Lighting is crucial to a film and often overlooked by the audience. The type of lighting used can dramatically change the tone of a character or feel of a scene.
Basic lighting: 3 point lighting setup
The standard method of lighting in cinema is the three point lighting setup. This includes lighting from three different directions and is used to set the target apart from their background.
Generally, three point lighting is used from the front, back and side.
Key light: this is the light that is mainly used. It usually targets the subject from the angle of the camera, leading to a bright, clear light.
Fill lights: these lights are used to fill in shadows in the scene. This leads to further emphasis of a subject.
Back light: as shown by the name, back light shines from the rear and leads to a bright, clear outline.
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