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LIGHTS IN VISUAL BROADCASTING:Light Temperature, Light and Distance

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Introduction to Broadcasting ­ MCM 411
VU
LESSON 30
LIGHTS IN VISUAL BROADCASTING
As we move from audio/ verbal communication, or broadcasting to non verbal or visual
broadcasting, the first thing that we encounter is the presence of light which enables a viewer
to see the objects which are part of the whole visual communication.
All visual broadcasting is also termed as a synonym to photography for it is a camera which is
the major tool to bring you this broadcast. And photography is defined as a process of taking
images on a sensitized surface with the help of light.
In this lesson we shall see a broad application of lighting arrangement at a studio which helps
in taking images and the general view on availability of light in the outdoor broadcasts.
The lights explain about the perspective, mode and textures etc.
The Nature of Light
Light is a form of energy. It is this property of light which enables it to be converted from its
natural form into other forms of energies and the electrical impulse. Likewise electrical energy
could also be converted into light as we experience this more often in our daily life.
A ray of sunlight, which seems white, is actually a composition of all shades of light blended
into one shade. The scientists have been able to split up the sunlight into hundreds and
thousands of sub colors, called primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Broadly red, green and
blue (RGB) are the colors which mixed to form all other colors.
Unlike the sound waves, light waves travel straight. This property immensely helps in forming
shadows, or to students of broadcasting, making visual communication possible.
Light Temperature
In another way we can also read shades of light by its temperature. In this case temperature is
used not a measurement of heat but a degree of lights on the spectrum where we distinguish
one shade from another. The orange tinge of light is read at 3200 Kelvin and the blue at 5600
Kelvin, The orange light is supposed to be the best in reading the color of human skin. It is
common practice to shoot outdoor when sun is ascending or descending simply because at
these times of the day, orange-tinge of light is amply available to get true colors of the objects.
These days different lights have made it possible to take a true image of an object under
different lighting arrangements.
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Introduction to Broadcasting ­ MCM 411
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Lights at Studio
Basically you need three lights to make a bare minimum broadcast possible from a studio.
Key light
- main source of light
Fill light
- beats the shadows
Back light
- separates objects from walls behind
The three lights arrangement is only done to make student of TV broadcast a minimum
lighting set up. Practically speaking, there are always more than three lights. And in programs
where more than one person is appearing, which is a case on most occasions these days, you
always need more lights.
There may be more lights
Background light
- to lit the background
Bounce light
- to give even light
Reflect light
- usually in outdoor used as fill light
Hard light
- for harsh impressions
Soft light
- to express peace, normal life
Natural light
- sunlight / outdoor
Artificial light-
- man-made lights
Flood light
- to soften the impressions, control shadows
Measuring Light
Measuring light is very essential because measuring it by human eye and the camera are two
different parameters. The amount of light at a particular part of the set is measured in ftcs ­
foot-candles. One ftc is defined as the amount of light falling at a distance of one foot from a
standard candle.
The light intensity and the lit area are controlled through the barn doors fixed on the body of
the lighting instruments. These doors cut the light from falling on areas where light is not
desired not only that it is causing shadows but also that amount of light should not exceed
certain limits at a given point on the sets.
Light and Distance
No complex physics is intended here, the formula between the amount of light and the
distance between the light source and the object is pretty simple. The occurrence of light is
reduced by the square of the distance changed. For instance distance is doubled, the amount
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Introduction to Broadcasting ­ MCM 411
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of light would reduce four times. Distance is increased by four times the amount of light would
fall by sixteen times.
Cookies and Gel
Sometimes we need to change the shade of light. The easiest way is the use of filters, also
called gel. It is in the form of paper- called as gel paper, and put in front of the source light and
the whole set, or the part there off, is put under a different shade of light. These days plastic
filters of better quality are available to get the same results.
Cookies (cucalorus) are the holes or cuts made in a pattern on a sheet of card, metal or wood
and placed in front of a light to create a particular scene behind an object/ person like illusion
of window, tree-shades etc.
Grids and floor stands to mount lights
In a studio the lights are usually mounted on a grid fixed with the ceiling and are easy to shift
and angle them to get the desired results. But at times lights are also mounted on floor stands
to take lights where grid lights are not reaching. Floor lights are usually avoided for the wires
should not wrap in the feet of the working crew. A change in lighting arrangement even by
accident would make the director furious for it may take long time to readjust the lights. But
lights have to be in order before the start of shooting and all the production team, and the
anchorperson as well, should be very well aware of the positioning of lights and as such
he/she should not move in areas of the set where there is a lighting problem. Only then a
quality production is ensured. Some time camera finds shadows on the neck of the talent. If
the shadow is hard it must be countered by placing a light of less intensity at a low angle.
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Table of Contents:
  1. BROADCASTING:Historical Facts about Radio, Wireless and Radio
  2. CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMS:NEWS, Language, Sensationalizing
  3. CURRENT AFFAIRS:Talk Shows, Discussions, Seminars, Live Shows
  4. OUTDOOR BROADCASTING I:VIP Movement, Suddenly Assigned Events
  5. OUTDOOR BROADCASTING II:Pakistan Day March Past, General Elections
  6. CURTAIN RAISER:Political, Financial, Sports, Academics
  7. RADIO FEATURE:Personality Features, Features on Events
  8. MUSICAL PROGRAMS:Classical Music, Light and Film Music, Folk Music
  9. RADIO DOCUMENTARY:Narrative, Dramatized, Imagination, Close to places
  10. DISC JOCKEY:Women in Focus, Daily/ Weekly Division, Making Titles
  11. VOICE IN BROADCASTING:Speech, Accent, Loudness, Stress
  12. NOISE:Physical, Medium itself, Problem at sender’s end, Semantics
  13. STUDIO:Drama Studio, Studios for Talk Shows/ Discussions, Music Studios,
  14. RADIO DRAMA I:Stage Dramas, Early Radio Dramas, Ethics, Classification
  15. RADIO DRAMA II:Selection of director, The Playwrights, Script, Voices
  16. ADVERTISEMENT – INCOME GENERATION:Similarities, More Analysis
  17. ADVERTISERS’ APPROACH:Dramatized, Dialogue based, News
  18. FM – A NEW GENERATION IN BROADCASTING:Low Cost, The Difference
  19. MICROPHONE TO TRANSMITTER:Amplifiers, Modulator, Transmitter
  20. WRITING SCRIPT FOR RADIO BROADCAST:NEWS Script, Interviews
  21. INTERACTIVE BROADCASTING:On-line, E-mails, Interview, Views in News
  22. REVISION:CURRENT AFFAIRS, RADIO FEATURE, MUSICAL PROGRAMS
  23. HISTORY OF TELEVISION:Early History, The Black & White Images, Color Television
  24. PAKISTAN TELEVISION (PTV):The Excitement, Timing, Live Broadcast
  25. BROADCASTING LAWS:Laws in the 19th century, Press Council of Pakistan
  26. REPLICAS OF RADIO BROADCAST:The Staff, News Reading, Programming
  27. NEW SCRIPT WRITING AND DIRECTION TECHNIQUES:TV Script
  28. SETS:Permanent Sets, Hot & Cover Sets, Special Sets, Economical
  29. CAMERA SHOTS – THE VISUAL LANGUAGE:Angle Shots, Movement shots
  30. LIGHTS IN VISUAL BROADCASTING:Light Temperature, Light and Distance
  31. INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR:NEWS and Interviews, Dramas and Music
  32. BROADCASTING AND MEDIA IMPERIALISM:The truth in the debate
  33. ENVIRONMENT OF TV BROADCAST:Optical Illusions, POV, Depth of Field
  34. BUDGET:First Part, Second Part, Third Part, The Sponsors
  35. COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF DIFFERENT RADIO AND TV FORMATS:TV NEWS
  36. CURRENT AFFAIRS – FROM RADIO TO TV:Seminars, Interviews
  37. PRE-PRODUCTION:Brain Storming, Scripting a new program, Approval
  38. PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION:Booking Shifts, Rehearsals
  39. TV ADVERTISEMENTS – MONEY WITH ENTERTAINMENT:Early Phase, Getting Spots
  40. ENIGMA OF MORE CHANNELS:The Investment, Fresh Ideas, Closure of channels
  41. ANCHORPERSON:Appearance and Confidence, Job Opportunities
  42. COMPARISON BETWEEN RADIO AND TV BROADCAST:The Difference, Script
  43. TERRESTRIAL TO SATELLITE TO CABLE TV:Cable Network, CD Channels
  44. CAREER IN BROADCASTING:Production, Direction, Lighting Director, Script Writer
  45. REVISION (LESSON 23 TO 44):Broadcasting Laws, PEMRA, Budget