Tips on lighting and how to make your film look more cinematic

Lighting in film production is very key and some of the ways lighting is used in films are to either cast a show, separate backgrounds and/or create separation between backgrounds.

The thing is that lighting is an art as well as science. It can be the difference between an amateurish and a professionally shot film. You see, skilled cinematographers know that great lighting goes beyond having the latest equipment, which on its own is not enough to produce the desired effect. Understanding the nuances and how each equipment functions is key to producing that professional feel that every filmmaker aims for.

So if you are new to cinematography or maybe you just want to brush up on your knowledge or maybe you are just interested in the subject of photography and camerawork in filmmaking, thankfully, there are some good resources out there that can get you started. Like this article by Studio Binder on achieving a cinematic effect with lightning. It is very informative easy to read and quite explanatory.

Here are some of the tips from the said article on how to make your film more cinematic with lighting, irrespective of your budget.

Here we go:

1. Know the basic three-point lighting setup:

The three-point lighting setup is the most basic lighting. The technique shapes your subjects and sets them apart from the background.  The three-point lighting set up are the Key Light, Fill Light and Back Light and to achieve this, your lighting equipment needs to face your subjects face, back and side as shown in the image below.

Below are tips on how to achieve it:

Key Light

This light is most prominent in your frame. If you look at the actress above, you will notice that the screen right side of her face is the brightest. That’s the key light.

Fill Light

In lay mans’ English, the fill light fills in the shadow of your frame. In the picture above, you will notice that the screen left side of her face is in shadow but her features are clearly visible.

Back Light

The backlight shoots down from a higher angle and it gives an edge light to the red portion of your object. In the picture above, you will see that the actor has a light contour along her shoulders.

Make sure that you flank your camera with your Key and Fill lights spaced about 60 degrees on an axis from your camera.

2. Types of cinematic lighting used in filmmaking

• How characters differ from one another in a frame
• Which props and scene elements should be emphasised
• Which emotions are being expressed through the harshness of light or its colour
• Whose perspective we are seeing the scene through, and how much light they should be able to see

Every decision made is realised technically by planning properly and executing lighting setups to create the desired effect. The cinematographer must have decided, a priori, what effects they want to achieve before lighting set up.

3. Soft lighting in filmmaking

Cinematographers constantly look out for how hard or soft an emotional scene should be and the softness or hardness of light is based on how large or light the light source is and how it affects shadows on your subject.

Two soft lights that can be used are Hire Key Light and Diffused Overhead Lighting

Hire key light

Diffused Overhead Lighting

Diffusion materials such as gels or Chinese pattern can be used to soften a light source and it has been proven that it is greatly recommended for conversation close-ups.

4. Hard Lighting in film

Smaller light sources such as bright sunlight can heighten the shadows of your subject and this should be avoided though it can be used to create dramatic effects, as was popularised in classic film noirs. The two that can be used in your films are Kicker Light with soft fill and Low Key Light.
Kicker light with soft fill

In this effect, the back light hits the side of your subject’s face. It can create an angelic rim of light, while a very soft fill light keeps the face gently illuminated.

5. Low key light

Low key lighting refers to minimising or eliminating the fill light from your shot so that it is intentionally shadowy. This can create dramatic, suspicious or even scary effects.

Of course, these are not the only tips that you can use in your films but they have been highlighted to illustrate how critical choosing the right light set up is in helping you achieve the cinematic effect you want for your flms.

For more on the article, visit the Studio Binder website.