Mastering cinematic lighting

- So, now that we know the basics of light, let's put this knowledge to use, and make beautiful images. In this tutorial we're going to take a look at what makes images cinematic. And also some things to be aware of when lighting a scene. One of the things that makes lighting feel cinematic is contrast. Shadows in movies tend to be darker than they are in real life. This underscores the serious nature of the drama. You know, for hundreds of years, when great artists make beautiful visual art, they often stagger dark shadows with brighter tones.

This is because our eyes are drawn to contrast. In paintings by the old masters, for example, we often see this motif of light areas next to dark areas. Next to light, next to dark, and so on. As we light subjects with a key light, that illuminates the background, and has a backlight, we can often create the same staggering of light and dark tones that our eyes find so appealing. It's also one of the reasons that a backlight is so gorgeous. It takes an edge that is otherwise nondescript, and creates separation, by adding a faint line of contrast.

It's important to note that if you're the DP, you should be aware of the story. I've been on sets with cinematographers that were just so talented, they were masters of lighting and camerawork, but they didn't read the script, or know the story. So the choices that they made in their cinematography were just beautiful, but they weren't right for that particular story at all. Lighting sets a mood, and creates a tone. So you need to be aware of the atmosphere that your shots are creating.

If you're shooting a lighthearted family comedy, strong contrast would probably feel out of place. Same thing with a romantic comedy. The subject matter just doesn't get that dark. So neither should your shadows. (laughs) Before making The Assurance, you know, I really didn't have any experience shooting anything so serious and heavy. So the contrasts and shadows weren't as strong as they probably should have been, given the story. Now, lighting can also create a sense of intimacy. In this shot of our model Lucy, there's just one light.

That single light source creates a sensation that there's nothing else, and no-one else. So we feel connected to the subject, and it almost feels like we're having a private moment with them. Like there's no-one else here, just us. So if we don't want the subject to feel connected to the world around them, or if we want the audience to feel like we're sharing a private moment with our subject, then this type of lighting might be an option. Now, on the other hand, using lighting that feels wrong can be used to create interesting results as well.

Let's see, like a mother that just gives birth. We've all seen on Facebook photos of the birth room, what that looks like. It's typically a beautiful moment, tons of light. You really want to fill that with other people, and all that kind of stuff. But what if we subverted the expectations of the audience, and did the exact opposite of that. What if we lit that scene like this. Now that would create a completely different mood. Depending on the story, and what's going on in the story, it might feel very intimate and beautiful, or it might feel very scary, and ominous.

Remember, if you're a cinematographer, or a gaffer, you are also a storyteller. So in order to be a good cinematographer, you've got to be familiar with the story that you're telling. You know, lighting a shot is not just about getting a good exposure. Even just about getting a beautiful shot. It's about telling that story. So, work with the director, and use your lights to help the director tell their story.