LIGHTING RESEARCH

AS MEDIA

WHAT CAN IT DO?• LIGHTING IS USEFUL IN FILM FOR MANY REASONS, FOR EXAMPLE:• LIGHTING CAN BE USED TO CONTROL THE MOOD OF THE VIDEO – BRIGHT

LIGHT CAN CONNOTE HAPPINESS• IT CAN MAKE THE VIEWER LOOK IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION AND IT CAN PUT

EMPHASIS ON MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE VIDEO,FOR EXAMPLE AN IMPORTANT PROP OR FACIAL EXPRESSION.

• THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHTING EFFECTS BUT THE NORMAL STANDARD ONES ARE AS FOLLOWS:• KEY LIGHTS – HIGHLIGHTS THE OBJECT AND HAS THE

STRONGEST LIGHT, IT HAS THE MOST INFLUENCE ON THE WHOLE SCENE.• BACK LIGHTS – PICKS OUT THE SUBJECT FROM IT’S

BACKGROUND, IT SEPARATES THE BACKGROUND AND FOREGROUND CREATING A THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGE.• FILL LIGHTS – FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE ENSURES

THAT KEY LIGHT ONLY CAST FAINT SHADOWS, THIS IS SO THE IMAGE OR SCENE DOESN’T APPEAR TO DARK.

LOW KEY LIGHTING• CREATED BY USING ONLY THE KEY AND BACK LIGHTS, THE KEY LIGHT HAS A

LOWER BRIGHTNESS THEN IN HIGH KEY, CLOSE TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE BACK LIGHT.• PRODUCES SHARP CONTRASTS OF LIGHT AND DARK AREAS.• DEEP, DISTINCT SHADOWS/SILHOUETTES ARE FORMED.• DRAMATIC, MOODY• OPPOSITE OF HIGH KEY LIGHTING

HIGH KEY LIGHTING• INVOLVES USING THE FILL LIGHT, WHICH IS MADE AS THE SAME BRIGHTNESS

OF THE KEY LIGHT.• THE SCENE APPEARS ILLUMINATED, BRIGHT AND SOFT, THE SCENE CONTAIN

VERY FEW IN ANY SHADOWS.• MOST COMMONLY IN MUSICALS AND COMEDIES• BY USING MORE FILLER LIGHTS THE LIGHTING IS NATURAL AND REALISTIC TO

THE VIEWER.• PRODUCES BRIGHTLY LIT SETS OR A SUNNY DAY.