How to light a simple interview scene cheaply and correctly?
In this article we will describe step by step how to light a simple interview scene cheaply and effectively.
In the example we used 3 simple lights from our rental:
- YONGNUO LED PANEL YN-300III — used as the fill light; with this lamp we fill the scene with light. In our example we point it at the ceiling, bathing the whole scene in soft, ambient light. The lamp is turned up to full power. I start setting up from this lamp, setting the camera exposure to it at -2EV to -1EV.
- CONTINUOUS LIGHT 9X28W WITH SOFTBOX — used as the key light, i.e. the main light illuminating the subjects. Thanks to the softbox, the light on the filmed subjects will be soft and pleasant to the eye. We can light the subjects at a 45-degree angle. Personally I prefer to turn the lamp slightly towards the camera and not illuminate the filmed subjects directly — the result is slightly more subtle light. After switching on this lamp, we set its power so that the scene is correctly exposed, i.e. exposure at 0EV. If we have several actors and the subject closest to the lamp is noticeably more lit than the furthest one, try moving the lamp further away and increasing its power.
- YONGNUO LED PANEL YN-300III — used as the back light. It lights the subjects from behind and is positioned in contra to the key light. It gives us a brighter outline on the filmed subjects and separates them from the background. We adjust the power until a brighter, subtle rim appears on the subjects. Yongnuo lights can be easily controlled via a smartphone app, allowing us to set their power while looking through the camera viewfinder. These lights are powered by a Sony NPV battery — no need to plug them into a socket (the softbox light requires 220V power). If the whole scene is already lit by, say, window light, we can skip the fill light. And if we have a very small budget, we can use only the key light and balance it with a reflector.
The complete set of 3 lights is available at our rental for the great price of 75 PLN gross per day (price already includes tripods and batteries).
Related products available for rent
25 PLN gross/24h