Week 3 Reflection: 3 Point Lighting

Today was an interesting class. We discussed three point lighting, and how lighting has an effect on the scene being filmed. The three main lights are the KEY LIGHT, the FILL LIGHT, and the BACK LIGHT.

The key light is the main light normally set to the 5:00 or 7:00 position with the camera in the middle in the 6:00 position, and the person or people being filmed at the 12:00 position. When it's placed at one side, the other side normally has a shadow. The next light takes care of that shadow.






The fill light is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It will probably be less bright than the key.






The back light is, like the name says, placed at the back. It gives a little  more definition to the scene.



Jay took us to the studio to show us how to set up the lighting and how where you place the lights and the height you set them, has an effect on how the person in the scene appears on screen. That was great for me, because I'm a very visual person, so I like to see exactly how you would set things up. I love that we get to go to the studio and really see how everything needs to happen. Jay left us in the studio for a minute and asked us to work together to help set up three point lighting. One of my classmates physically moved everything, and we shouted out suggestions about where different lights should go, and it came out ok for the first time doing that. Lighting takes a lot of good judgment. You have to make sure that the people in the scene are comfortable with how the lights are set up, that it's not blasting in their faces. You have to determine if there are shadows that have to be diminished, have a balance of light on the face, etc etc. It's not overly complicated but you definitely have to pay attention to detail.

PEACE.