Spotlight Tips and Tricks | Cinematography 101

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Spotlights are one of the most common lighting tools. But most people think of them only as lights for stages or live performances. While historically tungsten lights, LED spotlights have started to become more popular. And, if you know how to use one, a spotlight can be a very useful tool to have on set. Today on 4 Minute Film School, we’re going to show you three different ways you can use a spotlight on your set to create amazing lighting.

In this video, Matt from the A-Team shows us three narrative examples of using spotlights for various lighting effects. First, he determines whether he wants hard or soft light. While spotlights are one of the hardest light sources out there, they can be used to get soft light too. Second, he thinks about where he needs to place the spotlight. Because of the powerful throw, you can have spotlights farther from the subject than other light sources. Third, he thinks about how he can shape the light from the spotlight. With the unique light shaping tools that spotlights give you, you can create visually interesting shapes and patterns to enhance your scene.

The main aspects addressed in this video are bouncing light, volumetric lighting, and gobos. Bouncing light refers to when you shine light against a reflective material which redirects the light and makes it softer. When you do this with a spotlight, you can take the hard light and turn it into a much softer light quality. Volumetric lighting is when you can see the light as a three-dimensional shape. Hard light from a spotlight mixed with particles in the air can allow you to see those light beams very clearly though the air. Gobos are metal shapes you can put in front of a light to project designs on your scene. Using gobos in spotlights can introduce unique shapes and textures to your lighting.

Overall, the best lighting package is the one that allows you to create any sort of light that you might need for a scene. Spotlights are almost like a swiss army light, because of the various uses you can get out of one lighting fixture. When approaching any project, it can be helpful to plan out your lighting setups in advance. That way you’ll know exactly what kind of lighting equipment you’ll need before getting to set. It will also save you time during production.

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Aputure's YouTube channel provides free high-quality cinematography, lighting, and filmmaking educational content to help you take your film projects to the next level.

[aputurelighting]

How would you light a scene using only spotlights? Comment below for a chance to win an Aputure M9!

[winkevin]

The example given with the theatre gave me an idea. A character about to perform to an audience. With the camera low and behind them, and a spotlight shining the stage, leaving them in a silhouette and casting a large shadow in the floor. And using a fog machine to create that sweet and dramatic volumetric light: just right for the climax of this story.

[Hotshot]

One pointer for the second lighting example (volumetric lighting/light shafts) is that the further the light is away from the surface it's trying to penetrate, the sharper the shafts will be. As well as that, the angle of the shafts will be more parallel, mimicking a closer resemblance to actual sunlight. Instead of the shafts creating a cone like shape, each shaft will be a lot straighter.

[CinemaTeacher]

Great video, Matt! I would use a spotlight going into a prism to create a rainbow of colors! 🎨🙌🏻

[BrandonLiUnscripted]

How does a spotlight compare to the Dedolight parallel beam attachment? I’ve been intrigued by the lightstream/lightbridge method of reflecting light for a more natural look, but it seems to require a near-parallel source to work. And apparently expensive, specialized reflector boards. Would be great if Aputure could bring that tech to the owner/operator market.

[rokkfilms]

Use a gobo to throw a ‘window blinds look’ on a wall behind the person that I’m interviewing to add some texture. And thanks for the video tips, awesome job!

[sethcapacite]

I love low key lighting. I do that by using a bounce card and a shower curtain to diffuse the spotlight and cast it to the subject.

[paradiddle]

A sci-fi scene with an alien exiting a bathroom stall full of fog. The two spotlights would be behind him shining through the fog. Thanks for making these awesome videos!!

[BenjaminLamDOP]

Similar to the House of Common shots in “Darkest Hour” or in La La Land, I would use the spotlight to visually emphasise on the subject while darkening the area around the subject. Emotionally it may serve to visually express the isolation the character is feeling, or as a POV shot the emphasis on the character.

[AreolaRock]

I tend to write a lot of narrative around music. Often I find my characters in a music venue, and the spotlights can simulate the stage lighting. It's a really good way to seperate the main characters from extras/background.

[OrangeALEX]

Nice video! I would use spotlights to simulate car lights in a dark road during the night. It would create an interesting dark mood!

[natebrav-mccabe]

I'd like to light an outdoor horror film using only spotlights. Use the spotlights to mimic moonlight and street lamps and selectively highlight points of interest while letting everything else fall away into a deep black.

[Von_McKnelly]

Right on...that was helpful. With a smoke machine possibilities are endless. (that and light of course)

[janwimmer_]

I think I would use the spotlights for kind of a mystery movie. Like your character walk towards a doorway which is completely blown out And emits some Volumetric light.
I would put one Spotlight directly behind the doorway and add a ton of fog to it. And I wouldn't add any other lights to it. And just leave the harsh backlight on the character.

[jordanmendoza]

I would use a spotlight cut with siders and shoot on the ceiling to create an overhead ceiling tile light!

[andrewlheureux]

In most cases, I would utilize a lot of bounce cards or CRLS lightbridge reflectors in order to make the light fall off look more natural and get light direction from places that are harder to rig to. For music videos or scenes that justify more hard light, I would definitely use some gobos to create texture in the background and have a spotlight giving the subject an edge (with haze of course)

[LouisJonesdop]

I would love to shine the spotlight mount into a swimming pool and capture some underwater light stafts... think this could really work wonders if paired with a Venetian blind/ vent

[swaroopnarayanan]

Hey Aputure, thank you for all the content you've been putting out. I've been following and learning from them quite a bit.
I wanted to ask if the A-Team would be able to add a floor plan along with the videos that you put up as it would help not only me but other budding cinematographers and filmmakers understand the lighting set up better.

[JillAbanico]

You're videos are always helpful! Thank you for this tutorial!!! I used a single dedo spotlight lateley in my upcoming self-portrait video for this sunday, I just created a purple silhouette for a photo by placing a rimlight on my face with a purple gel. :D

[versesilustrado]

I have a night scene planned where there is an individual working on a clay sculpture/artwork. Frame is centered and the spotlight would be angled down on the subject and his work to highlight it as the foreground..a little haze to soften it a bit more and make it more dramatic.