Why every film needs lamps.

#videoessay #lighting #cinematography
In this video essay we explore the power of lamps in cinema and TV. Looking at examples from David Fincher, Stanley Kubrick, Rian Johnson, Roger Deakins, HBO's Euphoria and more. This essay will also help you explore practical lighting techniques to create cinematic scenes for your own KZbin videos, commercials, short films, and music videos.
Discuss this video with me on Twitter:
/ impatrickt
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[@impatrickt]

I love lamp

[@bradbennett1420]

How hard was it not to title this whole video that?

[@impatrickt]

@@bradbennett1420 I pinned this simply so nobody else would make this AWFUL joke

[@JesseSchroeder]

Patrick, are you just looking at things on KZbin saying that you love them?

[@SHKBKN]

Same !

[@Karan_Thakkar]

moth likes this

[@GregsGadgets]

Once you pointed this out to me I legitimately can’t enjoy movies anymore. I just count the lamps… knowledge is a curse - ignorance is bliss.

[@Smamaj]

😂

[@geraldundone]

You, Patrick, are the movie lamp of KZbin. 🤠

[@alinamedved]

I subconsciously do this irl too. I never turn on the overhead lights, only my LED’s and lamps.The atmosphere just hits different right? Awesome video btw

[@gabrielhborgesrolo]

Same here!

[@ploopy8780]

Exactly man. If I'm in my kitchen I have white under cabinet lights, or I have overhead yellow lights. The under cabinet lights just create such a different vibe.

[@JakeFrew]

Whoa, I never knew how bad I needed a lamp video to pop up on my feed. This was incredible!!!

[@JonJosephKuhn]

Of course you’re a film essay fan! It’s shows in your incredible work man.

[@AronBagel]

Do more film essays like this. Please.

[@RyanKao]

This video was seriously more interesting than I anticipated

[@MisterMister5893]

A thoroughly enjoyable and edifying video essay. You gave a new dimension into a subject that's seemingly mundane.

[@npmrc]

Nice job! I would love to see a deep dive into Kubrick’s approach that unlocks the freedom of camera movement.

[@flodobaggins]

The glow globes in Dune made me smile so much. They're SO COOL!!! ❤️

[@AlexOnStreets]

Reaaaaaallly loved this and super jealous of your ability to talk and show about this subject so successfully. I will use what you have showed me for my own personal gain and world dominance.

[@impatrickt]

I’m actually part of the lamp psy-op and you’ve now been “activated”.

[@elfsieben1450]

@@impatrickt underrated reply 👀🤪😱👁️🤯😫☠️🙈😎

[@AaronFilmsStuff]

Man this was great! I'm a huge proponent of using lamps or other practical's to add character to a scene but also give reason for light motivation. you hit the nail on the head with this one!!! Keep it up

[@WhySteve]

I literally put a lamp behind me in my last video just because of this. There's absolutely no reason for the lamp other than motivating my backlight and creating depth and contrast.

[@hammerbeam]

This video had been in my feed and I always ignored it because it just sounded like clickbait but now that I’ve seen it. It’s really all I can think about when watching movies. Lamps!

[@impatrickt]

LAMPS!

[@JamieMcEwanOfficial]

This was really, really good. Awesome job making this! Makes me want to watch ALL of these films, too.

[@JamieMcEwanOfficial]

Also, beware The Lamp People.

[@impatrickt]

theyre everywhere

[@monikaaggarwal9896]

Now I can't enjoy movies without looking for lamps 😭. But it is a well made in-depth video.👍🏻

[@corbyn]

Cue the "Lamp Montage" Love it!!

[@confused_reader]

This video has actually changed me, my life will never be the same

[@omarknowsphotos]

This was infinitely more entertaining than I ever thought possible.

[@outled]

Really enjoyed that, thank you. I was obsessed by the lamps in Twin Peaks The Return, I made screenshots of all of them, so I understand your obsession! :)

[@imrnp]

this was a great video patrick! been loving your content lately. you seem super inspired. keep it up!

[@jasminepowell2150]

This video is wonderfully made! Well done

[@Tubester001]

Awesome commentary! I’ve noticed the same thing about lamps in movies. They’re such relatable items, practical and inviting. Even two of my favorites use lamps well… Ghostbusters and Back To The Future.

[@alisinclair8529]

Movie Lamps would be a great podcast

[@BrendanEvan]

Man I need some more lamps

[@jeffwpatton]

Found your channel from your No Way Home video, and now I'm just binging all your essays. Such great content, man. Really looking forward to more from you.

[@impatrickt]

Thanks, Jeff!

[@digitaljb]

youve been inspring beyond belief with these out of the box videos lately

[@bose80085]

Loved this video, need more video essays like this

[@jeffreypappas2934]

Patrick, great video! Never thought of any of this and now I will pay attention to the lamps in movies and in life! Thank you again!

[@impatrickt]

thanks for watching!

[@liyu_cn]

the ending so great nice job bro

[@AlanHouser]

The BEST cinematic on-screen LAMP infatuation: Gary Oldman as Drexl Spivey on True Romance- that whole LAMP ON A CHAIN scene was epic.

[@crlclssic]

so cool man! love this. And your channel

[@BennettEller]

Amazing breakdown and serious eye opening take on what that little extra adds to the scene. 👍

[@alexleal2634]

I never notice the lamps. Great I think I will not unseen this. Great video bro!

[@lia_pryce]

Super cool stuff! I always enjoy your videos.

[@TheTreyVision]

Well this blew my mind.

[@ColorfieldMedia]

You "lamp-basted" those lamp scenes with expert like precision.

[@DavidPalmer_blinder]

so yeah here's my thing, i do notice the lamps, and especially in bar or restaurant scenes and i do get tied up thinking about how that would even work in the real world (which I definitely lol'd when you mentioned it in your video) and it just pulls me right out of the scene and then i just start dissecting the rest of the movie looking for reality-breaking stuff. am i movie buzzkill? yep. i won't even hide that fact. in fact, my friend and i will just watch a movie together and just point out all of the reality-breaking stuff... movie watching for us more of an unfunny MST3k kind of experience. oh well, lol! but i loved this video!

[@impatrickt]

the lamps on tables has ALWAYS driven me crazy even before I started noticing all the other lamps that make no sense. thanks for watching!

[@matthewTobrien]

I have filled my house and my studio with lamps - all on dimmer switches with halogen bulbs (nice & warm when dimmed & they don't hum like incandescents do) for this exact reason. Plus, when Steven Spielberg comes to his senses and decides to hang out with me to talk about Jurassic Park and John Williams's march theme from 1941, he'll be impressed...by all the lamps. 🤞🏻🛋 Great vid, Patrick. Totally need to get a random orb lamp now.

[@connor-betts]

This was really good!!

[@SaulFearnley]

This is an amazing video. 💡

[@firstmile]

This is an amazing video. Great job. So brilliant.

[@impatrickt]

Thanks!

[@CineDailies]

Solid light study 🤌🏽

[@IandeNoronha]

What an incredible observation! Great video as always, PT. I love lamp too

[@rubiotv]

Peak lamp explanation.

[@ChuckSeayII]

Great video and much appreciated. Thank you

[@brentpeddy4223]

Love this essay!!! I'm an ambient light enthusiast for everyday living. These damn fluorescents have ruined our day to day reality. BTW an awesome movie to add to this list is The Invitation. That film is phenomenal!

[@brunopapic6295]

this is good, keep em coming.

[@AlpacoFilms]

Well fricking done man! Brava!

[@joshuaconti989]

Glad you brought up Kubrick- he loved lamp. =)

[@NickRivers231]

Hitch liked a good lamp as well. I was particularly obsessed with one in Suzanne Pleshette's house in The Birds.

[@francescasaraco1417]

live, love, lamp

[@connorthompson05]

Thanks for pointing that out. I’ll be setting lamps forever differently.

[@GajanBalan]

Video was worth it to learn what diagetic lighting meant.

[@ameerahm4589]

Now I will focus on lighting in films

[@manueldemirjian1575]

Your channel is going to explode soon. Such great content, keep going!

[@impatrickt]

thanks, Manuel!

[@geneyoon11]

Dude this is an incredible and informative video

[@impatrickt]

Thanks Gene!

[@benjaminlacey]

LAMP! I was rewatching Ocean's Eleven the other day, they had LAMPS by the POOL outside.... beautiful strangeness, loved this vid:)

[@DaisysWorld192]

Spot on!

[@colinthomas2525]

Amazing video as always. Lots of the clips you showed are some of my favourite movies. I too think EWS is Kubrick’s best. Happy to see a clip from Station Eleven as it’s my new obsession. Just got some canon fd’s. 24mm, 50mm and 70-210 and looking to get the Laowa 9mm for establishing shots. Now if only I could choose a camera lol. Bmpcc4k, gh6, Sony a7iv/siii, new Olympus ‘wow’ camera, Lumix s5. I can’t pull the trigger. Thanks for brightening our day with one of your videos.

[@RealJamesArcher]

Thanks a lot. Now I can never unsee this. 😬

[@eksmaan]

“Patrick, are you just looking at things in movies and saying that you love them?” Great breakdown man!

[@YannickReid]

Great video essay

[@davinjacobs]

this was so good

[@xPRxMEx]

This was an awesome video 🚀

[@timotheusmiller]

I hate ceiling lights and love lamps. Great video!!! Now I won't be able to unsee the "cinematic" lamp placements

[@cinemabandits]

Wow this was really well done. Thanks for this

[@impatrickt]

thanks for watching!

[@Janio.]

Lamps are honestly op.

[@Doublepulse]

It’s one of those items that blends in with the world in all the impractical places sometimes 😂 - they serve as good props as well.

[@SnakeCakeExotics]

lol nice never really noticed that!

[@LeeZavitz]

Practicals ftw

[@JasonLorette]

Gotta love a good lamp...or six. Very cool vid Patrick, very illuminating (I'll see myself out...).

[@XhonDang]

Great deep dive into this highly overlooked topic

[@impatrickt]

I just wanted to shed a light on it

[@XhonDang]

@@impatrickt I speak for the people where I say we all feel illuminated

[@ScottJeschke]

I now understand. Haha. Totally agree! I'm obsessed w lamps

[@amimofilms]

nice one, from now on i will definatelly be noticing lamps in every future movie i am going to casually watch. Thanks :D

[@TeeJaySmall]

Came from Reddit, awesome video! Will be subscribing for more

[@l.s.11]

PEAK LAMP That animation of "pt." at 6:58 is mint. 👌 Lovely video. I have 5 lamps in my room, but now I want more.

[@mattsyl]

It's decided, I'll never again walk on a set lamp-less. Great video man!

[@nebulanationmedia]

Crazy outro man!!!

[@jaevisuals]

Dude... I recently just noticed the same thing and now I see them all the time.

[@yodo7661]

Great content

[@nathanvenzara]

You had me at lamps.

[@dzheyd9609]

Awesome! I think you should make this kind of videos instead of the gear review! This channel is so underrated

[@DeanReynoldsMusic]

Great observation dude!

[@impatrickt]

Thanks!

[@benjamincorteslyon6777]

The goal is knowing to hide those lamps. Love this video. At the beginning 1:27, in Tom Cruise scene, some change on exposure happened.

[@impatrickt]

I lit up the lights all over this video so you could see them

[@TwoSugarsandMilk201]

This was great!! I loved it! LAMPS!!

[@amw1155]

Love this

[@JoshuaTimothy]

That ending conspiracy scene 🤣. Anyways, great video. I loved the format and information. That looks like it was a fun project to work on.

[@bupek]

This video was incredible, glad I found n subbed to ur channel brodie🙏🏾🔥

[@impatrickt]

Thanks for the sub!

[@bupek]

@@impatrickt 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@rosyaugust7095]

Great 👍 . Lamp make the character pop

[@sabrinaperry6121]

I’ve slowly descended into madness now all I see is lamps. 🤪 this is one video essay I didn’t know I needed. It’s like watching The Sixth Sense for the first time.

[@impatrickt]

they’re everywhere. I should have warned you before the video started.

[@recessinthering8425]

Succession has some great lamp action

[@PortableTrevor]

Dude can you please do a turorial on your animated logo? I love it so much.

[@slamdoodle]

great video

[@ianthebrightman]

Color contrast is more important than most people will every fully understand

[@clarkeemalarkee]

Great video! I’d add one thing which you did kind of touch on, but I think lamps add DEPTH to a lot of shots that otherwise wouldn’t have it. By lighting something in the foreground or background with a practical lamp, it can really make the shot feel 3D. I’ve explained lamps in movies to so many of my friends, now I can just send them this video. Haha. 💯💯

[@clarkeemalarkee]

Also…I definitely have a lamp behind my KZbin vlog set up. Lmao.

[@impatrickt]

I did a whole section on that!

[@fabiomorich]

Super cool 🛋

[@mckkryz]

havent enjoyed a video that much for a long time!

[@abrampainter3764]

i love how you end the video essay with that scene from minority report. The video might might be over, but the lamps remain.

[@impatrickt]

that one tied it all together

[@TySPAID]

Speaking of Movie Lamps: One of the horror shorts I made had a lamp on the toilet. Didn't make any sense... but boy did it look cool.