Lighting in films (Research)

Hello, reader. Welcome to my blog. In this post, I'll be investigating lighting in film, specifically three-point lighting. This post will serve as a foundation for my subsequent posts on lighting research. Let's begin.

First,

What is Three-point lighting?

Three-point lighting is a foundational, standard technique in video, film, and photography that uses three distinct light sources Key Light, Fill Light, and Backlight.

What is the purpose of three-point lighting?

Three-point lighting focuses on creating a three-dimensional appearance. This makes the scene look more professional, realistic, and stylized. It also creates depth.

How does it work? 

By placing three light sources at strategic points around the subject, each one illuminates a different dimension of it and creates an image with greater representation of height, width, and depth. This refers to the relationship each light has with the others. The main light should be twice as bright as the fill light. In other words, by having the light come from three different points, a more stylized appearance is created.

Film lighting relies on the intensity and angles of the light source:

Light source: refers to the physical origin
Angle of light: refers to the path of approach
Light intensity: refers to the amount/brightness

Adjusting the intensity:

Diffusing the light will decrease the intensity.
Dimming the light will decrease the intensity.
Moving a light further away will decrease the intensity.

Examples:

How it works:

How to apply it:

Takeaway:

Three-point lighting allows me to control depth and focus at the beginning of my film. It will be particularly useful in the second scene to create a calm atmosphere (equilibrium) that contrasts with the disequilibrium of the first scene. By adjusting the intensity and angles of the light, I can direct attention to the character's reaction, which simultaneously creates a sense of tension in the audience.

That's all for now, reader. Thank you for reading this collection of thoughts.

-Dragorite