What are ‘gag’ lights and why use them?

[Cisco Clifton]

Hello everyone,

I have a question regarding ‘gag’ lights and their purpose. I’ve heard Roger mention them in the past, and I’m aware that this topic has likely been discussed in the previous forum. Unfortunately, I’m having trouble locating any detailed information on it.

From what I understand, and please do correct me if I’m wrong, ‘gag’ lights involve placing a bare bulb behind a practical. If that’s accurate, could someone please clarify what the advantages of this technique are? Is the main benefit simply a brighter light source or a bigger hotspot?

I think I read somewhere that Roger sometimes requests practicals that can be modified, and it seems he prefers them to be quite bright. Am I correct in thinking that this might be related to his use of ‘gag’ lights?

 

Many thanks in advance.
Cisco

Topic

[Roger Deakins]

If you place a second bulb, a ‘gag’, behind one that is in camera you are in effect increasing the light of your source without that source overexposing your negative. With digital capture, and greater latitude in the image, the technique is less used as an adjustment can be made in the timing.

[LucaM]

If i remember correctly you used this technique for the lantern in the tent scene of 1917, is it correct? I think it’s a very smart way to use practical lights, but how do you avoid the doubling of shadows? is it noticeable?

[Cisco Clifton]

Thank you for the clarification! I really appreciate it.

[Roger Deakins]

For ‘1917’ I did have double bulbs built into the two oil lamps set on the tables in the bunker, not a tent. When the camera faced in one direction the near bulb was dimmed down and the one out of sight was doing more of the lighting. When the camera switched direction we switched the intensity of the bulbs. In this case the two bulbs were almost touching – with a small piece of metal foil between – so there was no double shadow.

A double, triple or multiple shadow from two or more sources is alway there if those sources are not touching. Look at a 9 light or 12 light Maxi Brute. If you hold your hand close the lamp you see every shadow, though perhaps you should do this with an equivalent multiple bulb LED if you value your hand. At a distance the lamp becomes, in effect, a point source. On ‘True Grit’ we had a run of individual HMI lamps set at 5 feet apart. If you stood 20 feet from this ‘source’ you would not even be lit by more than a few lamps but where the action was, more than 750 feet away, the multiple shadows from 20 or 30 individual lamps were imperceptible on anything but an even flat surface. And there was no flat surface in picture.

[Stip]

Look at a 9 light or 12 light Maxi Brute. If you hold your hand close the lamp you see every shadow, though perhaps you should do this with an equivalent multiple bulb LED if you value your hand.

:))

[LucaM]

Thanks for the explanation Roger, you have been very kind!

[Author]

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