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In a previous episode, we broke down the lighting behind the Joker, one of the best examples of cinematography from 2019. In this video, we will break down the lighting behind another one of the year’s best films: The Lighthouse. The Lighthouse has a very unique look for a modern film. Because of the visual techniques they used, it looks like it was made 50 years ago. So how can you achieve the same look with the equipment you have? Today on 4 Minute Film School, we are going to try to recreate the lighting from The Lighthouse, and show how you can achieve the film’s look in your own projects.
In this video, Matt from the A-Team walks us through how to light a scene that looks like the movie The Lighthouse. First, he identifies the lighting sources used in the movie. For this scene, he uses a practical lamp and windows as the sources of light. Second, he creates contrast with the lighting by using highlights and shadows in the frame. This will help match the high contrast visuals of the movie. Lastly, he matches as many technical aspects as he can. This means setting the scene to black and white, matching the aspect ratio, and any other visual adjustments.
The main aspects addressed in this video are technical details, light sources, and contrast. Technical details refers to the equipment and settings used on the original movie. Matching things like camera, ISO, and lenses will get you closer to the movie’s look. Light sources refers to the way the original movie was lit. Looking at where the light is coming from and matching that will help you achieve a similar look. Contrast refers to the difference between highlights and shadows in your image. Take note of whether the movie you’re recreating has high or low contrast.
Trying to capture the look of a movie for your own projects can be a good way to find inspiration and reference your favorite films. Oftentimes the look of a movie is inspired by the looks of different movies combined. Even this movie, The Lighthouse, is a combination of references to even more movies. As filmmakers, we don’t want to directly steal from other artists, but by taking elements from different films and combining them, we can create our own unique visual styles. Having your own style will ultimately make your work stand out and could even make you a better storyteller.
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What time period would you set your period piece? Comment below for a chance to win an Aputure M9!
80's no doubt. I especially love the idea of using a lot of colorful neon lights for a scene in an arcade.
Great video. I do wish that Aputure would lower the price of the m10x. I would use one a lot but the cost in the UK .... I love the Aputure mini lights because they’re just SO handy. Please ... put them on a sale some time! With regards to lighting .... UK Edwardian times. Love those period dramas!
In the future, about 100 years ahead. Trying to imagine how the lights and technology will set our life and routine
In the 70s baby!
1930’s lighting would look cool
In terms of truly mimicking the look of the film, I actually felt that the 70D looked better for the most part than the RED Gemini, due to the lack of dynamic range that allows those shadows to fall more rapidly to black. Additionally, especially in examples 2 and 3, I felt that the fill was both too intense and too frontal. In fact, the intermediate shots with just the bulb and no fill on examples 2 and 3 looked pretty nice! Fill id definitely needed, but I maybe would have recommended splitting the difference and moving that fill off to the lit side a bit more. Of course, I definitely don't mean this to sound like a prick! Just a few constructive ideas. I love you guys' channel, as well as your gear.
Yeah, I thought the same thing at first glance, but both images have not been graded yet. The 7D has baked in its look due to the lack of dynamic range, as you said, but the Red still has the choice of crushed blacks or not. I guess what we are actually judging is which one gives you more options over the look in post.
I would have to say the 60's, love films from that era and it'd be a fun challenge to recreate the look of that time! I'm so glad you guys did a video on The Lighthouse by the way, it's one of my top 3 from 2019.
Love how you guys are subtly demonstrating the small role the camera plays in the final image compared to all the work put into lighting. Sure, the Red Gemini is the kind of camera you need for real films, but a simple DSLR or mirrorless camera can get you 90% of the image quality, which looks just fine on sites like KZhead. I remember thinking "Sure, it's what's in front of the cameras that matters yadda yadda, but I still need real cinema cameras to get the look I REALLY want". I was completely wrong. I really just needed good lighting, good set design, good costumes/makeup, and an understanding of how to come up with the right type of shot for the story. There's a reason real movies still look like real movies even if you watch them in 240p. Huge dynamic range and sharpness and lens flares and "bokeh" are all fun, but you can get a convincing cinematic shot with a Canon t2i and people will not know. /They'll just ask what kind of great camera you use and how you color grade the footage/. If you're looking for that one key thing your footage is missing, it's not a better camera, and that thing doesn't exist at all. You will only ever find small things that make your image a TINY bit better. Do those things. Keep finding those things. Learn to do a million insignificant things at once, and you will create a beautiful picture. Everything matters in cinematography, so keep chasing more information, and keep making films. Keep making those silly test shots, too. Your camera is fine, I promise.
Thanks for the feedback! While the camera does make a big difference, the lighting and the set design are certainly what brings your film to the next level!
Best video I’ve seen you guys put out so far ! And I’d set my piece in the 1960s
Wow, how to light like light house is lit!
The loghthouse used Kodak DoubleX Film and a special filter to cut out blue light. Thus the simulated orthochromatic Film as used in the 1920s Movies. This has an dramatic effect on skin tones. When shooting color it should be possible to match that characteristics. I have no idea what tools are good for video, but for photo there is Silver Efex (by DxO but it is still possible to get the free dated version from Google Nik when using the way back machine). It is the most sophisticated tool for emulating B/W film. The way how it treats highlights, shadows, midtones and contrast is different to normal editing software. And it has a database of real b/w filmstock. It can recreate realistic grain based in the film stock, the contrast curve and most importantly, the precise color sensitivity that can be tuned manually. Unfortunately, they don't have a template for DoubleX, but for its predecessor PanX (discontinued around 2010).
I’m love with anything in the past for some reason, but I guess my two most favorite periods for recreating are medieval and industrial revolution, because of the architecture, set design and dress style, they have a very unique texture when it comes to lighting them. Just look at Lighthouse their interiors texture is amazing.
The final image on the RED looks a bit too low contrast for me. We need to remember that one key aspect of the look of the film was the Cyan filter used on camera. This effectively kills red frequencies to emulate orthochromatic film stocks. Making the final black and white much more contrasty in skin and similar areas. You can either use a glass filter like in the film or reduce the red channel in post before desaturation. So for total accuracy, I would use ISO160, light for ISO80, and with either lens filters or in post kill the reds with a final rather agressive contrast curve.
Planning to do a 1960s short with my students. An M9 would help soooo much!!
Thanks a lot for these videos. They are just so helpfull. I would set the film in the 17th century in netherland and shoot a film about Rembrandt. I just love how he uses light and i think a whole movie about him and hisblighting would just look beautiful in BW😍
Great video thanks for making it. I'd set the next period piece in the 1930s. Go for the classic noir look
I would love to explore lighting setups for the 15th or 16th century. I think a period drama centered around either the height of the Ottoman empire in Europe or the time of Ivan the Terrible would be incredible. Like, how to take Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible further into the world of color cinema, but still have that amazing light and shadow play. I think that would be cool to explore.
Easy answer The Wild West. I have an awesome opportunity to shoot a Western feature film (as DP) this year and I'm so excited! I'm prepping for Lanterns, Candles, and Moonlight... oh and fire. The main location burns down at the end. This video was a great help because I've been working on candle and lantern looks. I was wondering if the M9 would be an additional light to use?
the 7d footage is so great
Thanks! It was very surprising to see how good of a shot we could get on that sensor with good lighting
I would make a film in the period of 1990 to have a lighting as in "seven" of David Fincher.
That would be awesome! Kind of the grungy side of the 90s
One of the actors would play the perfect Rotwang from Metropolis
What's interesting is that the black levels are strikingly different between the 7D and Gemini. Both work really well, it made most of the 7D shots (especially Setup II) feel more like a 1920's German Expressionist film (a la Cabinet of Dr. Caligari)
You're right! You can see the difference between the two cameras in the mid-tones especially. The RED has a much greater range of gray values.
@@aputurelighting How would a cinematographer know about these differences? Are there any resources that show how different cameras handle a lighting setup? That would be interesting to see!!
I really dig times similar to ancient Rome when artificial light consisted of burning torches and old oil based lamps. Not only does the flickering light create interest but grounds using various smoke and ash densities throughout the shots.
Awesome tutorial! A noob like me thought there was little to no lighting on the Lighthouse. My dream period piece would be in a retro-futurist 1950s french empire. Neons and lasers while a lonely girl is on an unstoppable quest to find a cure to her mysterious disease through a gorgeous looking racist empire governed by pharmaceutical industries, troubled by the Indochina war and kept safe from terror attacks by private paramilitary companies. Lighting with saturated colors, noir scenes mixed with modern action cinema style, 50s costumes, cars and buildings, and synthwave music as she gets colder and colder, loosing hope and getting her hands dirty chasing a fantasy health.
Kévin Miller retro future is awesome! I really like that kind of movies. It’s so fun to watch and imagine those kind of futuristic colors and technologies
With the Back to the Future Remake in the corner maybe something like 1955 can be fun!
love it. my next will be on 2020 :)
Nice! Not sure if this is from me or not, but I suggested this topic in a previous episode! Can I score an Aputure M9 for my next projects? 😊
great work!!
Thanks for the feedback!
Paleolithic Era. Nothing but Natural Lighting :D
Awesome! ✌️
COOL VERY COOL 😎
I would set my piece in the 22nd century where I would use black and white to give off a retro-futurism kind of vibe
What time period would you set your period piece? I love history, so there are a lot of times I'd love to have a film take place, but the first period piece I will do will be a film called "Youth Knows No Pain," which takes place in 1998 and I plan to shoot it this fall. I also wrote a Civil War script called "Measure of Devotion" that takes place in 1863 that I want to shoot in the near future.
My period piece would surely be at the time of the Pompeii eruption.
I'd set a movie in the 1920's. A horror movie set in the jazz era = Lovecraftian goodness!
There is a whole horror franchise in India by the name 1920. Only the first two are good though
I'd set my period piece in the 1700-1800s, the period during which slavery took place in Mauritius, where I grew up. It's an important part of our history.
Late 80s and 90s? When there was the best of both worlds...the sudden increase in the usage of technology in day to day life and the old world charm that was yet to vanish!
I would set my film in the 40's. Like when the Maltese Falcon was made. If I could choose between the RED and the Canon 7D, I would choose the Canon. The 7D had more natural shadows, whereas the RED seemed to have milkier, less dramatic shadows.
Interesting point about the cameras! You're certainly not wrong. The one benefit of the RED is that you can increase the contrast to look more like the 7D, but you can't make the 7D look like the RED without a lot of extra work on set. I'm all for the 7D though, especially in black and white!
The way things are going, a 2020 movie. Modern apocalypse vibes.
The period of 2049 like blade runner 2049 ;)
This buddyyyyyyyyy!!
Late 80's and around a film studio making straight to VHS creature features
😍😍😍😍
I'd set it to the 80s. It was an interesting era.
How do you get an exposure at ASA 80 lit by practicals only?
Those 'practical' lanterns in The Lighthouse were fitted with 300w or 650w bare bulbs that you would normally find in an Arri300 or Arri650 fresnel.
The 15th Century - The fall of knighthood. Black and white, 1.19:1 film about two knights who can't leave the life of war and conquering of land behind them.
i would set my period piece in the 1800 and i would try to light the scenes like kubrick in Barry Lyndon
Yes! Full authentic lighting. Great idea!
In the 60s Hollywood !!!
Classic! What a time to be alive!
What other cinema cameras would be recommended to shoot in B&W?
I'd like the Georgian era. Probably 1800
I’d want to do a Western set in the late 1800s
My next film is set in 1918 it’s based on Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters during WWI in France.
Oh very cool! I can't wait to hear how it goes
Has anyone won anything on this free giveaways? I’ve always been curious of how Aputure lets you know you are a winner haha, they hace never answer me this question :(
In the 1700 with a light style of Midnight in Paris or a noir film
I’d like to make an apocalyptic film set in the current year of 2020. Or maybe 2021.
Oh man too real!
1500 B.C Egypt
I'd set a film in the 1980s!
Maybe some film noir? :)
Late 90s, the 1590s that is
How about the 1950s. Seems like a fun time period.
Oh yeah! That classic Americana look is really cool
I’d like to make a cyberpunk short in 2050 and have a lighting set up like Bladerunner 2049
I'd set mine at the time of Jane Austen, roughly beginning of 19th century.
That era is so romantic!
I'd go with 1960s
I would make film in early 2000s and make it about the quality of living in my small town and how gaming effected my childhood.
That would actually be really cool to see!
In 2000 to 2005 nyc
I'd set a movie in the 60s and 70s up to early 80s
1983 would be the time
Eh, I mean, shit didn't really start crackin' until the 2070's so probably around then. Such a quaint time.
I mean it is still a period in time. Why wouldn't that be a period piece? Lol
The last tip should be: shoot on film.
1817, Karl von Draise invented the bicycle
...and use a Cyan Filter (if you can find one)
The effect can be done in davinci, its not that hard, only problem is that footage from anything but a cinema camera will absolutely disintegrate, it just destroys anything that isnt raw or 4444. If you want to try it, just take color footage, open the rgb mixer, click on monocrome and start playing with the levels of the red, green and blue channel, add a bunch of green and blue (/cyan) and drop the red until you end up with almost black reds, and blown out blues. Now add a seriously agressive curve (i recommend converting whatever you have to arri log c so you have some room to play) and some nice filmgrain and boom, youre getting somewhere. Is it the same thing? No, but its close, i just did this on some photographs and liked the results alot (the stills where dng so they dint turn into a blocky mess)
1930s!
Canon kicked reds ass in this one