3 Basic DIY Lighting Techniques for shooting better Film Noir

John Hess delivers 3 basic techniques for shooting better film noir. For more information about the history of film noir check out oru Origins of Film Noir course:

For more information about Lighting for Film Noir check out our Basics of Lighting for Film Noir Course

[HelloGreedo]

Fantastic video. Huge help! I just purchased three cheap clamp lights, and am currently experimenting with them as I type this!

[JacobMcCaslin]

I almost didn't recognize you without the green screen!

[FilmmakerIQ]

It depends on the camera you have and what kind of space you're trying to light. If you can get the lights pretty close (about 5 feet or less) than you won't need a lot.

[oscarjm]

this is great!! why the low views...this should be seen by all interested in film lighting :)

[shadowblackmagic]

@FilmmakerIQcom lol. i'll get started on the invitations. Keep up the good videos, these lighting tips are a very valuable to me.

[FunkMan]

The law here says with 100w people waste too much energy so a few years back they changed the law allowing max 60w I believe. Then people started to buy the EXPENSIVE low power bulbs, and the bulb companies were all happy again :-)

[Influences]

What type of camera are you using in this video?

[eschelar]

If you really can't get a clear glass high wattage bulb, could you use a high output fluoro with reflectors and a shunt of some sort?

PS. Nice job on the vid.

[Prabhath_the_Dawn]

Hi thank you so much for the explanation :)
I don't seem to find the flood-lamp style holder here in my locality.
Is there an alternate for that? :)
Cheers..

[WhiskyDamon]

So if I want to go to make a film noir short I go to Home Depot and probably only need a Key and a Back light, correct? For the key should it be a clamp light without the metal part? What should I use for a back light?
And what bulbs should I use, those clear ones? I'm assuming they don't need gels?

[FilmmakerIQ]

I was just going to suggest Halogen bulbs...

[loganoneill]

The issue with the uneven lighting with the work light can be fixed with some diffusion.

[FilmmakerIQ]

No. Remember the physics. You want to have a single point of light. Fluorescents are area lights and will become even greater area lights when combined with a reflector.

[findingjoe]

There's nothing like that here in Australia that I can find. It's either the work lights like in this video or outdoor flood lights which are just a 150w bulb with no shroud. Do you have a link on where to purchase the floodlight?

[bobdownes]

For sure - that ain't Film Noir music in the backround.

[zqejegq]

nice, but My Emily was too obvious ;)

[chubbykipper]

Very interesting tutorial. You make a good argument against worklights, you explain your opinion practically. Having no budget myself, my lighting options are definitely on the cheap side. However, in the UK, as others have mentioned, those clamp lamps are hard to get hold of. Do they have a specific name? Would make finding them easier! Many thanks, great vid.

[LucidDreamTricks]

Great tutorial, the clamp light tip and vertical bulb filament tip are solid gold.

If you expand on this tutorial I think giving info about shallow depth of field in film noir would really add on to it. I haven't seen a film noir tutorial on youtube that mentions DOF and I think that the films look a little unfinished when everything is in focus.

[Batman]

I like this am filming a kind of noir style this summer as tv show after i graduated from pima college at tucson arizona. i hope you read my note and you see my tv show soon.

[FilmmakerIQ]

@JacobSheppard

I haven't gotten into Magic Bullet - I'm interested in their colorista product.