Lighting for TV and Film

Gerald Millerson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN:
  9781136055218
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film & Video

Skilful lighting involves a subtle blend of systematic mechanics and a sensitive visual imagination. It requires anticipation, perceptiveness, patience and know-how. But learning through practice alone can take a great deal of time. This book is a distillation of many years' experience, with advice and guidance that will bring successful results right from the start.

Whether you are a student studying lighting techniques in the television, video and film media, or a professional lighting for the camera, this book will be an invaluable aid. Other members of the production team, including camera crews, designers and directors, will also find the information here interesting and useful.

The book concentrates primarily on the fundamental principles of lighting in studios, on location and display, as well as single-camera, small unit production, improvised and economy lighting, and working with limited facilities. Emphasis is also placed on the safety aspects of working with lighting equipment.

Lighting for Television and Film reflects the author's considerable experience of lighting techniques in BBC studios, his teaching and consultancy work.

Gerald Millerson's analytical writings spring from a lifetime's personal experience in the medium, and from his teaching and engineering background. During his career with the BBC, he was primarily associated with studio operations in the Television Service. His lecturing background included courses in TV production at a number of American universities.
His other books for Focal Press are Television Production, TV Scenic Design, Video Production Handbook and, in the Media Manuals series, Effective TV Production, Lighting for Video and Video Camera Techniques.

1 An introduction

Why bother?

Of course we take light for granted. It is part of our everyday world; a phenomenon so familiar that we cease to think about it.

When shooting on location there is usually light of some sort around. It may not be ideal, but at least it allows the camera to see what is going on. If whatever you are looking at happens to be in shadow, move it into the light; if the surroundings are insufficiently bright, add illumination of some kind. In the studio, surely all you need is overall lighting from a large bank of lamps. So why all this mystique about lighting techniques? Why does one need to study the obvious?

Most of us start with questions like these. It is certainly puzzling when you find that a straightforward interview has needed a dozen lamps, and then see a particularly impressive lighting effect which was achieved with just a single lamp!

Why do we need lighting techniques?

There are a number of reasons why carefully arranged lighting is desirable. Some are self-evident, others are less obvious:

Light intensity To produce high-quality pictures the light level (intensity) needs to be appropriate for the sensitivity of the medium you’re using, and the lens aperture (f-stop). As we shall see later, if there is too little light, focusing can be very difficult (limited depth of field) and various picture defects become prominent (e.g. picture noise).

Lighting contrast Bright areas and deep shadows can be an embarrassment, for the camera can only handle a limited contrast range. Suitable lighting can often overcome this problem.

Inconsistent pictorial effect A subject may be strongly lit from one camera position and silhouetted from another. It may look less attractive as the angle changes. Careful lighting can correct these differences.

Light must suit the production techniques If, for example, a shadow falls on the subject as the camera moves closer, this will not only be a distraction but may prevent the audience from seeing the subject clearly.

Inappropriate illumination Poorly arranged, light can produce flat, two-dimensional pictures. Effective lighting creates an illusion of depth and solidity; subjects stand out from the background.

Unsuitable illumination Badly chosen lighting treatment can make a picture appear artificial and unconvincing. Suitably arranged lighting builds an impression of realism, a completely convincing environment.

Light should develop a suitable ambience The environmental atmosphere and mood should be appropriate for the occasion.

Lighting affects a subject’s appearance Depending on the way light falls on a subject, it may appear beautiful, ugly, mysterious, distorted, stark, crude …

Uncontrolled illumination can cause distracting effects It can result in shadows, hotspots, reflections, that take the audience’s attention. Careful lighting can avoid or suppress these problems.

What can lighting do?

From what we have already seen it is clear that lighting in television and film is about much more than just making things visible. Skillful lighting allows you to adjust and manipulate the impression conveyed on the screen. You do this by carefully controlling the strength and quality of the light, by arranging its angle and coverage.

A magical property of light is its flexibility – the ease with which it can be controlled. You can totally transform a situation in an instant at the touch of a switch. Or you can alter it gradually and imperceptibly, without your audience realizing how subtly it is changing. Simply by adjusting the relative intensities of the s...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface to the Third Edition
• Acknowledgements
• 1 An introduction
• 2 The nature of light
• 3 The eye and perception
• 4 The principles of lighting
• 5 Lighting people
• 6 The production process
• 7 Lighting on location
• 8 Atmospheric lighting
• 9 Light sources
• 10 Lighting equipment
• 11 Color temperature
• 12 Filters
• 13 Picture control
• 14 Scenery
• 15 Visual effects
• 16 Safety!
• Appendix
• Further reading
• Index