Where to Light for Emotion (in the dark)

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

www.patreon.com/robelliscinematography - support me on Patreon for Discord access and early, extended, ad-free KZbin videos Color Grading - www.dehancer.com - get 10% off Dehancer using ROBELLIS at checkout offers.audiosocket.com/rob-ellis/ - click the link and use my code "ROBELLIS" for a free month of fantastic unlimited music when you sign up for Audiosocket! The eye light - or, catch light - is a very subtle tool that can work well in particular situations. Here, we look at a dark scene, lit from such an angle that we can't really see the eyes. This gives us the freedom to play around with eye light, and see how it changes the way we perceive a character. This is just one aspect of what can contribute toward a cinematic feeling - check out the other episodes in the Lighting for Cinema A - Z series to learn more about what makes cinema feel a certain way: kzbin.info/aero/PL_dDUxn1Y2e1SJ_Q2H96godCiNSCFvIqI&si=drpJ9zgsYfRRyFOJ

[@WasabiNoise]

Catchlights are often overlooked on KZbin tutorials and you demonstrated very well how it shifts our perception of the subject

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much!

[@GlebAlexandrov]

The power of subtlety indeed, thanks for highlighting that quite evasive detail and explaining it so well!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much Gleb! It's definitely a great way to further control the feeling of a scene when there's an option to do it! Appreciate the kind words! :)

[@sonpois]

You’re actually in a position to educate people..amazing tutorials that i watch regardless of whether i know the subject already. Great stuff mate

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

I appreciate it massively and I'm very thankful you're not just finding the videos useful, but also enjoyable to watch if you're already familiar with a subject - thank you so much!!

[@BanderaFilmsAndMusic]

You're the kind of teacher that even the students all the way in the back pay attention to. What you do and the way you do it is unmatchable. Thank you, brother

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Haha I'm not that commanding in real life! 🤣 I really appreciate it, thank you for your kind words - glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you so much! :)

[@FenzirL]

So useful! People like you really makes us beginners learn alot of new things in filmmaking! Big thank you 🙏

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

@@FenzirL appreciate it and I’m very happy to hear it - thank you!!

[@RavikantRai21490]

YEAH! New Rob Ellis video. Liking the frequency on arguably the best cinematography channel on this platform. Nobody does it like you. Really, really good videos that some charge hundreds or thousands of $$ for and still don't match this.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Really appreciate the kind words, thank you so much! Happy you're finding so much value in them! :)

[@TheSachmo6]

he is the best, easily outclassing all of the b-roll bros

[@TheSachmo6]

Fantastic video, sir! i’ve largely stopped watching other cinematography youtube channels because they fail to provide value for intermediate and advanced filmmakers, but you’re simply on another level. truly

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

I'm beyond happy to hear you think these videos are providing value at an intermediate/advanced level - the initial idea for this Lighting for Cinema series, was to make something that could be useful for both beginners and people with more experience. So if I'm achieving that goal on any level, I'm glad! Thank you so much!

[@TheSachmo6]

@@RobEllisCinematographer oh, you absolutely are! Beginners can appreciate the simple, yet detailed explanations and intermediate/advanced viewers benefit from the nuance of subtle lighting decisions and the emotional/psychological effects they convey as a storytelling device. Beyond legit!

[@KaanSenel]

It's these little kind of details that truly make the difference. Without videos like yours I never would've thought of this kind of things. So good man, love everything you do!

[@tristanlee482]

It always amazes me how you can bring out so many emotions and stories from the character with just the lighting. Although I have nothing to do with cinematography, I find your videos so inspiring. Great video, as always, and thanks for making these!

[@VisionRays]

Feels good when I see a notification of a new video from you Rob, mere joy, excellent demonstration as usual !

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Glad to hear it and happy you enjoyed this one - thank you! :)

[@JohnCarlCuaresma]

I like that you added music here, it aligns with the emotional delivery of each type of lighting

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Glad it was effective! :)

[@mradriiiian]

Good filmmakers use beautiful images Better filmmakers focus on the story But the best filmmakers focus on and master every single subtlety.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

It's all part of the bigger process - love it!

[@ImNotAFilmmaker]

Another great vid. I am always amazed at how well you "see" light.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much, hope you found it useful in some way! It's a lot of studying and testing and failing and retesting and studying and on and on. Having a strong interest in it definitely helps this process! But I'm not even totally sure I can "see" it that well myself haha - I never really notice lighting when watching films for example, I only notice it in my own stuff!

[@WhySteve]

I'm like, "will I add a catchlight or not?" You're here maneuvering your catchlight to change the vibe completely. Great video as always! I'm definitely going to be more mindful about my catchlight direction.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Haha, absolutely, in a dark scene like this the eye can be like a blank canvas! Glad you enjoyed this one and I always appreciate the kind words! :)

[@AllThingsFilm1]

Your timing is always impressive. I've been working on lighting schemes for a short I'm developing. And this lighting setup is exactly what I'm shooting for in certain scenes. Especially the attention to the catch light for the eyes. I've always wondered about how best to achieve it, and you cover it quite well. Thank you.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Always happy to hear this!! It's a great way to add that little extra bit of intention to the image when you have a darker scene with no eye light - like a blank canvas to work with on the eyes! Always appreciate it - thank you!

[@FramsterX]

Your clarity of information and visual presentation style make learning from you an absolute treat, it's like watching a film. Keep creating more brother!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much, massively appreciate that - since it's all about film lighting, feeling like you're watching a film is the best compliment. Thank you!!

[@johnstewart3391]

Your understanding of lighting, is AMAZING! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much John, I appreciate it! Glad my videos could be useful in some way! :)

[@cheesi4632]

this is by far the best filmmaking content on youtube, and ive never said that before to any other channel. such valuable information that i always try to bring into my next works. keep it up Rob!!!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Too kind and I'm honoured to be that person - I massively appreciate your kind words and I'm super happy you're finding my videos so helpful and utilising the info in your own work! Makes creating these worth it :) thank you so much!!

[@ovi-diy]

Wow! this is HUGE, not just a small trick! Never gave the catch lights too much attention before.. Awesome!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

It can definitely add a lot more intent to a darker scene like this, the best thing is that it's very simple to do! Glad you enjoyed this one - thank you so much!

[@Bo_Hazem]

This is extremely important knowledge! It really is goes from simple lighting to top tier and how you extract emotions from the scene. Amazingly done, as always, by the King of Light.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Always appreciate it Bo and I'm glad you enjoyed this one - thank you so much! Something like this is definitely a great way to play with emotion and feeling without it being overly obvious to the audience!

[@Bo_Hazem]

@@RobEllisCinematographer Exactly. I'm mostly into scientific documentary filmmaking, but want to improve my narrative and storytelling as it grabs more non-scientific oriented audience. Your channel is a gold mine, literally.

[@egorizor]

Love your channel so much! Today I learned new things about light setup 😊 (greeting from Vietnam❤🎉)

[@uncle-ff7jq]

Amazing content. It takes a devoted genius to enjoy exploring and sharing such articulations of an art form.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Definitely no genius, just have an interest (and since working on this channel, a vested interest!) in image-making and story telling and what goes into it! I appreciate your kind words massively - thank you so much!! :)

[@JordanRomaniOfficial]

Wow this is incredibly insightful! Im going to use this technique for a dark themed music video I'm shooting this weekend 😐

[@davidmultimedia2024]

I definitely want to experiment more with catchlight positions now.. incredibly enlightening topic.. thanks Rob! 🤗

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Happy to hear it, hope you have fun with it! It's a great thing to play around with, especially in these dark scenarios. Thank you so much!

[@thepropolys]

Very cool! Never thought as much about catchlights as you've shown here. I'll have to utilize this.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

It can definitely be useful for specific scenarios like this, where you have no catchlights, which gives you a blank canvas to work on! Glad you found this one useful! :)

[@orinorio1]

Your videos always teaches me something new.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Very happy to hear that - glad you found this one helpful! :)

[@arispapaspyros]

One more good and very interesting lesson about lighting. I enjoy your videos Ellis every time because makes me better! Your knowledge is amazing and thank you to share to us. 🎬🎥

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

So awesome to hear it - very happy my videos are helping you in some way! Thank you for your kind words :)

[@smepable]

Amazing explanation. Absolutely an important topic Not much talked about. Subbed immediately

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much for your support - glad you enjoyed/found this one helpful! :)

[@welchworks]

Bravo, Rob!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Hope you enjoyed this one! :)

[@MylezNevison]

Hear ye hear ye, make way for the king🤴 !

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

@@MylezNevison hope you enjoyed this one!!

[@MylezNevison]

@@RobEllisCinematographer as always sire!!

[@logandaviddial]

Best lighting channel on youtube by far dude. These videos are like crack for me. Side note, you're pretty good at looking scary no matter where the catchlight is lol. Jokes aside, keep it up, huge fan.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Haha, the frown is so commonplace in these videos now that any other expression might be scarier! 🤣 I appreciate it massively and I'm super happy you're enjoying the videos - thank you so much! :)

[@elisebeaudouin7246]

excellent video ! great job

[@alistercheng]

You're going deep bro.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Hope you found it helpful in some way! :)

[@The_Daliban]

oh yes, thank you soo much. you guys are the best!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Hope you found this one useful in some way! :)

[@The_Daliban]

@@RobEllisCinematographer absolutely! The way a catch light can change the feeling of a scene is mesmerizing. Always excited for your videos. Thanks for putting in the work🙏🏻

[@aaproductions3245]

thanks ma bro

[@GatesRick]

Great job as always.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thanks Rick, I appreciate it! :)

[@studio17films82]

Thank you ❤

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Hope you enjoyed it! ❤️

[@MattHeisig]

This is amazing, thank you.

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much! I hope it was useful in some way :)

[@kristiyangoytchev3005]

Sick video 😮❤❤❤

[@akulanyy]

wow thank you so mach for every thing

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you for watching! Hope you found it helpful! :)

[@akulanyy]

Absolutely 🙏

[@mauriciomaezakacominato5696]

nice work

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much!

[@MariusIhlar]

Amazing!

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you - glad you enjoyed it!

[@guywalsh3283]

Brilliant stuff Rob, your KZbin channel is very informative. I only saw the first two episodes of Ripley but some of the ‘eye light’ lighting was incredible. I’m a complete novice so sorry if I sound like an idiot but do you ever use multiple lights sources for the eyes? Like maybe using muslin cloth underneath and then a piercing dot higher up in the eye?

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much, glad you're enjoying my videos/finding them useful in some way! I haven't seen Ripley, I'll have to take a look. Not at all, that's a good question! Sometimes multiple light sources will appear in the eyes anyway, depending on how many lights you're using and the angle they are to the subject or character. I guess you could actually create multiple sources without affecting the exposure, like I did in this video with the one light, if you wanted to. That could be a really good way to create a particular feeling if it makes sense somehow with the scene or scenario - you've made want to try it to see how it looks!

[@guywalsh3283]

@@RobEllisCinematographer I think it’s in the second episode, there’s a lady singing to Andrew Scott’s character and it’s the best eye light I’ve ever seen. I think there’s a candle reflecting flickering at the bottom of the eye and then another light higher up the eye. I would have to rewatch it but I remember it sticking out as a wow moment to me, for an amazing looking eye light.

[@stuartswindellcampoy8483]

Yeah in my opinion eye lights look more natural when they're on the high side of the eye as naturally the light plays comes from above. But yeah depends if the light coming from underneath then yeah the eye light should come from underneath

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

More natural or realistic yes, as the main light is coming from above - but if we stick purely to realism all the time, we might not be able to convey exactly what we want to in an image - and this is just one subtle way we can break the rules and do that!

[@ragabfilms]

always useful man thank you , just wondering if you had to choose one camera beteeen sony fx3 or black magic 6k fullframe which one you will choose ?

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

@@ragabfilms glad to hear it, thank you!! Well I just got the Pyxis so personally the Blackmagic - but all cameras have their strengths and weaknesses, it depends on what you want to shoot/how you want to use the camera!

[@nordfilmcompany]

Brilliant work as always, thanks for sharing! Next video he only smiles? =]

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much! Haha I'm not sure about that - I did do a smile once, a few videos back. That's my smile allowance for the year 🤣

[@bslbsl5857]

These channel deserve million likes

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Haha hopefully we’ll make it there one day!

[@bslbsl5857]

@@RobEllisCinematographer to be honest i used your techniques in our low production set they impressed on my work, and all of this possible for u, thank u so much for teaching us all techniques in free of cost

[@williamshaun3970]

first comment, great video as always

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Appreciated, thank you so much!

[@asaadyt]

hey , nice video, can you tell me the export settings(davinc resolve) u use for these yt videos [: ?

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Thank you so much! I usually export a 4K ProRes 422 HQ file which I then convert to a h264 MP4 in Handbrake. Doesn't help KZbin's compression that much to be honest!

[@asaadyt]

@@RobEllisCinematographer youtube uses gamma 2.4 or 2.2 . I didn't take time to experiment that on my own, but i see that the blacks are raised :/

[@longviolinfilms]

Shout out to Sauron circa Rings of Power

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

I've never seen it!

[@eliaslimapro]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

@@eliaslimapro 🙏🙏🙏

[@gee9656]

Already watched it on patreon but it doesn't hurt to watch it again here. (am i sucking up? maybe 💅)

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

Haha well, a video like this isn't the "catchiest" for the algorithm - so every view and comment helps. Hope you found both watches useful! 😁 Appreciate you!

[@area51pictures]

So I know I'm gonna be the outlier here, and you definitely won't give a shit about this, and nor will anyone. Honestly, it's not even a huge deal to me lol but why is it that even no eyelight still looks way too lit? None of these do anything to me emotionally. It's valid technique what you're demonstrating but If your scene is at that overall illumination level, does a catch light really even need o be deployed? My eyes are going to his shoulders and his forehead creases, not his eyes -- in the examples. These cameras see everything. How can you use less to make a bigger impact on people?

[@RobEllisCinematographer]

No need to shoot down your thoughts before you've expressed them, especially since you're genuinely asking questions and want to understand something with more clarity - this sort of comment should always be welcome, as it's not just a rude dismissal like many comments can be on KZbin (and the internet in general)! It's really down to how much you want to put into your image, how important controlling smaller aspects of that image is and how these aspects can be potentially perceived, even if that's on a level not everyone is going to pick up on. It's also tough to demonstrate something subtle by drawing attention to it - you might be trying to find the things I'm talking about, and not necessarily finding them, as the video is all about looking at the image and considering these aspects knowingly. If it was a short scene from an actual sequence or film, you may not even notice the things you've noticed here, and the eye light might have done it's job to display that subtle emotion without you considering it consciously. Or, it might not affect you at all. We're all different and can respond to things in different ways, subtle or not! Appreciate your comment :)