GAFFER ’ S CORNER | JERAD MOLKENTHIN
TOP RIGHT Arri 650W fresnal with custom duct work attachment for a gas lamp scene at Emma and Earskell’s house. Photo courtesy of Oren Jones
GAFFER’S PROFILE
NAME: Jerad Molkenthin KNOWN FOR:
bicolour LED ribbon for its flexibility and ease of placement and use.” The film was shot at a great many locations and each one presented its own host of challenges. Though, throughout all locations, whether interior or exterior, one challenge remained a constant: the unpredictable Alabama weather. “There’s a saying there, that if you don’t like the weather, just wait 20 minutes because it’s going to change. That being said, keeping the lighting consistent was a daily challenge, as we were constantly chasing cloud cover or full sun. I did a lot of cloud watching with my gaffer’s glass, letting Lol know when to roll the camera or not. That’s also when the larger HMIs came into play, to mimic the direct sunlight that we had established
to colour temperature and intensity are made via a small pocket console dimmer,” explains Molkenthin. “By using this kind of lighting unit, there’s no need to lose a crew member to the bucket of the aerial lift, as all adjustments can be made from the ground. I have used the ‘moon box’ in this configuration on several films, and it’s a fantastic and time-saving way to create night-time ambience for night scenes.” On a side note about creating moonlight, he adds: “I tend to mix the bicolour LEDs to 4300K as a colour temperature, because it looks more natural to my eye than the blue moonlight that is so often used; especially when a warmer tungsten source is also in the frame. For car interiors, day and night, we used a Lite Gear
Marriage Story , Vox Lux , Bad Education , 30 Rock , Being Frank , Shooter HERO GEAR:
The Astra 1x1 bicolour LED from Litepanel is one of my quick go-to units. Whether it’s used with or without the Chimera Pro Bank, it’s ready to go at all times and can be hard-powered or powered by battery. They particularly come in handy for a quick fill light or when we need a bit of eye light.
DECEMBER 2020 | DEF I N I T ION 13
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