Task Two: Camera and Lighting Techniques

  Within moving image, directors use different lighting techniques to help the audience take the preferred meaning. Different types of lighting can create further meaning and help to create a certain mood, and this can contribute toward the narrative of the text. For example, scenes shot with high-key lighting will be bright with a range of light tones, and this technique is used to convey a happy and pure atmosphere; whereas low-key lighting focuses on the emphasis of shadows and darker tones with high contrast in order to create a mysterious and somber mood. Also, light quality refers to how soft or hard the lighting is; hard-light creates defined hard-edged shadows, and soft lighting creates gradual soft-edged shadows.Directors can also focus the lighting on specific areas on the screen in order to direct the attention of the audience to a particular subject onscreen.


Lighting Setup:

   If filming outside for a documentary, directors may choose to just use the natural light to shoot in. The advantage of this is that you do not require any additional lighting equipment, and therefore save on expenses and setup time; however a disadvantage of this method is that daylight is limited and some shots may require additional equipment during the night. If filming an interview for a documentary indoors, a common technique is the 3-point lighting technique, consisting of: a back light, key light, and fill light. A back light placed behind the interviewee highlights their outline, an advantage of this is that it separates the subject clearly from the background; the key light is the main light source which casts light onto the subject's front; and the fill light is a soft light which takes away any unwanted hard shadows created by the primary light, especially on the face. LED lights are a popular choice for the type of lights due to them being more energy efficient than other types such as tungsten. This basic setup is beneficial as it displays the subject's full facial expressions and emotions, the setup and placement of the lights and their stands is also simple, allowing for more portability. Also, if on the move the lights can be powered by batteries.