Franklite LTD
Studio Lighting and video Production
The key to a great video shoot is lighting. It determines how good and professional a video looks. That means that the quality of a video all comes down to lighting. Get that wrong and all your work and effort at good production might just be all in vain. So here we are going to have a look at a building block of nearly all lighting -- three pointing. Finding good lighting kits can also be a problem but that is where franklite ltd comes in. Visit them at Snowdon Drive, Winterhill, Milton Keynes MK6 1AP. So let us look at the three-point lighting and its importance in video production. Three-point lighting, as the name suggests, has three components The Key, The Fill and The back.
The Key
The Key is a crucial light component for video production lighting. It is placed on either the left or right of the subject at an angle of 45 degrees to them, often above and aimed down between 30 and 45 degrees. It is the main light. You should place this light as if it was the only light you had and you will get defining shadows on the face which you would not have if the light were on a similar axis to the camera. You will realize that in a room with no other lighting, this create deep, dark shadows. This is toned down by our next light -- The Fill.
The Fill
This light is usually dimmer than the key light and is positioned at a near 45- degree angle on the opposite side of the camera mostly level with the subject's face. This light is a reaction to the key light and its ultimate position depends on its function- what shadows it creates, where you need to reduce them for better production. In bulb size and wattage, the Fill light can be the same size but it maybe be placed further away than the key. It should drive back the shadows and even though they reduce the harshness of the lighting, they still give a very two- dimensional view. This is where the third light comes in. it creates a sense of distance between the subject and the background. Bringing in a sense of a third dimension on the screen.
The back light
Sometimes called a rim or shoulder light, the back light is aimed at the subject's back and is usually, just like the key light, 45-degrees off the axis shining down upon the subject. This creates an outline which appears to separate the shoulders from the background by creating a bright rim around part of the subject. Often, the bright light is as bright as the key, if not brighter.
Extras and variations
Sometimes, one can include a bonus floor light also known as a 'diva light' to create extra fill for lighting up the subject. You can also use a variation of the three-point lighting for example by using natural light from windows as your Key light.