Lighting for night

[agingeri]

I'll be shooting a short in super8 soon and I have a shot planned where the scene will be set at dusk or night and the main light source will be an array of candles, torches, and oil lamps. Obviously this won't be enough light to shoot by, so what can I do to enhance this light believably and CHEAPLY?

I've got a 650 watt movie light as well as access to several (3 or 4) halogen work lights.

My principal concerns are maintaining the correct coloration (orangeish glow), keeping shadows soft, and making the light flicker a bit (perhaps through moving reflectors?)

I'd appreciate any advice.

[oldasdirt]

What stock are you shooting on?Are you familiar with day for night technique?Shoot tungsten film without the 85 filter in place (bluish cast)and underexpose about 1 and a half to 2 stops.

[agingeri]

I'll be using K40 on a Kinoflex Quarz 1x8s-2. Will halogen work lights and movie lights have the right color temperature to reproduce the color of the light cast by candles? If I left the 85 filter in, would that help create the illusion of firelight?

[oldasdirt]

I would leave the 85 out and shoot around dusk,being careful not to show sky.Underexpose about one and a half to 2 stops.The bluish cast will help create your night time atmosphere and if you use perhaps 1/2 CTO gel on your lights,that might warm them up enough to simulate firelight combined with a "flicker" provided by an assistant randomly flagging the light to create the simulated fire flicker.Shoot some tests with 1/4 and half CTO to see what suits your prefference.

[rcroster]

I agree with OAD, you will need to shoot some test film prior to the real thing. For what it's worth, you will create your most effective illusion of a night-time firelit scene in your medium and close shots of the actors. Here you will definately need an orange gel on your key light and a constantly moving cookie or flag to break it up and to help create the illusion of a flickering fire. I've seen grips rig up fans with several attached streamers to blow in front of the light in order to create the fire effect. I would also use a backlight on your actors that is white light (do not gel it). Use this to edge light their shoulders and the backs of their heads and it should be two or three stops above what your key light is (by which you will set your actual camera exposure). The backlight will help prevent your actors from appearing flat and disappearing into the background (assuming a nightsky). Last, for long shots, establishing shots, etc., you might be able to get away with existing light by having your talent stand still and shooting several seconds at a very low frame rate, e.g. 12fps or 9fps, but again I do believe your best firelit look will be in the medium and close shots. If you have an external light meter, that would help enormously in setting up this kind of scene.

[Nigel]

How about just making it look good?? Who cares what looks real...When was the last time you saw a night/evening shot that looked even close to being real??

Here are just a few ideas:
Take the 650 and throw it behind the actors and light the BG with it for depth(even if it is soft because of lack of DOF). Then take the Halogen lights and use them for some soft Key and Fill. Kep it low just enough to give you the exposure you want. Then the candles, etc. will light themselves. Or flip the scheme and use the Halogens in back and the 650 up front.

Remember Fire, Candles and the such only light themselves. Look at night lighting examples the best ones are alway the ones that are obvious--I am thinking of "Boys Don't Cry" "Out of Sight" "Seabiscut" try those for starters.

Good Luck

[oldasdirt]

How about just making it look good?? Who cares what looks real...When was the last time you saw a night/evening shot that looked even close to being real??

"Real" like "good" is a subjective term.If you have a good budget for a decent lighting pakage,then you can add all kinds of motivated sources.A large instrument can backlight and rim the subjects suggesting a full moon while other light sources can be "cheated to simulate the firelight from candles or camp fires.
I was called upon once to simulate the cheesy look of the old Hammer horror films with day for night,where the rules were broken (i.e. showing copious amounts of sky in the shot, a no no for day for night),it worked for that particular gag.Maybe the look might call for pools of light in certain areas with a lot of black void,giving a forboding sense of the environment swallowing up the subject.Or perhaps we want to see the night as a friendly ally,where certain details in actor's faces are brought out by the off angle of flickering firelight and foliage is brought out by a simulated moon light shining through leaves.
It all depends on what mood the script calls for.