Lighting Schemes Research
What is it and how is it used in film?
Lighting schemes are specific illumination techniques used by the producers of a piece of work in order to capture a particular tone or storytelling element. This can be achieved through artificially created light sources that help to act as controllable tool for the directors and content creators. With the use of these devices, by Gaffers, the management behind a production can use it for any intended purpose that they may have for it, aiding to the atmosphere and overall plot of their project.
We can plainly see this come to life in the hit 1982 film "Blade Runner." In this film, a dystopian sci-fi film, our protagonist Deckard is a blade runner, with an objective to be to destroy 4 sentient robots before they meet their creator. In this action movie, the film makers use a mix of special effects, music, and sound effects in order to convey a feasible futuristic setting that also helps to engage the viewer. For specifically the lighting, bright neon lights are used to help convey the message that in this world, commercialism and businesses are widespread and are more important than livable space. This is made apparent in the introduction to our main character Deckard, where he is in a cramped street filled with neon advertisements and lights waiting for a seat in a restaurant.
There are many different elements involved in the usage of artificial light. To be precise, this aspect of a film is closely related to the color of the film, causing the producers of the movie to utilize them in the same manner. For example, they would use darker lighting and cooler colors to convey a tone of possible loneliness or sadness in a particular scene of a production. On big productions, a Gaffer is especially needed because there are many aspects to consider in the achievement of a scene such as that. In order to achieve a saddened or depressed feeling, you have to account for the strength of the artificial light bulb as well as the temperature. This could allow for different colors at different heat settings, with cooler colors being created at higher temperatures and warm colors being made at lower temperatures.
This information also has to be weighed alongside the factor of incidental light, which is how much of the light is actually reaching the subject. This can help to further convey the message or point of a segment in a movie, helping to portray a faded or intense atmosphere in that moment. In the usage of these factors and overall information, it is clear that in order to properly use artificial lighting, it must be properly planned and executed for the intended meaning to work.
I plan to use this information relating to artificial lighting by considering its different aspects in indoor scenes. To be exact, with sequences that take place inside, I would be able to have full creative control over how I want a scene to look, being able to experiment with different colors and lighting styles. This can help me to fully bring out the meaning I had intended for my shot to carry and entertain my audiences with my creative decisions.
However, although artificial lighting is vital to controlling the lighting aspects of different scenes, natural light is also widely used in the film industry. This is because it can help to capture an individual shot using natural elements as well as pertain to the storyline being created in the media. However, it is more complicated to complete a natural light scene compared to an artificially lit scene because of the extensive planning needed in relation to the sun. With the scene recording at the perfect time, it will allow for not only the perfect tone and feeling to be created, but also create stunning visuals that will entertain and engage the viewers further into the wider plot.
We know this to be the case because of the extremely popular film "Star Wars - A New Hope." To be precise, in this movie, when Luke Skywalker is walking outside of his Aunt and Uncle's home, he stares at the two suns of his home planet. This scene is iconic because it allows for the movie to truly feel like it is taking place on another planet as well as represent his frustrated emotions and attitudes in that moment.
I plan to use this knowledge to my benefit. In knowing the meticulous planning that goes into naturally lit scenes, I will research the weather and environment of our outside filming locations beforehand to coincide with me and my partner's schedules. In this way, we will be efficient in our filming, allowing us to make the most with the time that we have for those specific moments.
In the culmination of this huge amount of information, I have learned a lot about how lighting is a key aspect in the film industry. Not only does it help support a narrative or tone of a scene, but it also allows for emotion to be properly represented in a variety of different ways. I believe that I will now have the knowledge and foresight of this aspect of production so that when the time comes to film, I will be able to accurately execute the ideas I have surrounding my project.
Award-Winning Movies for Cinematography:
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
https://gamma-sci.com/2022/08/05/cinematic-applications-led-lighting-for-modern-film-sets/?srsltid=AfmBOoqlHDh_udb5EYMEshU8uSxyA_9dOamq6Ew-xlvqjrmoYKxA7Ywj
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePbK0tiVWKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41ak2jr55fE
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/11/25/review-1917-might-be-the-best-movie-of-2019/
https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/glory-film/
https://www.imdb.com/de/title/tt0078788/
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