Lighting Cheat Sheet (Page 3 of 3) in pdf

Lighting Cheat Sheet Page 3

Mixed Sources:

Kino flo lights, which use fluorescent tubes, can be either

tungsten balanced or daylight balanced. They are softer

and less directional than tungsten fresnel sources. They

produce less heat, so they’re very comfortable to have on

set. As you’ll see in the picture, there is a ballast which is

tethered to the light. Fluorescent light flickers on film,

because of the way the light is produced. Ballasts make

the light flicker-free.

DivaLites have a built in ballast and are a

little more compact. They are great things

to have on set, they’re also great to have

on documentary shoots. They’re fairly

controllable and come with a very easily

mountable egg crate (plastic grid that

covers the light and focuses it) and a silk

that easily wraps around it and diffuses the

light.

Support:

Lights go on light stands. Depending on how many knobs they have for elevation, they

are called 2-stage, 3-stage, etc. It’s really important to use a stand that adequately

supports the weight of the light you are using.

Grip equipment (such as flags, nets and silks) go on C-Stands. Most C-stands have

three stages and are topped with a gobo head. The gobo head holds a grip arm, at

the end of which is a gobo with holes of varying sizes. Lights, grip equipment, and many

other things can be held in these gobo’s.

Some C-Stands have a Rocky Mountain leg, which means the height can be adjusted

for a slope or a stairway. Some have a turtle base, which can be removed and used

on its own to hold lights down low.

Miscellaneous G&E (Grip & Electric) pieces:

C-47s/clothespins

flexfill

apple boxes

Solid flag

sandbag

Lighting Cheat Sheet Page 3