If you've just started your filmmaking journey, lighting may not be on your radar quite yet—but it should be. It's one of the most important elements of cinema not only because it's the very thing that makes it possible, but because it's one of the most powerful tools a filmmaker has to tell a story. If you're a little intimidated, don't worry. Yes, lighting can be complicated and yes, it's going to take you years of practice to be any good at it, but this 30-minute video from Kevin of Basic Filmmaker breaks down almost every basic technical aspect of lighting, from color temperatures to lighting cable quality, to help give you a more sturdy foundation.

(Kevin highlights one mistake in the video: when he refers to CRI as Color Temperature Index. It stands for Color Rendering Index.)

Even though Kevin managed to pack in a ton of information in under 30 minutes, it focuses more on the technical side of lighting—it doesn't really go into how to shape light for visual storytelling. Nevertheless, it's a great primer that will help you get more familiar with what you're working with when you pick up a light. The next step is educating yourself on how to use that light to properly expose a scene, create atmosphere and depth, and tell rich stories with one of the most dynamic instruments you, as a filmmaker, have to work with. Luckily we have plenty of resources available for you to do that!

Source: Basic Filmmaker

lighting
Cinematography & Cameras