Empire of Light – Relaxation Room

[Max A.]

Hello Mr. Deakins and all the cinematographers over this forum. I hope you Mr. Deakins and Mrs. James are well.

As said in a previous topic, I would like to ask you some questions about ‘EoL’ scenes, of course, if this bores you I can understand, it is just my giant curiosity and my big desire to learn from your words.

I would like to ask you, how you approached and did light the offices/relax area. I know it was a set and probably (almost sure) you worked closely with the production designer and set dresser for the arrangement of windows and ceiling lights.
(I will try to attach stills)

For the shots in the relaxation room, how do you light from the ceiling? Are those lights something like “florescent” fixtures or do you light from above with your “own light” to project more light toward down and avoid unwanted spills on the light-colored walls? I’m sure you chose the position and the arrangement of the white diffuser/fixtures on the ceiling, if it is so, what is the aim of that choice, which kind of effect did you want to achieve and how did you place those?
Did you use also “floor lamps” for close-ups to soften some faces or maybe just use bounce material?

For the windows that are seen in the relaxation area, did you light those with the Gemini panels? It seems to me that the angle of light comes from above but it was really soft so I imagine it was a bounce from below the windows.

The last question which is not about lighting but more about camera position, if I can upload stills, there is a shot with the camera outside the room, that watching toward the glass the guys in the relax room.
Wich was the “purpose” of that camera position? In the whole scene, there is also an angle of shot with almost the same position but inside the room, and that is why my curiosity led me to ask you why you put also the camera outside in a more observational shot within the scene.

As always I want to thank you for your availability and patience in advance, I often ask a lot of questions and you answer me with kindness, this is priceless for me!
I apologize for my bad English.

I wish you a peaceful day,
Max.

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[Max A.]

[Max A.]

[Max A.]

[Roger Deakins]

The rest area was part of the composite set that included the lobby and staircase to the screening rooms. The whole thing was built on location in an empty lot, where a prior building had been demolished. These particular scenes were the most difficult for me as there was only a few feet of clearance outside the windows and, although I wanted to make daylight the primary light source that was impossible. The ‘fluorescent’ fixtures were a compromise but I felt they would make the area look like a work space and make a contrast with the more elaborate lobby. About five feet from the windows there was a ‘stage wall’ and I had this painted white with some texture on the area we woudl see in picture. Then I used the higher part as a bounce.

[Max A.]

Thank you very much for your reply Mr Deakins! It’s always fantastic to read from you.
It’s also very interesting to know and discover your thoughts behind a lighting choice. Although your thought was that the area could appear more like a “work space”, I think this kind of “contrast” with the lobby makes that area appear more “intimate” and something like “behind the scenes” of the main act.

In terms of lighting fixtures, do you project light above the “white glasses” of the diffusers above the ceiling or those are real fixtures (maybe led asteras etc.), the light seems to me controlled and just a bit “directional” but maintaining the soft texture. Maybe a real ceiling fixture could spill light more around the room and less toward the floor hitting the walls (and maybe if the ceiling is low the light fall-off would be stronger)?

Outside the windows, which kind of light did you use to bounce the white wall? Did you however still want to “emulate” the daylight?

I apologize for all these further questions, just my curiosity that pushes me to learn from you.

As always I want to thank you for your availability and for your kindness.
Your words are a big resource for all of us.

Have a peaceful day,
Max.

[Roger Deakins]

There were LED tubes in those ceiling panels and no additional sources. The lamps I used to bounce were Geminis 2′ x 1′ panels, or an equivalent style of LED to make up the number.

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