Ways to Put Lights and Color Gels to Work on Your Film
Light and color can change everything.
Lighting is a true workhorse of cinema. It not only illuminates spaces so, you know, they can be seen, but it also add loads of atmosphere, mood, and subtext to film projects, especially when paired with vibrant colors. If you want to learn just how many different kinds of looks you can create with some lights and some color gels (or a very expensive RGBAW LED), take a look at this video. Jake Estes of B&H goes over a handful of ways you can utilize light and color to create interesting effects and moods your film projects. Check it out below:
In reality, the video is meant to showcase the capabilities of Luxli's Timpani LED, an RGBAW LED that offers full gamut color mixing. However, if you're on a budget and can't afford to spend a grand on a single light, then you might want to consider investing in some useful and far less expensive gear, like a few powerful and affordable LEDs and a set of color gels. (To find some budget-friendly LED options, check these out.)
With a little creativity, you can turn an uninspired interview into a vibrantly colorful eyecatcher or an everyday warehouse scene into a raging club complete with strobe lights. Of course, to get your lights to flicker or strobe, you might want to get your hands on a dimmer, or if you've got the coin, a flickerbox, which will allow you to program special lighting effects like candle flicker, strobing, lightning, and TV screen flicker.
What are some of your favorite lighting effects that use simple color gels? Let us know down below.
Source: B&H