Electronics
Radar screens, computer monitors, and
scientifi c instruments often bathe the faces of the
subjects looking at them with light. With some
units, the actual screen light may be bright enough,
especially if the rest of the lighting is low key.
If you cannot show the screens, however (say,
because they are supposedly futuristic displays
in a spaceship control cabin), place small lights
low (at “screen” height) and gel them pale blue
or green.
Small LED arrays are often used to simulate
electronic screens because their built-in dimmers
simplify adjusting brightness.
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Candle. For a candle effect, omit the
diffusion for a harder light. Wearing a
leather glove, wave your hand and move
your fi ngers slowly in front of the light to
create a fl ickering effect.
Firelight
Simulated fi relight is created in somewhat
the same way as moving light sources.
1. Place a broad very low, where a fi replace or
campfi re would be.
2. Gel the broad with an orange fi lter sheet.
3. Staple a square of heavy cloth to a stick
(denim works well), and slit the cloth at
1″ intervals to create a “grass skirt” effect,
Figure 16-26.
4. Wave this device slowly in front of the
“fi re” light source to add a convincing
fl icker effect.
As with most such effects, you can enhance the
realism with sound effects—in this case, a crackling
wood fire.
Signs
In some night interiors, colored signs and
other neon sources tint parts of the subject. If
the sign is steady, simply gel a light with an
appropriate color. If the sign turns on and off,
have an assistant move a fl ag rhythmically in
and out of the light path.
Figure 16-25 The practical flashlight is established by showing it on screen. But, the light from the flashlight is
provided off-screen by a hand-held spot.
Flashlight beam
Hand-held spot
(Lowel Light Inc.)
Figure 16-26 A “grass skirt” cookie can simulate the
flickering of a fire.
348 Video Digital Communication & Production