LIGHTING GEAR
LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY IS changing so rapidly ”
use an eye light,” he shares. “We want the reflection in the eye to be a round light, just to add a spark.” If he’s looking to illuminate the entire eyeline, he’ll ‘cut a blade of light and blow the focus to make it really soft’, keeping the intensity low. Thanks to Aputure, “I can paint with light,” he reiterates, “and quickly.” For freelance filmmakers such as Cragg, owning their ideal kit collection
is a luxury. “Lighting technology is changing so rapidly,” he observes, “and companies like Aputure have been able to introduce – at affordable prices – lots of practical lights,” all the while busying themselves with impressive research and development. “It’s nice to have lights that don’t cost an arm and a leg,” Cragg continues – especially when they look that good.
a softbox to diffuse the light source. For extra oomph, he might even employ the Aputure LS 300x point source lamp “and bounce that into anything. If I can’t fit a lamp above someone or don’t have the time, I can create a bright hot spot,” he states. “I often use it with the spotlight attachment, which is revolutionary for me – especially for documentaries.” Looking good Most documentaries consist of two segments: interviews and B roll footage. For Cragg, he wants the two “to be completely seamless. They need to feel like they are part of the same palette.” So, sticking with Aputure products means maintaining consistency across the board. “As cameras have become more light-sensitive, we’re using lights at their lowest level. It is not about intensity,” he argues. “We are searching for shaping tools and good communication between each source.” Cragg appreciates the ability to control his Aputure lights from his phone (through the Sidus Link mobile app) and that they don’t weigh a ton, either. To add some extra sparkle to interviews and other people-centric scenes, Cragg turns to the Aputure MC Pro, a mini panel that he combines with the MC Pro Bubble Diffuser. “We always
ALL THE GEAR AND ALL THE IDEAS Established DOP Tim Cragg has worked on documentaries such as The Manhattan Alien Abduction (top left) and Surviving Black Hawk Down (top right)
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