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Introduction
to Broadcasting MCM
411
VU
LESSON
30
LIGHTS IN
VISUAL BROADCASTING
As we
move from audio/ verbal
communication, or broadcasting to non
verbal or visual
broadcasting,
the first thing that we
encounter is the presence of
light which enables a
viewer
to
see the objects which
are part of the whole
visual communication.
All
visual broadcasting is also
termed as a synonym to photography
for it is a camera which
is
the
major tool to bring you
this broadcast. And photography is
defined as a process of
taking
images
on a sensitized surface with
the help of light.
In
this lesson we shall see a
broad application of lighting
arrangement at a studio which
helps
in
taking images and the
general view on availability of
light in the outdoor
broadcasts.
The
lights explain about the
perspective, mode and
textures etc.
The
Nature of Light
Light
is a form of energy. It is this
property of light which
enables it to be converted from
its
natural
form into other forms of
energies and the electrical
impulse. Likewise electrical
energy
could
also be converted into light
as we experience this more
often in our daily
life.
A
ray of sunlight, which seems
white, is actually a composition of
all shades of light
blended
into
one shade. The scientists
have been able to split up
the sunlight into hundreds
and
thousands
of sub colors, called
primary, secondary and
tertiary colors. Broadly
red, green and
blue
(RGB) are the colors
which mixed to form all
other colors.
Unlike
the sound waves, light
waves travel straight. This
property immensely helps in
forming
shadows,
or to students of broadcasting, making
visual communication
possible.
Light
Temperature
In
another way we can also
read shades of light by its
temperature. In this case
temperature is
used
not a measurement of heat
but a degree of lights on
the spectrum where we
distinguish
one
shade from another. The
orange tinge of light is
read at 3200 Kelvin and
the blue at 5600
Kelvin,
The orange light is supposed
to be the best in reading
the color of human skin. It
is
common
practice to shoot outdoor
when sun is ascending or
descending simply because
at
these
times of the day,
orange-tinge of light is amply
available to get true colors
of the objects.
These
days different lights have
made it possible to take a
true image of an object
under
different
lighting arrangements.
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Introduction
to Broadcasting MCM
411
VU
Lights
at Studio
Basically
you need three lights to
make a bare minimum
broadcast possible from a
studio.
Key
light
-
main source of
light
Fill
light
-
beats the shadows
Back
light
-
separates objects from walls
behind
The
three lights arrangement is
only done to make student of
TV broadcast a minimum
lighting
set up. Practically
speaking, there are always
more than three lights. And
in programs
where
more than one person is
appearing, which is a case on
most occasions these days,
you
always
need more lights.
There
may be more lights
Background
light
-
to lit the background
Bounce
light
-
to give even light
Reflect
light
-
usually in outdoor used as
fill light
Hard
light
-
for harsh impressions
Soft
light
-
to express peace, normal
life
Natural
light
-
sunlight / outdoor
Artificial
light-
-
man-made lights
Flood
light
-
to soften the impressions,
control shadows
Measuring
Light
Measuring
light is very essential
because measuring it by human
eye and the camera
are two
different
parameters. The amount of
light at a particular part of
the set is measured in ftcs
foot-candles.
One ftc is defined as the
amount of light falling at a
distance of one foot from
a
standard
candle.
The
light intensity and the
lit area are controlled
through the barn doors
fixed on the body of
the
lighting instruments. These
doors cut the light
from falling on areas where
light is not
desired
not only that it is causing
shadows but also that
amount of light should not
exceed
certain
limits at a given point on
the sets.
Light
and Distance
No
complex physics is intended
here, the formula between
the amount of light and
the
distance
between the light source
and the object is pretty
simple. The occurrence of
light is
reduced
by the square of the
distance changed. For
instance distance is doubled,
the amount
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Introduction
to Broadcasting MCM
411
VU
of
light would reduce four
times. Distance is increased by
four times the amount of
light would
fall
by sixteen times.
Cookies
and Gel
Sometimes
we need to change the shade
of light. The easiest way is
the use of filters,
also
called
gel. It is in the form of
paper- called as gel paper,
and put in front of the
source light and
the
whole set, or the part
there off, is put under a
different shade of light.
These days plastic
filters
of better quality are
available to get the same
results.
Cookies
(cucalorus) are the holes or
cuts made in a pattern on a
sheet of card, metal or
wood
and
placed in front of a light to
create a particular scene
behind an object/ person
like illusion
of
window, tree-shades
etc.
Grids
and floor stands to mount
lights
In
a studio the lights are
usually mounted on a grid
fixed with the ceiling
and are easy to
shift
and
angle them to get the
desired results. But at
times lights are also
mounted on floor
stands
to
take lights where grid
lights are not reaching.
Floor lights are usually
avoided for the
wires
should
not wrap in the feet of
the working crew. A change
in lighting arrangement even
by
accident
would make the director
furious for it may take
long time to readjust the
lights. But
lights
have to be in order before
the start of shooting and
all the production team,
and the
anchorperson
as well, should be very well
aware of the positioning of
lights and as such
he/she
should not move in areas of
the set where there is a
lighting problem. Only then
a
quality
production is ensured. Some
time camera finds shadows on
the neck of the talent.
If
the
shadow is hard it must be
countered by placing a light of
less intensity at a low
angle.
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