Lighting research

Research into lighting - Psychological thrillers.

Film stock has a much greater dynamic range for light than did early video tape. Lighting in a film is used to create a specific atmosphere. For example, when researching psychological thrillers, the most common lighting used is dull, dark backgrounds with the protagonist and antagonist lit from other sources of light, whether that is natural or artificial.

More extensive lighting systems may include the following:

·       Eyelight - a small light that can be focused to reflect in the subjects eye, giving them a reflective sparkle

·       Background light - to illuminate the background

·       Kicker light - similar to a back light, i.e. it helps to separate the subject from the background. It is usually placed low, behind the subject, and may be opposite the key light.

'Chiaroscuro' would be a term more likely to define the lighting in a psychological thriller. In Italian the word means ‘light-dark’. This is usedescribe paintings and art, however it is very effectively used in films in a specific genre. Here is an example of what this type of lighting looks like.

Both of these images are examples of Chiaroscuro and show the intensity of the image. The brightness of one part of the image and the darkness of the other part really gives it a shadow. This gives a very eerie look and it is perfect for psychological thrillers when in a tense situation.

Here is video on the lighting within films and photography.