Putting Lights IN THE SHOT? | Cinematography Hacks

In this episode of B2S, we channel our inner A24 as host/DP Valentina Vee and director Tue Duong walk us through “painting out lights,” a simple, indie budget friendly technique used by the directors of “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once.” Using this technique, Valentina’s options for light placement and movement are limited only by her imagination, as she doesn’t need to worry about the lights being caught in frame, and can supplement lighting where it would be otherwise impossible due to production restraints.
Editor Steven Clavijo touches on the importance of plates, what they are, and how they can open up a multiverse of possibilities for your post production needs, such as “painting out” your lights. Host/DP Valentin Vee stresses the importance of keeping the camera still, and opting to leave an ambient light in frame to ensure that there is visually correct data for the plates. Throughout the episode, Valentina displays various methods of how to light scenes with heavy shadows, or with windows present by using plates, masking, and other editing tricks to “paint out” your lights.
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - What is a plate?
1:15 - Set the camera
2:22 - Set the light
3:40 - Putting it together in After Effects
4:47 - Final Image 1
5:05 - How to fake light
5:56 - Lighting
6:39 - Plates
7:54 - Final Image 2
8:22 - Summary + Review
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🎥Connect with the A-Team!
Host/DP: Valentina Vee
IG: / valentina.vee
Twitter: / valentinavee
Producer: Moses Israel Guerrero
IG: / moses_israel
Director: Tue Duong
IG: / tuezzles
Episode Cinematographer: Jucel Andrin
IG: / jucelandrin_
Editor: Steven Clavijo
IG: / stevenclavijo_
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Summary:
Aputure's KZbin channel provides free high quality cinematography, lighting, and filmmaking educational content to help you take your film projects to the next level.

[@aputurelighting]

What other scenarios do you think this technique would be great for?

[@parkercreative_au]

Are you shooting on the Komodo?

[@flaviopresutti]

At 8:14 the guy with the house of cards loose his hand with the unmoving mask! haha What I win!?!?! An LS 1200D PRO it's good for me!!! 🤪

[@Evan-tp7ur]

Maybe it was part of the lore of the story lol

[@thatcherfreeman]

I did a short once where I removed a light and light stand from like twenty similar shots, ngl it gets boring pretty quick, but sometimes it's an elegant way to get the shot you want. I'd personally recommend choosing your camera angles so that you have to do this no more than like twice per scene

[@ShiaMajer]

I really love the editing! As a small youtuber myself there's so much I can learn from this channel!! So nice to see a woman does her thing in this industry!!!

[@kevin_wright]

Loved this one. Super helpful!

[@workgmail2375]

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt, that was fancy. Amazing video!

[@CemBiliciWriter]

I was literally thinking about this the other day for my web series that's quickly approaching shooting/ Thanks guys!

[@aputurelighting]

Good luck!!

[@Moriarty2007]

Valentina Vee is funny. I like how she acts.

[@umbramann1139]

Another great demo, I always enjoy Aputure content, keep it coming.

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Evan-tp7ur]

These videos are SO helpful! Keep it up gang

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you like them!

[@smepable]

You can move the Camera, actually it is often done on purpose because it does seem less fake that way. It is just a bit more complicated in Post production, but it is not hard to track a paint Element to a moving back Plate

[@franklinrashid8804]

To all my beginner filmmakers out there… don’t move the camera

[@lucinematic]

Thanks a lot for this! Very helpful. Maybe I will try to mask it off next time

[@TimSimpson]

Very cool vid - please do keep these coming!

[@aputurelighting]

Will do!

[@MudreFilms]

Love this! As a gaffer I am always asking if they can paint out the lights 🤣. Would be swell if you could share how to accomplish the Post side in Resolve/Fusion also!

[@parkercreative_au]

Very easy to do in colour tab in Davinci. basically the exact same steps

[@vmrl99]

8:14 iykyk lol

[@mrKWJones]

I love V

[@l0fitherobot]

Masterful episode guys!! Easy post work too!! I love it! How would you guys do this in a moving shot?

[@aputurelighting]

Ideally a robotic slider/arm that can perfectly repeat the shot for a plate and action!

[@backbenchers3547]

i like these mid cuts to ediiting table , keep rocking.

[@aputurelighting]

Thanks for letting us know!

[@art_by_adrian2913]

Absolutely brilliant 👏 👌

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@art_by_adrian2913]

@@aputurelighting absolutely I'm a photographer but I love these videos :D

[@sceneineugene7034]

Great vid! But where can I find the CT Straw gridcloth. I looked all over, including at Rosco, to no avail. Thanks for making this!

[@MudreFilms]

B&H has it available for order. It's a special order item most anywhere.

[@CuriousCookery]

Could you explain what Vee meant about "rack focus on the plate at same rate" @ 2:00? ...I think I understand what Tue said about focusing with high aperture because we don't want movement, right?

[@aputurelighting]

We don't really demonstrate it that much in the example that we show, but what we're essentially saying is that if you have a shot that requires a rack focus, you have to make sure that it happens EXACTLY like the final take that you're using. What helps with this is shooting with a narrow aperture so that your depth of field is high and it's harder to tell.

[@TyMapp]

I have an issue with my B7C. It won’t power on without being in an outlet. I’ve used it once in two years. I’ve changed it for two hours and still nothing. I’ve tried getting info for Aputure but nothing. I reached out to them on Twitter …. Nothing. Can someone help me????

[@aputurelighting]

Hey Ty! Try switching to DC mode: www.aputure.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Accent-B7c-Manual-20200925.pdf

[@jbconcepts4459]

Why (how) the solid white overlay?

[@aputurelighting]

What we did was we drew a white solid and used the Screen blending mode to replicate the light coming through the window. With a little bit of gaussian blur and feathering the edges, you can make it look pretty realistic!

[@jbconcepts4459]

@@aputurelighting Is "drew a white solid" the same as applying a solid while overlay over entire image... or is it drawn onto specific areas? I am a newbie

[@aarontandoh]

It is drawn to the specific areas where you’d need them like in the second example @@aputurelighting drew it around the windows I guess

[@user-ir4ct7hv3g]

8:14min the hand is gone

[@sadetwizelve]

That’s cheating,I don’t respect it,I’m not finishing this video. 30secs is enough.

[@AaronAbernethy]

Weirdo

[@milovarquiel]

That movie was utter shit.