October 2, 2004

experience level: intermediate - you've shot a couple of film or video projects

Ahhh!  The "ext. park day" scene!  While any exterior scene is fraught with variables beyond a production's control, shooting with sunlight poses particular challenges to a cinematographer's shooting schedule.  Here are some of the variables:

• The sun moves!  Constantly!
• Clouds change the character and color of the light.
• Summer light looks different than winter.
• Morning light looks different than afternoon.

For a production with sufficient budget, some of these obstacles may be overcome with thousands of watts of light and a ready supply of overhead butterfly silks, nets, and reflection to represent the sun and sky dome.  But, if those tools aren't available to you, it is still possible to get the shot with the natural light already in place.

Making the Most of What You Got

First, pray for a consistent light - either cloudless or mostly cloudy.  You have a great deal more shooting time if your A.D. doesn't have to constantly call for a hold while a cloud passes overhead.  If you don't have the fortune of consistent light, work during those gaps you are given.  And, be sure to provide sufficient time in the schedule for those potential delays.

A Case Study

Below, are stills from three scenes from Sticks & Stones shot over the course of a winter day.  We were lucky to have a beautiful, cloudless day in which to shoot, resulting in predictable lighting and no delays.  The stills are presented in the order in which they were acquired.

scene 1 - ext street corner day - acquisition time: 8am

This scene was shot using only available light by positioning the talent in the shade of a high-rise and taking advantage of sunlight bouncing from the fifth-story glass of the building across the street to provide a key on talent.  I established the key light at 90-degrees off the axis between girl and woman.  Bounce was entirely from the white pavement and sky dome.  We only had thirty minutes to shoot before we lost the key bounce from across the street.

scene 2 - ext park day - acquisition time: 10am-2pm

These frames are from a scene that would be acquired over the course of the morning and afternoon.  the main axis of action was between a proselytizing girl and a small crowd.

When I have the sun, I will use it as a key over the shoulder or behind the talent - even on reverse angles. I shoot all the angles facing East during the morning, then shoot the reverse angles facing West in the afternoon. This is called "chasing the sun" in narrative film parlance. I also get better control over modeling the talent's face with this technique.

Once I had that high key over the talent's shoulder, I bounced white and foil reflection as fill. To do a foil bounce on the cheap, I tape a pre-crumpled space blanket over foamcore and give it to a grip with a steady hand.  This technique allows me to adjust the diffuse or specular quality of the bounce by how much I crumple the foil.

scene 2 - ext park day - the reverse angles - acquisition time: 3pm-5pm

Above are the reverse angles of the same scene shot in the afternoon.  Note the sun is, once again, over the talents' shoulders.  While this lighting does not match the angles shot in the morning, it is an accepted convention in the tight shooting schedules of typical filmmaking.  Again, white panels provided a bounce for the crowd while a silver foil bounce "spotlighted" the girl.

There were also some camera angles 90-degrees off the main axis between the girl and the crowd as prompted by action in the scene.  Here, a "healed" shill throws away his crutches and receives his payoff.

scene 3 - ext park day - acquisition time: 6pm

Here's another short scene with the sun 90-degrees off-axis.

Both angles of this scene were shot at near the same time by merely placing the sun to the side of the talent.  A white bounce took care of fill.

I discuss the afternoon's shot order with director Arnie Reyes.

Grips hold 3x4 white reflectors over the crowd.

Have fun out there! - Michael Morlan