LIGHTING SPECIAL
B lending naturalism with theatrical flair, the lighting in Poor Things plays a crucial role in bringing such a whimsical world to life. To capture the film’s surreal aesthetic, gaffers Andy Cole and Gromek Molnar Jr used a blend of practical lights and fixtures including ARRIMAX 18ks, SkyPanel S60s and BrikLoks. The 18ks, combined with CTO filters, were especially useful in creating the dreamlike Lisbon scenes. They also utilised SkyPanels to craft the film’s signature candy-coloured palette and achieve subtle colour temperature adjustments. The team faced unique dilemmas such as balancing set lighting with the powerful LED wall on the ship set, where 100 SkyPanels helped create the perfect lighting intensity. The meticulous Though successful as a stand-alone light, LunaBulb is bolstered by Astera’s LunaBulb Accessory Kit, which includes four reflectors, diffusers, lenses and snoots – as well as four LunaShades. Inspired by DOP James Friend, these shades only cover half the bulb, allowing filmmakers to further manipulate their source. “The LunaBulb Accessory Kit is a testament to Astera’s ability to merge timeless design with advanced functionality, empowering users to achieve beautiful and impactful lighting,” writes the company’s head of product management Ben Díaz. Besides the LunaBulb kit, Astera offers a variety of items for rigging, charging, shaping, controlling and transporting its lights, ensuring that there’s always an innovative solution to the creative challenge at hand. Honourable mentions DoPchoice Founded by cinematographer Stefan Karle, DoPchoice has contributed more than its fair share to the lighting accessory market. From snappable soft boxes and frames to grids and mounts, the company is known for its masterful
‘light-shaping’ gear, and its products are compatible with most major brands. Lightbridge All available with lifelong product support, Lightbridge accessories are made to last. From tabletop essentials like the T-Wheel, to Snapbridge Color Bounce reflectors (made in tandem with DoPchoice), each gadget goes the extra mile to guarantee only the best cine lighting. Dedolight An established name in cine lighting, Dedolight’s reputation precedes it. Difficult to fit in a single category, we have recognised the brand for its lighting accessories, which often come in kits but also include individual items like gels, filters, stands, batteries, barndoors and much more. WEATHERPROOF Special recognition Litepanels Besides its exceptional RGBWW offerings, Litepanels also manufactures bicolour
and miniature panels (as well as accessories) which excel in extreme weather. In this area, the Astra IP LEDs stand out above the pack. Litepanels’ Astra IP is a bicolour LED with an IP65 rating, built to withstand the most unrelenting environments all while meeting aesthetic demands. While the Astra IPs may be best for live video broadcasts, they can also benefit filmmakers working under less-than- ideal conditions. Promising to light any location, they can even go off the grid with the option to add V-Mount, Gold Mount or BP-U weatherproof battery brackets in single size or dual. Meanwhile, the Brick bicolour mini LED offers the same IP65 rating, good to go in rain, snow or sleet. Plus, all Litepanels products come with a warranty (length depending on the individual item), so you’re insured even if something goes wrong. With Litepanels, weather doesn’t have to pose a problem. Honourable mentions Aputure Aputure’s Electro Storm family features the company’s most robust products, spanning point source lamps to fresnels, motorised yokes, reflectors and more. Built to be tough, Electro Storm fixtures can handle the most adverse weather conditions, being the brightest lights in their class without compromising on colour quality.
Exceptional Lighting in a Film: Poor Things (2024) PEOPLE & PROJECTS
planning involved virtual set walks and close collaboration with the VFX team to ensure seamless integration of painted backgrounds. Using SkyPanel S60s with Chimera attachments, powered by batteries to avoid visible cables, was a key aspect of lighting the actors. Well done to all involved for bringing the wacky world of Poor Things to life.
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