1917 Low key ‘milk lady’ Scene

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  • #216949
    kasvandiepen
    Participant

      Hi All,

      For a short film that takes place almost entirely indoors, I’m doing research on films that capture the right atmosphere. One scene that really stands out to me is when Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) meets the “milk” woman in 1917. The mood in this scene is driven by the fireplace.

      Here’s where I’m puzzling: To maintain the warmth of the fire, you’d think they set the camera to a warmer white balance. But what strikes me is that there’s still a lot of depth in the uniforms and facial features. What kind of lighting setup or techniques are recommended for scenes like this?

      Also, while it’s clear that the key light comes from the fire, there’s an obvious fill light present. Is this just natural spill from the fire, or is there intentional fill lighting added? It’s a beautifully crafted scene—seemingly simple, but I feel that’s exactly where the challenge lies.

      On top of that, I’m struggling with another decision. The film will be low-key with a lot of contrast, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I have to shoot it that way. Maybe it’s smarter to have more ambient light on set, so I retain more information in the blacks for post-production?

      I’m shooting on a Canon C70 (Super 35), which isn’t the best camera for low-light situations.

      Thanks in advance for your thoughts! Best Regards Kas

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    • #216960
      Roger Deakins
      Keymaster

        There was no fill light. The scene was lit with an array of double ended 500 watt globes that were rigged inside the boiler. The opening was designed to be the size and shape it appears so the light from the ‘fire’ would stretch across the scene. The globes were dimmed down to give the warmth you see in the shot and a slight random flicker change was added as if from flames. The globes were replaced with the fire you see in the shot as a post effect.

        #216977
        Stip
        Participant

          I’m shooting on a Canon C70 (Super 35), which isn’t the best camera for low-light situations.

          Don’t worry, the C70 is excellent in low light due to its DGO sensor (Arri Alexa’s sport the same technology). It retains colours and detail many stops under and is even on par with the Alexa Arri LF. For best results, shoot RAW.

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