Movie Lighting--1

Movie lighting basic knowledge

light Can use many ways to be taken scene projection.It can produce a variety of atmosphere.Photographer's task is to select the most suitable for express story content of lighting system.”

The basic principle of lighting

·       Naturalism pursuit of natural light, logical to arrange scene lighting light source.It is also often called motivation lighting.For example, when shooting two people in the outdoor sun below the scene, if a person is backlighting, then another person must be the light.

·       Art socialist think they want more satisfactory picture, will allow the Angle of light against the logic.In the above example, two people can be backlighting because that visual effect is good, although this is not true.

Influence factors of lighting style

·       The director or the needs of the plot

·       budget

·       Photographer personality

·       Lens and lighting equipment

·       Film technology unceasing development

·       For example, high speed and high speed camera film for small quantity of light.They can use soft diffuse light, can also use the actual light source.They can also use the existing light, street after nightfall.

 lighting：All kinds of light effect

Light effect and direction

·       5 light basic position and function

·       From the position name can see its function

·       The name of the light doesn't mean light soft hard and size

Basic lighting layout

1. The main light

·       Dominant main light source, and use it to create main body effect.

·       Often decides the characteristics of the scene and atmosphere.

2. Auxiliary light--辅助光

·       Lighting character or scene shadow region, so the effect of the film is more close to the eyes "see" the effect.At the same time, describes the performance of the ambient light.

·       Set up light than..."Auxiliary light light unto the Lord with auxiliary light" (2:1, 3:1, 4:1, now, , etc.).

·       Can also be used to keep the dark or light shadow method to the atmosphere of the scene.These changes can help suggest that time of day and the scene of the natural verisimilitude.

·       Auxiliary light is usually a big downy light, so there is no unpleasant shadows.Double shadow for good photographers to absolutely avoid.

·       Usually, the auxiliary light close to the camera lens, although now commonly used reflector, in the main light, the light reflection to subject shadows.

3. Backlighting--逆光

·       Any kind of back lighting purpose is will take separate subject and the background.

"Real" backlighting

·       Located in the filming of the subject is rear, draw the outline of the head and body up on both sides of the edge.

Edge profile light--边缘轮廓光

·       Placed in the foreground objects behind, a little to the left or right some.

·       This can be in the foreground object surface side is a fine contour line.

Profile eyes light--轮廓眼神光

·       From the direction of the camera to subject face polishing so as to produce luster.

·       Sometimes instead of auxiliary light used to light up the face of shadow.

Linear profile light--线性轮廓光

·       Basically and contour eyes light similar, but the lights position more ago, do not produce luster.

Glow--辉光

·       From side, and in the shaded part and facial produces little glow, but it does not produce the shadow.

·       Won't produce specular light or profile.

4. Background light

·       Emphasize subject area behind, produce to distinguish the foreground object effect.

·       Usually, the background than the subject some dark.

5. Special light source
Top light

·       Placed in the foreground object to the top of the above, can produce a kind of paradise or sacred effect.

·       The godfather "(Gorton. Willis) lighting

Eyes light

·       Used to emphasize the highlights or eyes flashing, in order to generate different emotional effect.

·       Often put in the lens.

·       Usually, it is a scattering good or weak light source.

Dress light

·       Used to emphasize the subject character certain parts of the clothing, not character itself.

Plastic type light

·       To highlight the scene or a part of the background, to distinguish them from the surrounding environment.

lighting：Direction and the atmosphere

The main light source point of view is displays the scene atmosphere and characteristics of the key. But it does not determine the simple sense of light.

Conventional main light source The general is pointing to the foreground object side 30 to 45 degree Angle above the partial.

Low Angle light source Usually play in the cheek lower part, can produce the mysterious "vampire" the effect, or is very beautiful, sexy appearance.

Side main light (90 degrees) Be taken from one side of the object with, can produce chiseled, dramatic effect. Sometimes called the cold light "hatchet light" (this is because it can make chiseled sake) It in Clint. Eastwood movie use, it's the little or not fill light. Photometric can also use soft light, so that we can produce very natural effect.

High Angle main light Also called the top light, when the subject character look down, can produce fear and emotional effect, when the subject people look up to heaven is the effect of the sacred. Gorton. Willie in "the godfather" a piece of the lighting system will be popular.

Distal side key light (also called Rembrandt light), the main light source placed in the foreground characters nose far side of the side, in addition to the eyes, other parts of the face in the shadows.

Ear side key light (also called a wide light) Placed in was taken by the camera side of the ear side, make a positive face only part of the shadow.

Inverse main light look very mysterious, alien, romantic or threatening the effect of mean.

Butterfly light High Angle positive main light source can be disturbing characters below the nose to create "butterfly" shadow. It can reduce wrinkles, double chin, nose, and at the same time can also emphasize the subject character cheekbones. This is a typical Hollywood "beautification lighting".

Cinematography and comedy

About cinematography in comedy, there are two ways to show the comedy elements.

One is that, fixed focal length lens when character strong express comedy elements, it is a normal angle to shot it, in this shot, character's action is first, camera just assist them.

For instant,
1.<Marx Brothers>

2.<Charlie Chaplin>

3.<Laurel and Hardy>

4.<The Three Stooges>

5.<Kung Fu Hustle>

Another is special angle shot, such as Lens dislocation, when character can't strong express comedy elements, we use the shot to highlight the 'funnier'.

For example,
1. In <The Pink Panther>

this shot is about Jacques Clouseau help the woman to put frame on the wall, but the shot is dislocation.

2.<Lost On Journey>

3.<Kung Fu Hustle>

Methotodology

I. RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY

Interpretivism

In the comedy film, the cinematography is not very important, directors focus on the music, the sound effect, the make-up and so on. So I want try to set a viewpoint: the cinematography affect the effect of comedy.

II. RESEARCH APPROACH

Induction

This approach can help me to prove whether my viewpoint is correct.

 III. RESEARCH STRATEGIES

Case study

Grounded theory

Action research

Survey

Experiment

 IV. DATA COLLECTION METHODS

Sampling

Secondary data

Observation

Interviews

questionaires

A Type of Comedy Film

Slapstick

Slapstick is a type of broad, physical comedy involving exaggerated, boisterous actions (e.g. a pie in the face), farce, violenceand activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.

While the object from which the genre is derived dates from the Renaissance, theater historians argue that slapstick comedy has been at least somewhat present in almost all comedic genres since the rejuvenation of theater in church liturgical dramas in the Middle Ages.^{[citation needed]} (Some argue^{[weasel words]} for instances of it in Greek and Roman theater, as well.) Beating the devil off stage, for example, remained a stock comedic device in many otherwise serious religious plays.Shakespeare also incorporated many chase scenes and beatings into his comedies, such as in his playThe Comedy of Errors. Building on its later popularity in the nineteenth and early twentieth-century ethnic routines of the Americanvaudeville house, the style was explored extensively during the "golden era" of black and white, silent movies directed by figuresMack Sennett and Hal Roach and featuring such notables as Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, the Keystone Kops, and The Three Stooges. Slapstick is also common inTom and Jerry and Looney Tunes Merrie Melodies. Silent slapstick comedy was also popular in early French films and included films by Max Linder and Charles Prince.

Slapstick continues to maintain a presence in modern comedy that draws upon its lineage, running in film from Buster Keaton and Louis de Funès to Mel Brooks to the Jackass movies to the Farrelly Brothers, and in live performance from Weber and Fields to Jackie Gleason to Rowan Atkinson.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slapstick )