The back light (i.e. "rim light" or "kicker") is usually another small spotlight, placed high and behind the subject. I like to place it on the same side of the key so that the harder, more directional light is all coming from one side. A typical position is perhaps 150- degrees away from the front (Figure 1) and 85- degrees high (Figure 2).

In placing the back light, the goal is to (a) keep its support out of the frame, (b) balance its intensity with that of the other two lights and (c) keep the light from reflecting on the camcorder's lens, thereby creating a lens flare. To conceal the support, you can mount it on a light- or C-stand with a lateral arm. With an alligator grip mount, you can often clip it to the top of a nearby door, or even to the metal grid supporting a drop ceiling. If all else fails, simply move it as far to the side as practical and then zoom in until you exclude it.

To balance intensity, you can focus the lamp, or use metal screens (don't use diffusion or you'll defeat the purpose of the light) or try a dimmer. You can easily make a dimmer one by mounting a 15-amp capacity wall dimmer in a J box, with a male-plug pigtail coming in and a female pigtail going out. (I prefer a large plastic J box screwed down to a 12x12-inch plywood base.) Dimming the back light to reduce the output will lower its color temperature, but a slight golden sheen often looks very suave.

To keep the light off the camera lens and avoid lens flare, you can often adjust the top barn door on the back light. If that doesn't work or if your back light doesn't have barn doors, try shading the lens itself with a flag on a stand next to the camcorder.

If all else fails, you can move the back light off to one side and lower it, if need be. The result is called "back-cross lighting," and it can do much of a back light's job quite effectively.…