Crafting a Cinematic Lighting Plan
Blog Series Part 7 of 10
“The Crucial Role of Preparation in Cinematography”
In cinematography, lighting is the cornerstone of visual storytelling. Creating a meticulously crafted lighting plan become essential steps in achieving the desired look and mood. Each project presents its own set of challenges and opportunities, and as a seasoned cinematographer, I understand the importance of tailoring these choices to fit the unique demands of the film.
Once I've fully grasped the director’s vision and familiarized myself with the primary locations, the Director and I create a preliminary floor plan with initial blocking. While these plans often evolve or change on the day of the shoot, this exercise allows us to anticipate potential issues in advance. Flexibility is key, as new and exciting opportunities may arise on set, but having a plan frees our minds to embrace those moments of inspiration, knowing we have a solid foundation to fall back on.
In the past, I’ve used simple tools like pen and paper or a basic drawing app on my iPad, but I find that using software like Shot Designer is invaluable for creating detailed diagrams of lighting setups. These diagrams include different layers for blocking, camera positions, and lighting and it helps the communication with my crew.
Based on the preliminary blocking, I determine the direction and motivation behind the light entering the space. I then design a lighting scheme that outlines how to illuminate the scene, establishing key, fill, and backlight positions. From there, I make story-driven choices for each scene, such as whether to use hard or soft light and whether to opt for a low-key or high-key setup. Other crucial factors, like the amount of fill light and the size of the light source, significantly influence the mood and texture of the scene and serve as my guide during production. In my next blog, I’ll explore these elements in greater depth.
Designing the Cinematography for “The Island Between Tides”
In our film “IBT” I crafted a cinematic arc to ensure a visual language that evolves in harmony with the story. Through careful preparation and dedication, we were able to maintain this vision consistently throughout production. Here’s the thought process behind the cinematography of the film.
The journey begins with sunny, cheerful lighting, traditional framing, and slightly lower or neutral camera heights to reflect a world full of promise—until young Lily goes missing and returns with an unexpected gift. While I couldn’t always control the sun, I worked closely with the AD to schedule around it. On overcast days, I used small increments of tobacco filtration and adjusted the white balance in-camera to subtly warm up the image. To enhance this, I employed HMI lights gelled with 1/2 or 1/4 CTS or large LED fixtures like the ARRI S360 for added warmth. Additionally, I utilized negative fill and bounce techniques to create soft contrast around the characters without introducing unwanted darkness to their faces.
As Lily matures, her once-gifted ability evolves into a curse, especially for her son. The cinematography mirrors this transformation with a shift to a gloomier tone, utilizing soft light to create deep, dark shadows and subtle color contrasts by blending 3200K and 5600K sources with practical lights. The framing shifts from subtly off-center to short-sided as Lily's internal confusion intensifies, visually capturing the conflicting forces tugging at her—the blessing and the burden of her extraordinary gift.
During the day time scene, I mixed 3000K and 6000K lights while setting the camera to 4000K, giving the image a slight overall coolness. For night scenes, I combined sodium vapor and steel green lighting with occasional tungsten from practical sources, setting the camera to 3800K to create a distinct atmosphere.
As Lily returns to the island, the lighting grows warmer, softer, and more magical, with the camera now center punch and varying between high and low angles, leaving ample headroom to emphasize the world’s significance. For instance, I used an artificial light (Molebeam 5K Tungsten) to transform a magical tree into a symbol of peace and comfort, as if embracing Lily in a divine embrace.
Upon Lily’s return from the island, she's thrust into a disorienting reality where the world feels hostile, and the lights seem distant and unwelcoming.
As Lily gradually adapts to her new reality, the warm light draws nearer until she becomes the guiding light for her son, Jared, who remains engulfed in shadow and cold steel-green moonlight. Lily embodies the warm tungsten light, a beacon in the darkness. Jared resists her invitation, caught between the two contrasting lights—a metaphor for the inner turmoil he faces. When Jared finally lowers his guard and allows Lily to shield him from the harsh steel-green glow, he finds safety in her embrace. Here's the scene I'm describing...
As the story reaches its climax and fear peaks, the color contrast drains away, leaving a neutral, desaturated world. The framing becomes short-sided, with the camera high on Lily and low on Mary Rose, representing Lily’s fear and her saving grace—symbolic of Lily hitting rock bottom and her need to embrace her fears.
As Lily emerges on the other side, a symbolic rebirth takes place.
With newfound clarity about her path, the sunny environment blossoms once again, and light feels closer and welcoming. The scene reverts to its natural state, with shadows falling behind her and artificial lights fading away, allowing the world around her to radiate warmth and invitation once more.
Conclusion
Crafting a detailed lighting plan is crucial in elevating the visual storytelling of our film. The aim is to seamlessly integrate technical precision with artistic vision, using light to enhance the narrative and evoke the intended emotions in our audience. Lighting isn't just about illumination—it's about shaping the mood, tone, and depth of our story. The key to achieving this level of artistry is thorough preparation, which creates the freedom to adapt to inspiration on production days.
