LIGHTING SPECIAL GAFFER STORIES
“Listening, working well with other departments and being flexible. When things change, roll with it and come up with a new plan,” he advises. “There’s no time to complain or be upset because the set flips for one reason or another.” Another necessity is knowing all the tools at a gaffer’s disposal inside-out – as well as having a solid understanding of the grip and camera departments. When quizzed on his all-time favourite bits of kit, he doesn’t have an ARRI 300W fresnel but wishes he did (‘a great little light – one of these days I’ll get one!’) and sings the praises of the Fiilex Q5. “It’s amazing,” he enthuses. “When we started with LED, we had soft panel lights. Fiilex has developed an amazing line of LED fresnels. “Mole Richardson fresnels were our main light forever, so when we started using the ARRI SkyPanel around 2015, it was a game changer. But we didn’t have hard light that acted the same way. It’s great having hard light with all the advantages of LED technology. “Our technology is changing so fast,” he continues. “Companies like SUMOLIGHT, Fiilex, Astera, Creamsource and DMG are doing such different things and coming up with lights and ideas I have never even considered.” His current favourite toy is SUMOLIGHT’s SUMOSKY – a slender backlight system which is quickly riggable and versatile, shifting colours and able to recreate skylights, sunsets and sky domes for stages. “It’s the newest product I have used and it’s unbelievable,” gushes Waldron. “I am still wrapping my head around the possibilities. It’s essentially a mobile video wall that we can use as a large constant source or feed any effect we want into. It’s also a great bridge for set lighting and the art department to create amazing set pieces. I could go on!” His way of keeping abreast of the latest developments is to stay in contact with the vendors and distributors to find out what’s going on – as well as talking to his own team and seeing what new bits of knowledge they’ve picked up that might come in handy. Staying on top of his game means continual learning: “I
never want to think I know everything or that my way is the only way,” he insists. For Waldron, there’s no such thing as a stupid question. “Don’t be afraid to ask, even if something seems basic – we all started not knowing how to set a C stand or what a scrim was. “I also recommend getting to rental shops and meeting the people that deal with our equipment every day,” he adds. “Even if they aren’t set lighting technicians – they know a ton! Plus, you’ll see these people all the time, and they will help in so many ways. Go to the vendors’ shops, too. They love to talk with us. I still go as often as possible and touch lights and think of new ideas.” Reflecting on the state of the industry, he thinks it’s harder now for newcomers to get a foothold. “When I started out, LA was where it was at. It was easy to get on a music video or low-budget feature and figure it out,” he asserts. “I started gaffing almost immediately and was able to fail and learn how to light on-set, but with the amount of work going to other states, it’s making the employment pool in LA much more difficult – and I am sure the same can be said for any other filming hub.”
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK, even if it seems basic . WE ALL STARTED OUT not knowing how to set a C stand ”
SEEING DOUBLE Lighting one actor for two characters was a fun technical challenge for Saul on the upcoming feature The Other You
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