Night shoot in a car

Started by Redlum, July 16, 2003, 05:35:32 PM

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Redlum

My next short film involves a scene at night, in a car, with very few practical light sources, shooting on DV. Which is a fairly big problem.

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for lighting this set up. I was thinking about constructing some kind of rig of flashlights with some blue gels, or spotting the faces by steering a light into the rear view mirror. If its any help to the situation, its likely to be in black and white.

Anyone have a tips?
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  -  George Lucas

chainsmoking insomniac

Spotting the faces seems like the most viable, realistic option.
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mutinyco

Difficult situation. I rarely see it well-done in big budget movies, let alone mini-DV. The problem with lighting the characters is that it becomes difficult to motivate the light. Ususally looks like shit if there's a stationary light on people during night driving. Looks totally artificial.

If it's a dark film you could set up some lights outside the car just to pull some subtle rims from the shape of the car. Then have people outside the car moving lights. What this will create are silhouetted people who are occasionally brightened by passing lights.
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ono

I'd say ask yourself if it really matters that everything be seen.  There's something to be said for a bit of realism.  Try using the car's interior lights (think of a convenient reason for it to be on), but other than that, don't worry about it too much.  From what I've read here, it can't be helped too much.

ReelHotGames

A nice little trick I have tried is to use book lights (those little clip on deals that run on batteries), you'll need 2-3 per character to give a full amient light effect, position them in sneaky areas around the car where the camera won't pick up a glare and use soft blue gels.

You can do the same with tiny flashlights, tape them in inconspicious places.
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Alethia

Quote from: michael alessandroA nice little trick I have tried is to use book lights (those little clip on deals that run on batteries), you'll need 2-3 per character to give a full amient light effect, position them in sneaky areas around the car where the camera won't pick up a glare and use soft blue gels.

You can do the same with tiny flashlights, tape them in inconspicious places.

i use a similar trick and it works rather nicely

Redlum

Cheers for the tips. I'll see if I can get some of those book lights as it will save covering the car in gaffa tape. Its a small scene so hopefully it wont look to bad.
\"I wanted to make a film for kids, something that would present them with a kind of elementary morality. Because nowadays nobody bothers to tell those kids, \'Hey, this is right and this is wrong\'.\"
  -  George Lucas

TheVoiceOfNick

Have you seen the scene in Swingers when they're driving to Vegas? Anyways, yeah... small lights will be nice... if they're supposed to be driving, don't forget to simulate oncoming traffic with a passer-by light.


Nick

mutinyco

Make sure to use a long lens. Throwing off the background will help create the illusion by not allowing the audience to focus on what's going on outside the car.
"I believe in this, and it's been tested by research: he who fucks nuns will later join the church."

-St. Joe

Alethia

see dazed and confused, linklater did it rather well in a few scenes.

Raikus

I've always wanted to shoot a scene where the streetlights would create a long strobe type effect -- Darkness, light buildup, light overhead, light receding, darkness, etc. That would seem the most realistic to me, but completely depends on the context of the shot.
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mutinyco

Man, I messed up that last post. I meant by using a long lens the audience WON'T be able to focus on the background...
"I believe in this, and it's been tested by research: he who fucks nuns will later join the church."

-St. Joe

Redlum

For the majority of the scene the car is parked roadside, but there is a little where the car is moving. I've done some test shoots at the location I want to use and they've come out fairly well, but its obvious Im going to have to turn on the in-car light in the script.

The strobing street lamp effect does work and it looks fairly good, unfortunately the script requires a location with as little sign of population as possible.
\"I wanted to make a film for kids, something that would present them with a kind of elementary morality. Because nowadays nobody bothers to tell those kids, \'Hey, this is right and this is wrong\'.\"
  -  George Lucas

mutinyco

You should go park on the moors and hope Brady and Hindley don't get you...
"I believe in this, and it's been tested by research: he who fucks nuns will later join the church."

-St. Joe