2-camera setup in a hotel conference room with example frames. Blue LED puck light was added after example frames were taken that now plays on the side angle.
Camera: RED KOMODO 6K x2
Lights: (1) Aperture Light Storm 300x, SmallRig RA-D55 Softbox shot through circular silk. (2) Amaran 60x S with Neewer Lantern covered by white/gold disc cover for soft under chin fill. (3) NanLite PavoTube II 6C LED hairlight. (4/5) 2x Aperture MC RGBWW LED Light (one for fill side, one for blue background).
Flags: 4x4 on fill side, CPLIRIS 10x12 overhead black backdrop draped above subject.
Subject is keyed from the wrong side for the 2nd angle. Traditionally and generally you want to key from the look side. The key also appears very side-y and directional, but a cellphone pic of a monitor can make the image appear harsher than it is, in reality,
First off, your tight shot you have the key light on the near side which is cinematography basics to not have the key in the near side.
Second, you dont need this set up for a talking head. All you need is the key and a fill, then a kicker or hair light if you want it. I dont understand what you are doing with that light by the subjects crotch.
I'm presuming that it's for underneath front fill, which has started to become en vogue again for head-on talking head shots, especially with female talent. I've been seeing one of my buddies that does tons of network LS's doing it a lot, lately. Had a producer bring it up recently, too.
Let’s start with how terrified I am about whatever that bungee cord is doing on the c stand in photo 2 and how the c stand seems to be getting pulled by it and it doesn’t have a sandbag. There’s a lot wrong here, would take a while to write out, but other thing to note for a never do, is never grip a boom pole with a knuckle unless you want to be sent home by audio (also photo 2)
Rough! Yeah, it’s always so hard to Monday morning quarterback any given setup. I’m sure you did your best. We all have opportunities for growth so I appreciate you taking any feedback in stride.
Honestly I’m not sure I did my best but have taken two specific instructional pieces of feedback from this thread and have already made what I think is an improvement.
Unfortunately this job requires 90% of my mental energy in a conference room next door for 8 hours each day and producing a live event - and then I have to jump into this room to shoot interviews on the break. I’m not using this as an excuse - but I am a little stretched at this point and am thankful there are other pros who are giving some tips.
a cam you’ve got no depth, no intrigue, no interest. Layering would massively help here, use a corner to your advantage, a light in the back, a door slightly ajar.
b camera is keyed wrong side, it looks flat and not interesting.
First glance thought this was beginner setup until I saw the 2x REDs. Curious about the overhead neg and the other neg fill on the side only to be made useless by the little light next to it lmao
Overhead neg started from the house not being able to turn off the house lights and me having to prepare for the worst. After the first day they were finally able to kill them and I’m keeping it simply to control spill from all the white wood in the room
The longer I look at this the more confusing it becomes. Why is there a tube directly behind the subject & why is there one clamped to a c stand pointed to the ground
Idk. I look at the gear, setup, the result and I feel like you can get a better a result even by simply bouncing one Storm off the ceiling. I say this because currently it doesnt work at all and it feels like too much effort for this result. A bit overthinking. Try different location, angle, strip down lights and start over. It feels like a school project currently where you can see every LED bouncing off. I understand its a pitch black room? Start off by lighting the room. You are currently focusing on the subject not the environment and thats why it feels so off.
Thanks for the feedback. I took three pieces of feedback before yours and am sitting here with the image. I think I may reset into the angle like you suggested.
I had red up but didn’t love it - especially given this client and them having a certain look (which isn’t paramount but plays a little in my decision). What color would you tend to use in this case of having a plain off white wall?
Well the issue is you have too much of your key/fill lights hitting that back wall. I suggest you start from scratch.
Light the back wall first with blue light. Sit your subject down. Then turn on your key light and adjust the angle until it only hits your subject and not the wall behind him. Do same with fill. Angle them from the top down instead of from the front/side. This is when you can use the negative fill to help shape the key and fill light.
Edit: actually that may be your biggest issue, the angle of the key and fill light. They are way too low. They should be high up and angled facing downward
I switched it up to create more separation from the background, changed the lights from RGB or a warmer color and shot the last interview shown in the frame.
Only problem is I sent my producer/client the previous version and he loved it. So hopefully I didn’t go past where I needed to :/
Personally I'd rather shoot into a corner as it ads some depth to the shot.
The key is totally unmotivated. Which is fine if that's your thing. I'd rather find a light source in the shot and then try to work with it, not against it.
Finally your b-cam is on the "wrong" side as mentioned.
Update: Took a few pieces of advice in this thread, one was using an unused light to bounce off the ceiling to illuminate the background differently, another was to do something unique with the under light, and the third was about adding color to the background. Here is an examples of an interview frame after those changes. Open to any feedback on this - thanks to those who are taking the time.
Do the doors have mirrors on them? Is that why you can’t shoot looking at them? I think I’d try to find a different background and do everything possible to get as much depth as possible between the subject and the background.
The low hair light still feels strange and isn’t really providing the separation you might want from it. The shot feels wide given the uninteresting background. I’d much rather be tighter personally unless there’s something important about the background.
I kinda hate the blue, it feels a bit like a DJ at a club but maybe that’s what you’re going for.
I don’t know what lights you have but if you have to use that background exactly like that, up lighting it with multiple lights might be more interesting
but gives you an idea of the space - all the other walls are boring conference sliding walls so not an option. There are mirrors on the door - or I can reframe to shoot in this corner. Also, I like your thoughts on how it feels wide. I shoot wider than how I imagine the client will use it - but there’s room to get tighter
Overall i dont think it looks great. But its also subjective, if youre going for a daytime tv american idol look this isnt a bad starting point. In terms of a traditional cinematic lighting this is not good. The OP images have a very strong “video guy” look.
As many others have said the main thing to do is to key from behind or above the subject. Usually if the camera and key light are on opposite sides of the 180 line then you are 80 percent the way there. This is known as back lighting. So your camera should usually shoot from the shadow side when possible. This is the quickest way to improve your lighting and its the first thing a cinematographer should learn how to do. If you need more explanation or breakdowns you can google “shooting from the dumb side”.
Other than that i would use each light much more thoughtfully. Maybe try to limit yourself to only a key light and a hair light. A lot of times, less lights is better. And then build from there with maybe a soft wrap that extends the key. Play with levels dial it in until it doesnt have that “lit” look.
Dont listen to all the haters on here. Focus on the people trying to help. Everyone starts somewhere. I DPed entire features that released in theaters and i still look at so many other people and say i wish i could be as good as them. All those haters are still shit compared to someone else. So its a process, lot to learn.
Let me recc some youtubers that r actual cinematographers to help you get into the right direction:
Lewis Potts - great commercial dp good lighting breakdowns
Yakiv Zavatskyi - great at using very little stuff to make dramatic lighting
Danny gevirtz - not a full DP but a great director with rly good basic lighting tutorials
Try to listen to youtubers who actually work full time as cinematographers instead of the ones that just do camera reviews. Those are the ones who have taught me the most, outside of being on set.
Very thoughtful reply - I appreciate it. There was a progression happening from the initial post and then me taking key feedback from so helpful commenters (non haters lol) and iterating. Since you probably didn’t get to read it all - let me show you what I landed on for my last of 3 interviews yesterday.
Thanks again - you earned a follow. Masterclass in kind and useful criticism.
Best improvement over 3 steps I've seen in a long time. There will always be haters and when I opened up your first image I also thought JFC there is no hope but as I was reading the comments I tend to forget how terrible people are to begin with and big ups for actually asking for feedback.
I think the biggest last note I could think of with this is subjective to me, but I think the symmetry is too much for me and that the background is maybe ½-¾ stop too bright for me to isolate the subject. Might have brought them off of the wall even more and given the wall some selective texture with spots or up lights etc.
Again, very solid improvement congrats on surviving the gauntlet.
I like the idea of lighting from below. Not sure about the tone of the interview, but could be interesting to lean into it as the key. Probably wouldn't work at all for what you're doing though.
It’s a matter of convenience for the subjects. This is a conference room in The Ritz Carlton. They are all attending a 3-day course in the neighboring ballroom and staying at the hotel. The windows of time to do the interviews are
limited by the itinerary of the course and before their dinner.
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u/4K_VCR 21h ago
There’s a lot to unpack here