M1 - Explain the use of lighting and camera setting in the context of the plan you have created

 In this post I will discuss the lighting and camera types and settings I will use to capture industry quality footage for my music video.

For the lighting of our music video, we will film in the lecture theatre as the room is dark with lights off and blinds down. We can eliminate most natural light to ensure the room is dark enough. We will use LED lights to create the desired lighting, using 3 point lighting (a key light, fill light and a backlight) as  three point setup includes a key light, a fill light and a backlight). The key light is placed in front of the subject and is the brightest light. The camera is placed close to the key light to get the central position of the subject and the camera may be placed at eye level. It is better to choose a light that has different temperature settings, intensity and control as it will give better results. This helps to account for skin tones and different backgrounds. 45 degrees is an ideal angle for the key light setup.

 The fill light is placed on the opposite side of the key light using an imaginary line. It is used to fill in any shadows casted by the key light. It is dimmer than the key light so that the lighting isn't harsh. The angle of the fill light may vary depending on the ideal look. For example, if you want to achieve a professional looking video you may want to line the fill light at an angle identical to the key light. This ensures the subject is equally lit on both sides. Much like the Key light, the intensity of the fill light should be around 50-75% of the key lights intensity. However, around 30% intensity may create a more cinematic effect.

 The backlight is placed behind the subject and is used to add separation between the subject and the background. Its important to position the backlight a little higher to illuminate the subject from top to bottom. The backlight is often placed on the same side as the key light, right opposite to it.

 

Also, we aim to include a mix of 2-point lighting and chiaroscuro when using close-up shots. The lighting is going to focus on the subject to remove the background and any distractions. 

Chiaroscuro used a lowkey lighting setup, and uses a key light as the sole source of light to achieve dark backgrounds with lit subjects. The chiaroscuro technique creates a balance of light and dark to give characters, objects and settings a sense of volume or mystery. 

Chiaroscuro makes any scene look more dramatic and adds a sense of dimension. It balances high contrast light and shade to give an appearance of depth and drama. It creates a three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional plane by darkening the background. This style is often used in horror and thriller genres, as the manipulation of darkness creates unease and suspense.

Camera:

What type of camera are we using?

We will use a Canon EOS R5 DSLR, as it is a professional grade camera, which allows us to record sharp footage and has advanced face tracking capabitilies. Using this DSLR is important as we are filming in some dark scenarios and we need to ensure there is no grain or noise, which we can do as we have full control over ISO, aperture, frame rate and shutter speed so we are able to create the best possible cinematography.

What camera settings?

ISO/Aperture

ISO and aperture are essential in photography and videography as it can affect the overall exposure.

ISO is the cameras sensitivity to light and aperture is the opening in the lens that allows light to pass through. A low ISO results in less exposed footage and a high ISO can create noise/grain in the footage. A wide aperture creates a shallow depth of field, however a smaller larger aperture results in softer focus.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speed is is the amount of time that the camera's shutter stays open. It is one of three main elements of photography and film. The longer the shutter speed, the more light allowed into the lens. However, a longer shutter speed can create motion blur.

Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second such as 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15 and so on.