Purchasing Sitcom Style Lighting for use with Children

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I was wondering how I could light a small room with mixed lighting (from several foot windows) so that it would appear more like a sitcom on television (such as something from Nickelodeon) and less like a home video.

What’s important is that it be safe- since it would be working with children it would be important that it be cool if possible (LCD?) and not be dangerous if it got pushed over accidentally.

Purchasing ideas for equipment as well as compatible hardware to view and adjust the ‘temperature’ of the lighting would be appreciated thanks!

[SpencerStewart]

Hello.

The first condition you would want to consider would be the color temperature because your room has windows. To make the colors look balanced in the camera, you would want 5600k (kelvin) temperature lights. 5600k is the average color temperature of the sun (it changes throughout the day). Tungsten lights, the cheapest are typically 3200k (a yellower color than the sun). With lights at this temperature you would want to use Color Temperature Blue gels, or CTB gels. This makes the color bluer light sunlight.

Typically, most sitcoms have very soft and diffused lights (no dark hard shadows). To produce light of this quality, you can use a soft-box or bounce light. I think what would work the best for what you want (cool running lights of a soft quality), flicker-free fluorescent lights can serve you well.

The lights listed here may do the job http://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=71, but take a look around, listen to what others say.

Goodluck

[Anonymous]

Spencer Stewart Wrote:

Hello.

The first condition you would want to consider would be the color temperature because your room has windows. To make the colors look balanced in the camera, you would want 5600k (kelvin) temperature lights. 5600k is the average color temperature of the sun (it changes throughout the day). Tungsten lights, the cheapest are typically 3200k (a yellower color than the sun). With lights at this temperature you would want to use Color Temperature Blue gels, or CTB gels. This makes the color bluer light sunlight.

Typically, most sitcoms have very soft and diffused lights (no dark hard shadows). To produce light of this quality, you can use a soft-box or bounce light. I think what would work the best for what you want (cool running lights of a soft quality), flicker-free fluorescent lights can serve you well.

The lights listed here may do the job http://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=71, but take a look around, listen to what others say.

Goodluck

Thank you Spencer.

[SpencerStewart]

No problem.

Here’s a good thread about lighting, and the first post has a few good links to look at for lighting on a budget.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=48278

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