Types of lighting.

First of all I would just like to say that I understand why lighting is very important for a film. There are two types, but with many within them. There are lights used within the studio, these are more expensive and take longer to set up, and are more professional. Obiviously, being in a school, we don’t exactly have the better options and we don’t get to film in the studio. Lighting is a very important siginifer to a film as it conveys the mood and sets the atmosphere of the scene/film. The lighting can give away connotations that can show the audience instantly the genre of the film. The lighting is a good way to show the audience the genre of the film, and the key themes within the film too. Lighting can also give the audience a certain idea of the characters personality.

used that are set up:

Under-lighting: this type of lighting is used mainly in horror movies to create a very mysterious effect. The approach of lighting a subject from a point below the subjects in the scene. However for highly translucent objects, the under-lighting can give you dramatic results, highlighting features which are harder to see.

Filler Lights: this can often create a better and softer picture. It may be used to reduce the contrast of a scene and provide some illumination for the areas of the image that are in the shadow. The filler lights are often softer and by definition, less intense that the key light.

Back Lights: a type of spotlight, used in photography, which illuminates a subject from behind. It helps to make the subject more rounded; it helps with the effect of the key light. Back light can also produce some interesting effects of dramatic lighting, shows performers forms while hiding their faces and cast menacing shadows on the stage floor.

High Key lighting: this type of lighting is very different to low key lighting. High key lighting is mainly used in comedian genres. High key lighting is usually quite homogeneous and free from dark shadows, creating an upbeat mood. It is often used in Hollywood movies, and can create a daytime or night time effect. The advantage of high key lighting is that it doesn’t require adjustment for each scene which allows the production to complete the shooting in hours instead of days. The primary drawback is that high key lighting fails to add meaning or drama by lighting certain parts of prominently than others. More filler lights are used when creating this type of lighting, this can appear more natural to the eye, and can sometimes fool the audiences mind my making them think nothing has been edited in the lighting.

Low key lighting: when using low key lighting it creates a chiaroscuro effect. Low key lighting often uses only on key light, optionally controlled will a fill light or a simple reflector. The term “low key” is used in cinematography to refer to any scene with high lighting ratio, it is usually mostly used in horror genres or thriller genres. Low key light is dark and shadowy and very expressive.

Catch Light: the glamorous twinkle in the star’s eyes. It helps create importance or beauty in a character, and can show status or fame.

The key light: this lighting is usually the most brightest. The main light that illustrates the subject from being photographed or filmed. The main lighting source in a scene. Used in conjunction will fill lighting and back lighting to create a three-point system. The key light is the first and usually the most important light that a photographer, cinematographer, lighting camera man, or other scene composers will use in a lighting set-up. The purpose of the key light is to highlight the form and dimension of the subject. The key light is not a rigid requirement; omitting the key light can result in a silhouette effect.

Top light: top light can produce interesting colour casts (fancy lighting word from coloured light reflection) on a performer’s hair, shoulders. It can also be used to wash the stage floor with intense colour without making your performers look like they have been painted all over.

Natural Lighting: This is just daytime/nightime natural light where you don't set up, it's already there to use. This creates realism and gives an more nature like effect to a film. Natural lighting costs nothing and is free to use as it is already there.