From American Cinematographer, The Root of All Evil by Jay Holben (December 1998)
"I was letting the snow go about three stops over. I was usually exposing at about an f5.6 outside, but the snow would be reflecting back an f16 or more. By overexposing it that much, the snow gave us really blinding whites and we'd lose detail, which for most applications was great. However, there were a couple of scenes in the film in which footprints in the snow were an important element of the story. Because of the overcast conditions and the contrast created by the way I was exposing, we would occasionally have to paint in the footprints to make them readable. Someone from the art department would walk backward through the footprints with water-based spray-paint and darken in the shadow side of the prints so they would read better."
- Alar Kivilo, CSC
I read, discuss, and discover new things about cinematography everyday. Most of it, I consider incredibly interesting. Everyday I will share one of those things, maybe more if I have time.
Showing posts with label overcast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label overcast. Show all posts
30.5.09
Alar Kivilo: Snow & Contrast
From American Cinematographer, The Root of All Evil by Jay Holben (December 1998)
"We wanted to avoid blue skies and sun, and we were lucky for the most part. On overcast days, I would simply employ some negative fill so that the light wouldn't bounce around as much from the white snow. We covered the ground with solids and brought in more solids on one side to give the light more direction. Then, for close-ups, we'd shape and refine the light slightly with a bit of bounce fill off a card. During the few days when the sun did come out, I wanted to bring in a big crane with a huge silk to take care of the situation, but again, budgetary factors didn't allow it."
- Alar Kivilo, CSC
"We wanted to avoid blue skies and sun, and we were lucky for the most part. On overcast days, I would simply employ some negative fill so that the light wouldn't bounce around as much from the white snow. We covered the ground with solids and brought in more solids on one side to give the light more direction. Then, for close-ups, we'd shape and refine the light slightly with a bit of bounce fill off a card. During the few days when the sun did come out, I wanted to bring in a big crane with a huge silk to take care of the situation, but again, budgetary factors didn't allow it."
- Alar Kivilo, CSC
13.5.09
Wexler & Hall: "Gaffer with a capital G!"
From American Cinematographer, Island of Lost Souls interview by Conrad Hall, ASC (July 1999)
Hall: "Watching the film, I don't remember seeing a single shot with any sunshine at all. Was this a deliberate attempt to cast an atmospheric mood on the characters' lives or was that just typical Juneau weather?
Wexler: "It was a deliberate attempt by God to not let the sun shine during the filming!
Hall: "Ah, your gaffer!"
Wexler: "The gaffer in the sky."
Hall: "Gaffer with a capital G!"
Wexler: "Actually, a number of times I was praying for some sunlight, because we did have some day-for-night shots that I would have liked to have built some contrast into. It rained on us every single day, and even during the party sequence you may see some streaks behind Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as she's singing."
- Haskell Wexler, ASC & Conrad Hall, ASC
Hall: "Watching the film, I don't remember seeing a single shot with any sunshine at all. Was this a deliberate attempt to cast an atmospheric mood on the characters' lives or was that just typical Juneau weather?
Wexler: "It was a deliberate attempt by God to not let the sun shine during the filming!
Hall: "Ah, your gaffer!"
Wexler: "The gaffer in the sky."
Hall: "Gaffer with a capital G!"
Wexler: "Actually, a number of times I was praying for some sunlight, because we did have some day-for-night shots that I would have liked to have built some contrast into. It rained on us every single day, and even during the party sequence you may see some streaks behind Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as she's singing."
- Haskell Wexler, ASC & Conrad Hall, ASC
12.5.09
Wexler & Hall: Overcast Weather and Contrast
From American Cinematographer, Island of Lost Souls interview by Conrad Hall, ASC (July 1999)
Hall: "I actually didn't realize the effect that the overall look of Limbo had on me until I was walking out of the theater and thought about how nice it was to finally feel sunshine. The film had a kind of pervasively claustrophobic gloom that lent to the quality of the character's lives. There's something about the sun hitting your face that makes the you feel wonderful. As you said, though, that feeling wasn't something you waited for-- it was created by the 'gaffer in the sky.' Did you shoot when the sun was out too?"
Wexler: "As you know Conrad, in a way it can be easier to have overcast light for exteriors..."
Hall: "I'm not sure if I agree with that, actually. I think it's harder to get contrast in overcast conditions, and I'm always interested in contrast. The only contrast you do get on an overcast day is color contrast-- blue against green, for example. If I had a day like that, I'd throw a large black over the actors and put them in a darker silhouette against the brighter background in order to change the almost pervasive beauty of the situation, because the [natural scenery] is so colorful. In a way, the colors can be more saturated in that even, overcast light-- unless, of course, one overexposes the way you did."
- Haskel Wexler, ASC & Conrad Hall, ASC
Hall: "I actually didn't realize the effect that the overall look of Limbo had on me until I was walking out of the theater and thought about how nice it was to finally feel sunshine. The film had a kind of pervasively claustrophobic gloom that lent to the quality of the character's lives. There's something about the sun hitting your face that makes the you feel wonderful. As you said, though, that feeling wasn't something you waited for-- it was created by the 'gaffer in the sky.' Did you shoot when the sun was out too?"
Wexler: "As you know Conrad, in a way it can be easier to have overcast light for exteriors..."
Hall: "I'm not sure if I agree with that, actually. I think it's harder to get contrast in overcast conditions, and I'm always interested in contrast. The only contrast you do get on an overcast day is color contrast-- blue against green, for example. If I had a day like that, I'd throw a large black over the actors and put them in a darker silhouette against the brighter background in order to change the almost pervasive beauty of the situation, because the [natural scenery] is so colorful. In a way, the colors can be more saturated in that even, overcast light-- unless, of course, one overexposes the way you did."
- Haskel Wexler, ASC & Conrad Hall, ASC
10.5.09
Conrad Hall: Over Cast Weather on "A Civil Action"
Randy Woodside was Conrad Hall's gaffer on A Civil Action.
When we did have the good fortune to get some overcast weather, we'd often underexpose the faces and expose more toward the sky, which created some modeling on the faces. I love that technique, because it really provides a more downcast feel. The brow-line shadows the actors' eyes and there's a shadow under their chins. You get more definition in the faces that way. We also used some negative fill to take light away from one side to provide some shape. We were trying to provide a bit of contrast to every shot in a situation that didn't really lend itself to it. On wide shots, we obviously did what we could with the lens aperture, but when we got into coverage, we began shaping the faces by taking light away. When we did add light, we added it in very subtle, naturalistic way to help get rid of some of the toplight. If you don't do it subtly, things start to get out of balance with everything else in the background."
-Randy Woodside
When we did have the good fortune to get some overcast weather, we'd often underexpose the faces and expose more toward the sky, which created some modeling on the faces. I love that technique, because it really provides a more downcast feel. The brow-line shadows the actors' eyes and there's a shadow under their chins. You get more definition in the faces that way. We also used some negative fill to take light away from one side to provide some shape. We were trying to provide a bit of contrast to every shot in a situation that didn't really lend itself to it. On wide shots, we obviously did what we could with the lens aperture, but when we got into coverage, we began shaping the faces by taking light away. When we did add light, we added it in very subtle, naturalistic way to help get rid of some of the toplight. If you don't do it subtly, things start to get out of balance with everything else in the background."
-Randy Woodside
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