You might want to check out the VASST Light it Right DVD. On it, Vic Milt shows you how to build his “nano-lights” very inexpensively from parts from Home Depot and then he uses them in his green screen setup (two on each side) to evenly light the screen. The nanos are soft lights so they light very evenly. I agree with dmcknight, it is one thing to read all the literature on lighting and totally another to actually watch someone who knows what they’re doing, light a scene.

~jr

Here's the DIY kit.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hp_cameras_equipment/article/0,2033,DIY_13955_2649651,00.html

Turns out they have a pretty nifty website as well.

Corey

Who woulda thunk it. I have been doing this for a long time now - I love DIY stuff. I have also used the color lights at times. For example use a red light for the back fill and an amber light for the key to add that "warm" glow...also used an amber light to match incoming outside light at magic hour.

One thing I do not see listed is the stands - I see them in the frame grabs but I don't see them listed. Yeah it says Clamp the lights to chairs and point the lights straight up. but the frame grabs of the set up clearly show stands - not chairs - being used. The shop lights are great when you have wood chairs with thin backs but they are also a pain when it comes to where to put them (Clamp them) when you actually get set up and find yourself with no place to "clamp" them. I happen to have 2 real light stands I use - little bogen deals. I have also used the tripod, right under the camera, for a little fill. Usually a 60 watt bulb for that. But for stands - I will toss out this thought - when Home Depot or Sears has the work lights on sale, the ones with the stands - go pick some up. You are dealing with more power - mine our twin 500 watts ones - but when you start tossing on gels it will cut down some and you can get a nice hair light or background light going.

I wish I got the DIY channel...I would want it more than ZD-TV...er...Tech-TV...er...G3...or whatever it is now (the all gaming network?). By the way have I mentioned that Screen Savers - er...'attack of the show' blows?

PS - A look over at the "MAKING HOME MOVIES" episodes show they aren't all like the lighting one - I mean they do not seem to be all DIY projects. I don't see things like "DIY Steadycam" or "DIY DOF" or the like. The other stuff I have been looking at doesn't seem to be much "DIY" as it is "Extremly basic video tips" such as: "When you edit use software. There is a lot of it out there to choose from." Check out this DIY from an upcoming August show - Creating a Master Tape.
Here is Editing Music from the September 25, 2005 show.

Don't get me wrong - I think this is a great concept. I got excited reading the post and going to the website. But I know from being around these forums for a long time that if someone came here and asked about how to find music for their production and all we said was Find a search engine and type in the phrase "music downloads." Literally thousands of sites will pop up on the screen I am not sure if that would really be all that much help. Plus it would get really boring really fast around here.

filmy - you're observations are right on the money. The series is definitely for the amateur / hobbyist. In the first episode I saw, they said to use a tripod and had matched up a consumer cam with a (logo prominently displayed) Bogen 501 head & tripod. Good advice of course but all simple basic stuff. Designed for the soccer parents to end up with more interesting home movies.

I set the DVR to record the whole series just for kicks and came across this lighting segment. While interesting, I had the exact same response about the stands. They show up in some of the episode but they never tell you what they are or how to get them.

The Vic Milt DVD seems the next logical step in guerilla lighting for the masses! :)

David

Looks like a bunch of color matching and correcting to me with all those incandecence. I like my system better AND it's cheaper. At COSTCO they carry the "electric utility subsidised" pure 5300 deg 500w flourecence floods for 8 bucks. Not dimable with a rheostat but can be shaded with muslin cloth as they are COLD. I mount mine on cheap Target tripods.