Color gels are one of the most essential items to have on a film set. They help you to not only correctly balance color emitting from your lighting units, but to also create a myriad of interesting lighting effects. In this tutorial, Adorama's David Bergman shows you how to utilize color gels in your own work, including how to approach the issue of balancing mixed color temperatures, which is an problem most of us will have almost every time we go out and shoot.


Though there were some create tips in Bergman's video, it leaves a little bit to be desired if you're a beginner who doesn't know much about gels. But fear not, because the internet carries within it a bounty of tutorials and videos that will tell you all you need to know about using them, from color balancing to creating awesome effects.

This video tells you pretty much everything you need to know about using gels on set, including different kinds of gels you should keep on hand, different levels they come in, and much more.

Here's one that that is really helpful if you want to understand not only how to use gels in real on-set situations, but also how color plays a role in the psychological and emotional experience of your audience.

And finally, this one explains basic lighting theory, including color temperature, kelvins, and other concepts that are integral to lighting scenes effectively.

What are some other things beginner filmmakers should know about using gels? Let us know down below!

Source: Adorama