Lights Setting the Mood

I’ve been studying film for the last 2 years and there have been many things that I’ve come to learn. But there was one thing that I never really thought was important, and that was lights. There are many important aspects to filmmaking but lights are crucial in a shot. Knowing the fundamentals of lighting a scene can drastically change your shot in so many ways. Like a room that is beautifully lit, lights can make that room feel like 3 different ones. It’s the same with lighting a scene.

I learned that lights are much more than brightening up a room and allowing the viewer to see the character. Lights help portray certain emotions and help the viewer get a sense of what the character is feeling and what the atmosphere of the situation is. There are many things to learn about lighting a scene but mastering these 3 key ones, will get your scene looking more cinematic.

The first is key lighting. A key light is a main light that is used to shine on the actor's face. This is usually angled on one side of the actor’s face and is next to the camera, so the viewer can clearly see the emotion that the actor is delivering in the scene. The second is fill light. A fill light is a toned down light that is usually placed on the opposite side of the key light. This is used to add just a hint of light on the opposite side of the actor’s face. This helps to add a shadowy effect on the face of an actor and gives off a cinematic look.

Lastly, is a rim light. The rim light is used to separate the actor from the background. In movies, it’s that subtle glow behind the actor's frame. This is also used to add a hint of depth from the background and the actor. Mastering these 3 lighting points are the key to making your shot look more cinematic and less flat just using a room’s natural light. I look at lighting differently now. Just like props that are there to help enhance the story, lights aid a scene in a huge way, from giving off an intense interrogation, to a romantic scene in seconds. This has gotten me from being just a simple handheld on the go video creator, to shooting with intention. So try it out!