View Full Version : HMI and Tungsten Lighting Differences
Cedric_Akins
06-19-2008, 08:36 AM
I understand the basic differences between tungsten lights and HMI lighting, but my question is moreso about using HMI lighting outdoors as fill lights. I have benn asked to do lighting for a music video. They requested that I do the lighting because of the work that I did for them in the past. I have never worked with any sized HMI lighting before so if there are any technical things I should look for please could someone drop me a line? :thumbsup:
Erik Bien
06-19-2008, 10:25 AM
If you're talking about using HMIs as fill in broad daylight, how big is your G&E budget? Even a 6K will barely make a dent against the "big 5600K in the sky," and you'll need a genny to run it!
It shouldn't matter for a music video, but HMI ballasts tend to be a bit noisy: for a sound shoot the buzz/whine/hum can make recordists cranky.
Yannick Hagman
06-19-2008, 11:41 AM
Flag the actor's from direct sunlight with a big sail, the sun will destroy your shot if it's not magic hour.
Colin Sheldon
06-20-2008, 10:52 PM
For lower budget stuff you might be better off looking at a 12x12 (or 20x20 if you have the people) bounce or perhaps mirror boards.
Cedric_Akins
06-21-2008, 08:35 AM
For lower budget stuff you might be better off looking at a 12x12 (or 20x20 if you have the people) bounce or perhaps mirror boards.
I actually thought about this, but the producer is complaining about the budget being streched as it is. I believe that he is being cheep on purpose. They won't rent the lights I suggested, they won't hire another grip to help setup. It will be just the director, the DP, and me for lighting.
Colin Sheldon
06-21-2008, 09:31 AM
I actually thought about this, but the producer is complaining about the budget being streched as it is. I believe that he is being cheep on purpose. They won't rent the lights I suggested, they won't hire another grip to help setup. It will be just the director, the DP, and me for lighting.you could definitely get away with some 4x4 bounce boards then, they're dirt cheap to rent and all you need is a lip clamp and a stand. They're quick and easy to setup and no real babysitting is required.
You even might be able to get away with a 6x6 as well, depending on what your weather is like. Here in Alberta it gets pretty windy, which makes flying goods much more complicated.
If you're doing closeups on band members you can use a 4x4 or 6x6 silk to take some of the heat out of the sun, especially if they're female.
Do you have an independent film society around you? Here getting a outdoor lighting package like that would cost less than a hundred bucks for the weekend.
anyways, hope that helps.
Colin
Peter Majtan
06-21-2008, 10:12 AM
If you're talking about using HMIs as fill in broad daylight, how big is your G&E budget? Even a 6K will barely make a dent against the "big 5600K in the sky," and you'll need a genny to run it!
It shouldn't matter for a music video, but HMI ballasts tend to be a bit noisy: for a sound shoot the buzz/whine/hum can make recordists cranky.
Erik - just to clarify - the 6K in light terms refers to 6KW - the power consumption of the light, while the 5600K for sun refers to the sun's color temperature in Kelvins. Using it like that in one sentence could be very tricky needless to say. No harm - just clarification...
Erik Bien
06-21-2008, 12:28 PM
LOL
You're absolutely correct, Peter; shame on me for writing such a confusing sentence (for someone who can only communicate in one language I did a pretty lousy job that time!). :ack2:
Peter Majtan
06-21-2008, 12:48 PM
No worries Erik, I always thought it was just a coincidence the way the sentence came out...
Tim Hole
06-24-2008, 03:00 PM
Foamcore boards used by building merchants are wonderful things, cost not much. it does make me giggle when people want to shoot a long dialogue scene outside they shoot in the night and hire every light in a 500mile radius to light it...just for consistency.
Doctor Who and torchwood are terrible for stealing everything over here. If you want anything. Guaranteed they've nicked it for the next three months.
Cedric_Akins
07-01-2008, 01:20 PM
Everything went great. Guys thanks for the advice. :)
Stefan Christou
07-01-2008, 01:35 PM
Everything went great. Guys thanks for the advice. :)
what did you use in the end? any chance of a link once it's edited?
Cedric_Akins
07-01-2008, 04:45 PM
We used a number of work lights (250w, 500w, and 1000w), an HMI (1K), and a couple of standard production lights (1K) as well. Also numerous gels, reflectors and flags, but all in all it was a great working set.
I will not be able to post a link do to the fact that it is not my project. I was just hired to do the lighting. Hopefully I will get a copy of it when it is finished.
Stefan Christou
10-09-2008, 04:53 PM
Even a 6K will barely make a dent against the "big 5600K in the sky," and you'll need a genny to run it!
I think the sun has it's own generator.
Can you believe this was the first thread in the lighting section? Good informative discussion too. Mirrors are great.
BTW in England at this time of year it is magic hour for most of the day. Last December the moon was at a 19 (or something) year high and it was higher in the sky than the sun for what seemed like all day for a month and directly above smack bang in the middle of the sky at night. very spooky and bright enough to read in