Shooting on white...

fixler wrote on 8/31/2004, 6:09 AM

Hey Guys, I wanted some advice/help.

I'm shooting some interviews for a video I'm doing and I wanted to shoot them on a white background. Any suggestion-the best way to do this...

Is it easier to shoot on black?

I understand this is a huge area for discussion but I basicly want to know the most economical way to do this, remembering it isn't a featuer film, just a little job...

Thanks. fixler

Comments

SonyEPM wrote on 8/31/2004, 7:51 AM

Find a large white smooth sheetrock wall, or a use long/wide roll of paper suspended from the cieling. In either case keep the talent as far off of the background as you can, light the background separately from the subject. Keep the background lighting even and fairly hot (but not too hot- you're camera might blow out on the edges of the foreground/talent). Use your camera zebra and an use manual exposure to dial in the right look.

fixler wrote on 8/31/2004, 5:55 PM

Could I use a projection screen?

FuTz wrote on 8/31/2004, 6:53 PM

Probably but keep in mind that if you want a full, equal background it'll be easier to achieve it with a flat finish. Reflexions caused by any glossy surface (for example) will be difficult to control. Light your background from the sides to avoid it. (think about a pool table: the ball goes to the band=light source / the ball after hiting the band=reflexion)