interview-lighting-setup-tutorial

Great Looking Interviews: 2-minute filmmaking tutorial

Today’s tutorial is about how to film interviews, especially focusing on the use of light-weight, portable equipment. Also, at some locations we did not have access to the electricity. Fortunately, these days you can get good-performing lights that run off batteries.

The project we filmed is a documentary about Canadians soldiers in the World War I. It’s produced by Spinning Rabbit Productions.

If you’d like to see the finished documentary, please follow their Facebook page.

Here’s today’s tutorial

So, as you can see, it’s not difficult (or expensive) to create professional lighting set-ups for video and documentary film productions.

I used one basic set-up with three lights: key light (with a softbox), edge light, and a back light. You can adjust this set-up based on the situation you encounter at your location.

Here’s all the gear I mention in the video.

Key-light: CAME-TV Boltzen on B&H, Adorama, eBay, Amazon, Amazon.ca

Softbox on B&H, Adorama, eBay, Amazon

Edge-light: Luxi Cello on B&H, Amazon

Back-light: Luxi Viola on B&H, eBay, Amazon

Here is the great tool that – among other things – makes it simple to match footage from different cameras.

X-Rite Color Checker on B&H, Adorama, Henry’s, eBay, Amazon, Amazon.ca, Amazon UK, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it

Here is the finished documentary!

Here is the tutorial I mention about how to match various cameras

Here are the stills for each of the six set-ups I show in the video.

10 thoughts on “Great Looking Interviews: 2-minute filmmaking tutorial”

  1. Hey Tom, once again great information. Sorry it took so long to view this but I have been busy. Also, I have stolen your saying “there are no problems, just a lack of solutions.” I find that so true…hope you don’t mind…best…tchau.

    1. Haha… nope that saying is not something I own so go ahead and use it as much as you like. Its definitely the way I think when I have a problem in my filming. Great to hear that you found this post useful.

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