After extensive research on the effect of lighting and filters on certain sets and films, I found that it was highly influential and gave many clues as to the genre of the film, what was happening, how safe a setting was, and even characters definition.
I researched into the different types of lighting and filter colours that are generally used during filming, and found very different and specific styles that each hold connotations of evil, or love, or warmth, and the audience automatically interpret them in certain ways. I looked at the main structure of lighting used on many film sets, called Three Point Lighting. These three main heavy lights include a back light, a key light and a fill light.
The back light usually stands behind the object of focus, or person, and is mainly used to provide seperation from the background, say a wall. The key light, positioned to the left of the diagram, or the right hand side of the object/person, provides a natural base light, used to make the image clear and focused on camera. It is the primary and most important light source. The fill light acts as a 'leveller', providing some 'fill' as hinted in the name, and a shadow for your object of focus. This balances the contrast created by the strong back light and key lights, and gives the finishing product a natural and balanced, clear look.
Each of these pieces of lighting has a seperate purpose, and works together to significantly give depth and high quality on camera. But one light may be altered slightly, be it using a filter, brightner, or other effect, to change hopw the overall image is shot, and create a specific intended effect. I looked into these different alterations further add substance and depth to a particular shot, and give meaning.
Back Lit Subjects
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| Bear Backlit. Serene Image |
This involves the other two lights barely bright, whilst the back light is directly behind the subject of focus. By brightening it substantially, it can create a variety of effects.
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| Black and White Backlit. Rural, again serene image. |
I tried, with a group of others, to replicate this use of lighting. I think the effect worked quite well, as it gives a soft, somewhat heavenly touch to the subject, as it is so bright, almost creating an aura around the subject of focus.
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| Romantic image. |
It also creates quite a romantic image, shown in the holding hand photo, as the lighting surrounds the hands, and could be quite significant and symbolic if filming about love or romance.
High Key Lighting.
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| Old fashioned films mainly used this style of lighting |
This form of lighting is generally used in filming, when it is outdoors or brightly lit on a clear day. Light sources come from all directions to create this effect, and it often gives a happy, bright effect. It would generally be used in films of a comical, or romantic nature, and rarely in horror films, when light tends to be much darker, and sinister. It gives clarity, and presents to the audience a very clear image of the subject in focus.
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| Prime example of high key lighting within a studio. |
Low Key Lighting
This form of lighting is generally used in films of the horror, or mystery genre, or in hybrid films that incorporate aspects of sci fi and action. Less of the area of filming is lit up, and this in turn purposefully creates shadows and partially lit subjects. This can create a sinister, eerie effect of the subject of focus, and perhaps represent a character in a particular way. I explored this technique with my group, and researched into its general use.
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| Partially lit, Low key subject |
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| The creation of shadows, experimental |
Examples of this form of lighting proved difficult to accomplish within our classroom setting. Eventually however, we discovered its use can create a severe effect, and put specific ideas about the subject of focu into the audience members' mind. If a character is only partially lit in the shadows, or from underneath, like the two images shown above, then they are portrayed as potentially dangerous, and most definitely evil or suspicious characters, due to their particular expressions, and lack of revelation of facial details. When producing our own short
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| Low Key Lighting Example |
We experimented with using various colour filters over our primary sources of light in order to understand the various effects they produce. Our favourite effect was through using the red filter. PLacing over the front of the light, it produces images that gave impressions of romanticism and love. The closer the filter to the head of the lamp, the stronger the colour was produced. We feel that it will be effective using it within our film, as the blue filter gave a grim and dank impression, effective for making the woodland scene seem grim and disturbing, the perfect setting for our horror genre.
Not only can the red filter create a romantic effect, but also one of fear. It could be a prominent signifier for blood and horror, something we also may consider incorporating into our films structure of camera shots and lighting effects.
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| Creation of shadows, using a colour filter. |
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