Questions reg. True Grit/Greaser Bob’s lighting breakdown

[Wolfgang Illmayr]

Hi Roger, and all,

I have some questions regarding your lighting breakdown of the Greaser Bob’s scene from True Grit. I put my guesses into the questions, but I am not really sure, if those are correct.

When you are using multiple Fresnels to create a moon light source, how do you avoid multiple shadows/multiple outlines of the shadows? Do you add any diffusion to merge the lamps or do the lamps merge into one single, softer source just by themselves once you reach a certain distance?

In the last of the lamp breakdowns you denoted different filtration (?) like “double”, “single”, “clean”, etc. Does this refer to scrims or color gels? Is it to make the light seem more natural or to adjust the light to the landscape or distances?

And, finally, when you go in for the closer shots, like the one of Mattie, do you still work with the sources for the wide shot (maybe with a diffusion frame closer) or do you bring in new lights (I am assuming you used the 4K on the ground denoted in the last diagram for that)?

I am still learning how to approach lighting setups, and cannot really test the bigger ones myself, therefore it would be very helpful for me to understand these strategies better.

Thank you very much, also for all the great resources you and James are providing,

Wolfgang

Topic

[Roger Deakins]

The numbers of lamps and the distance towards the subject were calculated to minimize the multiple shadow issue. If you looked at the light on your hand you could see every shadow but when there is movement etc. that is not noticeable in the frame.

The doubles, singles etc. referred to scrims, or wires, that act as an ND in front of a lamp and which I used to reduce the light at the ends of each row. The middle of the row was always at full intensity and slightly spotted in. The outsides were slightly more flooded out and contained progressively more dense wires. I felt this technique softened the shadows, while the length of the rows ‘wrapped’ the light around the subject.

Most of the close shots of Mattie were lit using a bounce source closer in. The lights set for the main action would not have reached her as we shot her at a different spot which was easier to access. Some close shots were made later in a studio.

[Wolfgang Illmayr]

Thank you for the explanation, that really clears it up for me.

Also, if you change the lighting when you move in closer, it’s obviously possible to clean up the shadows — I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe one more question: is it really possible to calculate how to set up the lamps to minimize the shadow issue (perhaps based on the spread and fall-off of the lamps?), or is this something you usually figure out through experience?

[Roger Deakins]

I’m sure you could calculate it. Simply use as a reference a series of household bulbs on a batten strip. Relate the distance between the bulbs to the distance to the subject at which the multiple shadows appear negligible and then scale up. I’m sure you could make the definitive graph in this way but I just make a guess based on my past use of multiples.

[Wolfgang Illmayr]

Alright, that makes sense. Thanks again, I really appreciate it. It’s great being able to ask questions like this and see how you approach things. Wolfgang

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