How to Light Large Spaces | Cinematography Techniques

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Today, Kevin Reyes takes us through the process of shooting a one-take, from coordinating the steadicam movement to rigging lights overhead. The challenge? Also having to light large spaces without seeing lights in the shot. For that, we'll be using some new tools like the Spotlight Mini Zoom and LS 60 Softbox in combination with Lightbridge CRLS to achieve the effect of moonlight in an abandoned estate with a character walking around with just a flashlight. How do we use production design, anamorphic lenses, spotlights, and reflectors to get the job done?

0:00 - Intro
0:36 - Story/Concept
2:59 - Production Design
4:12 - Camera
5:42 - Steadicam
6:59 - Lighting
16:42 - Final Result
17:37 - Outro

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Summary:
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.

[bbrunorocha]

the crls system is soooo amazing and paired with the 60d it's game changing !! lighting from above is always amazing, love using my 7ft umbrella !!

[docbenway]

I think this is a great approach to lighting a dark scene like this-- and bouncing lights with focusing lenses allows a lot of flexibility in placement. For a scene that's mean to be more high key, you could use some of the same tricks, but you might try to introduce some practical light sources (such as lamps or more windows) and use similar techniques to build on or extend that practical lighting (overhead tube lights and bounces are great, you can also use thin, lightweight lights like Litemats). If you're using windows for "daylight, " then it's also common to use high-powered sources to pump a lot of light through them (such as an HMI or the Aputure 600D).

[bensanders]

This is one of the best ones you guys have done. Nice work!

[tuckerkanderson]

Love this Kevin+team! I'm personally a sucker for large soft overhead sources for lighting big spaces. Especially for lighting large studio environments (like lighting a car), or even outdoor environments (using a blimp), big soft overhead sources can look great. Awesome tips guys, great video as always!

[asherhuskinson]

Wow! So many good tidbits in here! LOVED the chalk bits in the air. I’ve always wanted to know how you get atmosphere with “specks” in the air.

[MattAitia]

I have my very first one take commercial coming up next weekend! This was super useful and will definitely be applying some things I learnt. Can't wait to share!

[rossstansfield]

Very good video with clear explanation...I just lit an indoor scene where I replaced two overhead tungsten lamps with 2 B7c's and the final lamp that was around a corner with a one foot bicolor quasar mounted on a stand with a dimmer bouncing off the ceiling. I placed two Aputure MC accent lights facing wall artwork on a table and blocked by a chair or hidden and one Aputure AL MX as another wall art illuminator...the subjects were lit with two bicolor panels...all were set to daylight to be motivated by patio door. I learned about Aputure from my son...who has a large amount of Aputure gear in Atlanta.
On the next day's shoot I used the Aputure 60D with some Rosco diffusion as key light outside with two batteries with overcast sky with a panel on the fill side...my HMI's did not leave the truck...the future is here...lighter and less complicated with control and power...plus bicolor or multicolor...

[tylermason]

Definitely a great look. Though I had a few suggestions for the format of the video itself. At times, it was a bit difficult to follow and to narrow down what each light was doing. This was made especially challenging when the flashlight was introduced. I would have loved to have seen it light-by-light and also without the flashlight, so that we could get a feel for all the individual components. It was only really clear to me what all was going on and how the space was oriented after the diagram came up.

[GriffinConway]

C500 + the kowas fare so good together. Great job Kev!

[hansmadula]

My preferred way of lighting large spaces (assuming location has large windows) is by setting up something like a 600D Pro outside for each available window - pointed towards its own white bounce with its reflected light going through a white curtain set piece acting as a diffusion. Inside, I like setting up as many practicals (floor lamps, etc.) as the script will allow so I have more options to motivate light on my actors.

[MarkArnett]

Love the mirrors used to spread out the light, yet keep it directional. I probably would have had more hard light coming straight down here and there to walk in and out of and make some truly darker areas, but that's just me.

[justinuriahphoto]

Would you still bag the camera when using haze? I've been using haze for years and have never thought to bag my camera setup. So far so good. I can certainly understand chalk particles though.

[kathleencollins]

Going into a large space I would be sure to use the aputure 600d with a lantern and then another 600d through a silk for a key. Then I would place mc’s in the back for back lighting. Amazing video!! I always learn so much!

[lifeasakingstonlaak]

Awesome content! Can't wait to try out some of these techniques.

[NIKONGUY]

Lighting, cake, twist at the end, oh, and cake! Excellent breakdown

[drmatthewhorkey]

What a complex setup and a dynamic scene. Thanks a ton for this. How would I light a big space? I would have to use natural light because I don't have the crew or budget to do all this cool ass stuff.

[Guus]

4MINUTEFILMSCHOOL?? Ah well… the more the better I guess

[lazarkumaar]

Happy birthday....and thank you very much....

[filmingthedark]

I’m a big fan of using a lantern overhead for more high key scenes, but I’m really loving the idea of combining spotlights with bounce for more pooled looks.

I wonder how different this scene would have looked if the spotlights bounced had have had some organic/random gobos in the attachment?

Happy birthday :)

I love the broken look of windows with blinds and other window shapes. I'd definitely use this idea if the room had windows, either by lighting from the outside or by mimicking the shadows of the blinds. Even when there's no window, I like the idea of some lights lighting just the eyes in some parts of the shot. Something just like what a blind would do in the right position.