Lighting for Digital Video review

by Chris Waterlow of the IOV

It is a greatly overused phrase in our industry that we never stop learning about our craft, and this is certainly true about lighting. When I first started working in video over 20 years ago there was very little in the way of instructional books and programmes about the various technical aspects of the business. So when I was asked to review this DVD I was very pleased to learn that someone had actually taken the time to make a programme explaining the basics.

Lighting is probably one of the most difficult things to get right and one of the easiest things to get wrong when it comes to shooting video, particularly as there are so many different elements to consider. So when I first looked at the cover of the disc and saw that the total running time was only 36 minutes I was a little sceptical that all these elements were going to be covered. I am glad to say that my scepticism was unfounded, and that this DVD covers all the basic elements of lighting as well as going into some of the other dull but equally important aspects of the craft such as safety. The programme is fronted by Eric Huyton, who, we are informed, is an active professional lighting cameraman who has worked on programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 and several other satellite channels, and he seems to know his stuff.

On first putting the DVD into the player we are presented with a main menu which gives the option to either watch the whole programme or choose which particular chapter to go to. This is a very useful feature for revisits to the DVD to brush up on the individual points covered. The other options are various pages of information about our presenter Eric, three lighting diagrams which we are shown briefly in the main programme, and a couple of further pages of information including the equipment used to shoot the video. This is a nice idea, particularly when details are given of the various types of lamps used. However, there is also some spurious information such as the types of tripods used for the cameras and what food the model ate during the shoot! The transitions between the various menu pages consist of a blue silk crossing over the screen to reveal the next menu – while entertaining at first, the novelty of this soon wears off!

The main programme is obviously the heart of this DVD, and, as I said earlier, I was pleasantly surprised how much information is crammed into 36 minutes. Eric starts off by giving a brief explanation about the contrast ratio differences between video, film and the human eye and why it is necessary to use a video monitor to check what image is actually going to tape and not to rely on what our eye sees. Next comes a brief explanation on how to perform a quick set-up of a monitor to ensure that it reproduces exposure and colour effectively. An explanation and demonstration of setting white balance is next and then we were into the lighting proper.

Our host explains how virtually every lighting situation is a variation of the basic 3-point lighting set-up. The practical demonstrations are carried out using a human subject, the lovely Mara, and each relevant light source (key, fill and backlight) are explained in a little more detail as to why they are important to the overall look. Eric goes on to explain the differences between hard and soft light and when it is better to use a ‘soft’ key instead of the usual ‘hard’ key light and also demonstrates how effective simple background lighting can be. We are then introduced to a couple of different lighting scenarios, lighting for a 1+1 interview situation and a basic ‘moody’ drama scenario. Again it is explained that these are merely variations of the 3-point lighting set-up and it shows very effectively how a visually interesting look can be achieved simply and with a little thought and experimentation. Finally the programme is rounded off with basic but important safety tips such as using a safety glass or wire in front of the lamp in case a bubble explodes (it has happened to me!), using gloves when playing around with the barn doors (they do get very hot), and making sure nobody can trip over your cables.

All in all, I found this a very useful programme. The whole thing had a good pace to it and managed to cram in a lot of information. Personally I felt there were a few things that had been left out, as well as some bits which were not clarified. A typical example being the fact that for the basic set-up the fill light was ‘bounced’ off some poly as opposed to a ‘soft’ light source being shone directly at the model. I did feel that this might give the impression that all fill light should be ‘bounced’, but this is not the case and should have been made clearer. However I am only nit-picking; I found the programme was extremely informative and should prove a very useful addition to a videographer’s arsenal of reference information and well worth the price of £29.95.

As a final thought, do not be put off by the fact it is called ‘Lighting For Digital Video’. The information on this DVD is just as relevant whether you are shooting in either digital or analogue video or even film. In my humble opinion this is a must buy product for either the video hobbyist or anyone who needs to refresh their knowledge about this most fascinating of subjects.

Chapters include:
Your eyes vs the CCD
Calibrating the monitor
White balance
Redheads and Blondes
Hard light and soft light
The softbox
Controlling light
Using barn doors
Using flags
Using gelatine filters
3-Point lighting
Fill light
Back light
Key light and softbox
Background lighting
Lighting 2 people
Drama set lighting
Lighting a greenscreen
Safety