TECHNIQUE DAY FOR NIGHT
“Overexposing the original image allows for the softer shadows of moonlight. We try to add a lot of fill light to faces where possible, otherwise in the DI we select the faces in the image and lighten them. Generally, we’d try to avoid overexposed white materials and high lights.” Duggan scheduled the shoot as if it was a daytime shoot, moving around with the sun yet avoiding direct backlight or sun in the frame. “We also filled actors as much as possible,” he says. “You deal with it the same as a day shoot with additional lighting, yet if you do have flat, overcast skies, you probably need a VFX sky replacement.” When it comes to common mistakes that filmmakers make when attempting a day-for-night scene, Duggan points to underexposing as a key issue. “Purely underexposing the image doesn’t make a good day-for-night shot, as you are losing all the shadow detail. Obviously, heavily backlit scenes with sun flares or the actual sun in shot breaks the illusion,” he says. “A lot of work goes into creating a convincing day-for-night sequence as previously detailed.” NIGHT FOR DAY For his work on Ballad of a Small Player , James Friend, ASC, BSC took the opposite approach, instead shooting night for day. Production relied on Aputure’s
INFINIMAT 20x20 to navigate the casino environments. One of the lobby scenes required daylight, however the location was only available during the night. Friend explained that the INFINIMAT 20x20 enabled them to shoot in the dead of night. “We turned it to 5600K, daylight colour temperature, and side-lit the entire set,” he detailed. “The output from that lamp is quite striking. It had to be a source that we could very quickly wheel out of the way and then wheel back again in seconds. Really, the INFINIMAT enabled us to actually shoot that scene.” There were a number of unusual obstacles the crew had to contend with. “These casinos are highly regulated,” Friend says. “Working in the big open floors was extremely challenging. We couldn’t control the sound, for example, and we couldn’t control the light.” The INFINIMAT also came in handy for lighting some of the cast, including Tilda Swinton. “It was a perfect source to be able to get nice and close next to the camera and deliver a frontal sort of beauty light,” he explained. “One of the challenges was, she was wearing these large glasses. If you didn’t have the light at the right angle and the right level of softness, you would end up with an uncosmetic shadow around her eyes. But with the INFINIMAT, she’s got this big, beautiful, bold, round eye light, which
brings her eyes out, and it feels like you’re really connecting with her. I can’t actually see the source reflected in her glasses, which is unusual. “Without a shadow of a doubt, Aputure lighting enabled me to have the flexibility and the creative control to shoot Ballad in exactly the way that the director Edward Berger and I wanted to photograph the film,” he added. This technique was previously used on The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford . DOP Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC used physical lighting rigs to shoot the night scenes here, as opposed to relying on a more traditional day-for- night colour grading. GRADING THE FOOTAGE Company 3's Stephen Nakamura is one of the most acclaimed colourists working today. From The Chronicles of Riddick and Zodiac to his collaborations with Ridley Scott, he’s worked across the board. Many of his projects have involved grading day-for-night footage. “Some people might notice it and some won’t, but I don’t want to specify exactly which projects were day for night,” he laughs. When it comes to creating effective day for night, Nakamura explains that it can be really challenging depending on the lighting for the day. “It all depends on how the sun is shining on the set on that
56
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook