Filmmaking Tips 101: Lighting Interior Sets
Focusing Quartz Lights
Focusing Quartz lights include spot lights and flood lights. Spot lights, like what you’re used to hearing about with stage performances; concentrate on a specific concentrated light which is quite powerful. Flood lights fill out the room, but don’t push as strong of a light out as they’re not as specific.
On most film sets, if these lights are present, the D.O.P. will manipulate how he wants them to perform. Bouncing them off ceilings or walls, putting up gels or spun glass will all help reflect or diffuse the light as it’s creatively intended.
Broads
Broad lights are designed to put out a broad light over and area, they’re not geared for focusing, but more so to illuminate an area non-specifically.
Softlights
A softlight is a bounce light which bounces off a curved surface that the lamp is aimed into and is aimed so that it hits the subject.
There are four types of light; direct, intense, colour and diffusion (otherwise known as soft).
Barn doors
Barn doors can be added to most lights, but come as standard with some of the more professional ones. They’re basically covers that help to direct the light, one on each of the four sides.
