LIGHTING
LUX GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT Planning is needed to achieve accurate skin tones with a diverse cast, such as in Bridgerton
“There is a mental wellbeing impact to consider. Most actors and actresses desire to look good on screen.” It would be bad practice to use more aggressive lighting, as this compromises darker skin tones and washes out detail. “A common mistake is thinking you need stadium-size floodlights to light black skin tones. This overexposes your black cast so much that they’re hardly identifiable,” says Akinsehinwa. When dealing with various skin tones, he suggests soft lighting, placing the actor with the darkest skin closest to the source. Increasing contrast is also a mistake, as “in scenes with high contrast, it is simply more difficult to control skin tones,” says gaffer Daan de Boer, who works closely with Aputure. “For every type of skin, the key is to set the right contrast; matching that with the desired mood.” TECH TRANSFORMED It wasn’t always possible to authentically portray skin tone on-screen. Due to the technological limitations (read: built-in bias) of early film stock, black and brown actors often appeared underexposed, with any textural detail being irrecoverably lost in darkness. In the 1980s, film emulsions underwent advancements, allowing DOPs to sufficiently capture darker skin tones. Black filmmakers like Spike Lee and Julie Dash enjoyed newfound storytelling ability thanks to practical improvements. Then, in the early 2000s, film got a major upgrade with the invention of digital intermediate (DI). Filmmakers could capture colour and light in greater depth and detail – and make the necessary adjustments in post- production. The industry continues to see an insurgence of diverse talent, and we’re finally seeing their stories told. But technological advances don’t always bring aesthetic improvements. For instance, “the RGB LED panels commonly used in virtual production LED volumes” can render skin tones “unnatural”, according to Cesar Caceres, product lead at Brompton Technology.
“To achieve accurate representation, filmmakers should consider RGBW LED panels or similar technologies that offer a broader spectral output,” he suggests. De Boer concurs: “Simply put, it’s the lighting that creates the image – and if the light has little colour information, the image will look flat. That is especially bad for skin.” Cheap LEDs often have limited spectrums, providing an incomplete colour palette. “Choosing an RBGW structure will utilise a much wider part of the spectrum,” he explains. Brompton developed TrueLight, an RGBW technology, as a response to the issues raised by RGB LEDs. “The shift towards RGBW LED panels represents a positive step towards better colour rendition, ensuring that skin tones are displayed accurately,” says Caceres. RISE AND SHINE “When dark-skinned characters are in the same scene as white counterparts who have been well-lit, the discrepancy is obvious,” shares Akinsehinwa. He argues the importance of learning – and teaching – simple strategies to avoid this. “The basics of how to light for dark skin
tones can be taught in a few hours,” he explains, “which at least gives students a valuable foundation from which to build.” Howard University, a historically black institution in Washington DC, has become a catalyst for black cinematographers, teaching filmmaking as being both practical and political. Bradford Young is among its most famed alumni, having received critical acclaim for his cinematography on Mother of George , Arrival – which earned him an Academy Award – and When They See Us . The industry is finally seeing a shift, with more content being created by BIPOC writers, directors and actors. “There has been a gradual change, in that we see multi-racial casts, like Bridgerton , where it is necessary to light diverse skin tones – often in the same scene,” states Akinsehinwa. Other examples include hit shows like Sex Education and Top Boy . “As cinematographers, we have to respect the cast with the way we light and shoot them – and understand that part of our job is ensuring accurate representation.” “Diversity is essential on every level,” de Boer summarises. “It is like light – it’s a spectrum, and we need all colours to be represented.”
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