Lighting for video is a tricky subject. Despite the treasure-trove of online videos, apps, and instructional guides, we still find ourselves drowning in technical manuals telling us that if you “simply do x, y, and z, then your desired outcome will happen.” While these instructions typically aim us in the right direction, it often doesn't work out exactly how we–or the confusing manual for that matter–first envisioned. Just ask anyone who's attempted to assemble a piece of furniture from IKEA.
And when we jump into the task of improving or starting our broadcast lighting, the internal dialog might sound something like: “Well we have some extra lights sitting around, I guess as long as we make things are bright on stage, then we should be good to go”
Good place to start? Sure. Often the basic principles though are just that, basic, but rarely do they account for the intangibles of each unique circumstance or environment. These play an enormous factor in determining how to approach your unique solution
The External Factors
There are a host of external factors–some we can control and some we can't–that must be accounted for if you truly want to be effective with your lighting results on camera. What's the ambient light in the auditorium? Are there reflective surfaces? Are the surface walls and ceiling white, black, or some other color? What are the house lighting levels during the service and do they vary? And these factors may be just touching the surface. Yet to be considered are specific lighting fixtures in your inventory, where they are placed, and the camera equipment being used.
We need to consider many of these same factors in our worship environment before making concrete decisions on lighting. As you can see, simply taking a stock x, y, z approach might help us get started, but will rarely account for variables.
Try, Evaluate, Try again
While specific aspects of lighting a stage and environment for broadcast–practices such as key, fill, and backlighting–are important to understand and implement, our goal here is the art of continuous evaluation and improvement. When was the last time you tried something completely new, in the spirit of learning and expanding your possibilities?
A close friend was having trouble at his church with white balance issues in regards to faces on camera. They did it all by the book: bought the lights, pressed the right buttons, made the recommended adjustments, and followed the manuals. But it was not working until someone suggested they throw a subtle gel into their front lighting leko fixtures. Three hues later, they found the right combination which dramatically improved the results. It wasn't for lack of resources, it was simply a solution that was not necessarily “by the book”.
In another scenario, issues with the pastor looking one dimensional on screen were remedied by adjusting the angle of the backlighting, which is all too important in bringing out depth and shape. A small adjustment but one that took trial and error to find the right fit for the unique environment and shot angle.
The list could go on and on, but the fact remains: taking the basics and principles is only one piece of the puzzle. This notion of trying, evaluating, and trying again is a practice the most seasoned veterans employ on a daily basis. It's a premise that should perpetuate our approach in production, especially with lighting. Our unique and changing environments will always dictate deviation and adjustment from the norm. Choosing a healthy combination of principles along with practice will help you navigate a road of continuous improvement and professional results.
