Anyone who has tried to film at night knows that shooting night scenes can be challenging. There are many different elements that you should be aware of when preparing to shoot at night. Gulf Coast Studios’ Director of Photography, Jakob Johnson, has offered up his Top 5 Tips on what you should know.
1. Light
“Even at night there are light sources that can illuminate, or motivate film lights, to illuminate the subject. Use them to your advantage”
When shooting night scenes, lighting is going to be one of your main concerns. For some, it can be challenging to find ways to illuminate the subject, but don’t be afraid to look around your surroundings for some light sources.
2. Sensor Sensitivity
“Cameras have come a long way, and many cameras on the market boast exceptional low light performance, but there are tradeoffs. Pushing a sensor to capture light that isn’t there, or very low light, can introduce noise into the image. That’s not ideal. Set your ISO/ASA to the native setting and add lighting to illuminate your subject. Don’t rely on the camera to do the work.”
The higher the ISO, the more noise you will introduce into your film. You want to shoot at a low F-Stop that will allow light to come in. This is where you want to have a fast lens because it will let more light in. If you still can’t see your subject, you can bring in more light sources.
3. Planning
“If you want a professional result, planning is key. Is where you’re filming dark? Is there power on set? Can you use that power? Do you have time and permission to set up lights?”
Scout out your location before filming. Plan ahead, and have a list of what you will need. Nothing is worse than arriving to film and not having the necessities you thought you would. Never assume that the location your filming is going to have power. Take the extra time and make sure you know what that location has, so you know what to bring to your film shoot.
4. Color Temperatures
“Streetlights, Color Temps, Sodium Vapor: These factors greatly impact your shot. If the streetlights don’t match your film lights, the colors will be unnatural. If you can’t manipulate the output of the streetlights, you can get hotspots, and pools of color rendering issues, especially from sodium vapor.”
Make sure the lights you will be using in your surroundings match your film lights. If they don’t, you may encounter unnatural or unflattering lighting in your shots. Again, it’s better to take the extra time to make sure everything matches than to try and fix it in post-production.
5. Phasing
“Like bad light color, phasing will make your shot unusable. Phasing occurs when a light is operating on a power frequency that doesn’t compliment the camera’s settings. The result is a bands of light scanning up or down the image, creating a major distraction.”
We hope these tips will help you feel more comfortable with your night shoots! Interesed in having Gulf Coast Studios film for you? We are ready to assist you with all of your digital content needs. Our award-winning Production Company can help you find your vision and tell your story.