Film Making Tips Day 4: Lights

Studio lights are expensive! Fortunately, there are many alternatives that look great on digital video. The only place you need to go is your neighborhood hardware store. One of the cheapest and most efficient alternatives is a clamp light.

These run about ten dollars and you can use the clamp to attach it to a tripod or just about anything that you need to! Next you’ll need a good fill light, you’ll want to get a white chinese lantern.

Chinese lanterns are inexpensive and great at diffusing light. If you need something a little more powerful I recommend a work light.

Be careful with these because they get really hot. I’d also recommend bouncing them off a wall because pointing them directly at your subject may be a bit too harsh. FInally, if you are shooting outside you’ll want a reflector. For this you can simply use a white sheet of posterboard to reflect the sun back at your subject.

Learn about the Basics of Lighting.