Work Of The Mini Series Camera Man
A cinematographer is a master of lighting. He knows where the light is coming from, how intense it needs to be and what mood it creates. He works very closely with the director and the gaffer to create the perfect balance of light. A few things a cinematographer considers when setting up lights are movement, placement, intensity and color. Here is how they work:
Movement: When light moves, it can mean a number of things. A character could be approaching a scene, a light could be “going out” which could create a creepy basement interrogation scene, or it could be something along the lines of a dance party or perhaps a rave of some kind. Maybe flashes are needed to mimic paparazzi taking pictures, in which case a lot of movement is needed as that could consist of a bunch of consecutive flashes from all over the frame.
Placement: “Where is the light coming from and why?” Asking yourself why the light is coming from a certain direction is important because it helps you understand the source better. What makes it shaped that way? Where are the shadows in relation to where the light is coming from? Being attentive to real-life lighting situations is very important to a cinematographer because that way they can mimic the light better and not make it look so fake or forced through the lens. Placing lights where they should be in real life and then making them brighter is the best way to go in my opinion-that way it looks natural. If you want a practical light to look like it’s actually lighting someone, it must be intensified in order to show up on camera. For instance, a little desk lamp will not make anyone show up on camera, but intensifying it will.
Using more lights makes things brighter and creates a happier mood. Therefore, villains normally are lit less and heroes are lit more to portray the darker and the lighter moods. Heroes will not be lit from underneath as much as they will from the front, back and side, using more lights. Their faces will be better lit so you can see their eyes better.
Intensity: The intensity of a light can easily create different moods. Try sitting in a dark room for ten minutes. Then try sitting in a well-lit room for ten minutes. Most likely, sitting in a well-lit room will make you feel better and happier. Perhaps your mind was wondering more in the light and you felt more scared in the dark because you didn’t know what was around you. The same goes for lighting a movie.
The darker it is, the more mysterious and dingy the scene becomes. The brighter the scene, the happier the characters are and the audience will feel more comfortable. Dramas tend to be darker and comedies are brighter for that exact reason. Comedies want you to laugh; so making it brighter will create a happier mood for the audience, therefore making them laugh easier.
Color: The color of the light also creates mood and helps the audience understand time of day and whether the character(s) are inside or outside. Inside light tends to be more orange or tungsten, and outside light tends to be bluer.
Keeping all these elements in mind when lighting a film will help in many ways. Light can come alive and have life, too it’s just the way it’s done and how it’s captured. Creativity mixed with the understanding of these elements will make your film look amazing and your audience content.
The detailed occupation of the lighting camera person at Mark Cella‘s site.