingers on the
keyboard, his hand picking up the
pone, the man talking. Think in terms of
shots that will edit together smooth.
 Shoot people in transitions from one place
to the next.
 Shoot USEFUL cutaways: it’s a connector.
 Don’t just follow the action: let the
actions of the people and objects move
into or out of the frame.
Rolling tape

29.  Take stills of the location before you start
moving things around.
 Spiking means laying down a piece of
tape to mark the spot
 Walk your actors and crew through the
shot, then walk them back to their start
positions
 Ask if anyone had a problem with the
take. Decide if it’s worth doing another.
 Don’t rewind. You might overrecord.
 Eject immediately. Lock it. Label it and
put it in a safe place.
Basic tips for shooting

30.  Shoot sequences: the man typing, the
computer screen, his fingers on the
keyboard, his hand picking up the
pone, the man talking. Think in terms of
shots that will edit together smooth.
 Shoot people in transitions from one place
to the next.
 Shoot USEFUL cutaways: it’s a connector.
 Don’t just follow the action: let the
actions of the people and objects move
into or out of the frame.
Rolling tape