how to light for office interviews

1. dreambigmg
   Member

   

    Next week our small company has a shoot that will be based inside an office building. There are flourescent lights throughout and windows in every office. We are trying to light accordingly but I don't know how to approach it so our video looks consistant in every interview. I have 3 300-500 watt tungsten lights. Should I use all three? avoid windows? any tips would be very helpful.

   Posted 4 weeks ago # Login to Send PM

2. robgrauert
   Member

   

   Turn off the fluorescent lights. White balance for the light coming in from the windows. While white balanced for daylight you can use your tungsten lights, but you'll have to put a blue gel on them so they match the day light. I think it's a specific blue though...not sure what it is. I'm sure if you call B&H and say that's what you want, they will know what to give you.

   Robert J. Grauert, Jr
   http://www.robgrauert.com

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3. grinner
   Member

   

    It greatly depends on what camera you are shooting with.

   If using a CCD modern day camera, you probaly don't need lights at all. Their office lights will indeed be the most natural. Just don't have the window behind em. I like to use natural light. In stepping back and wondering how to make it look the most natural... man, that's how. They'll all have windows, all have overheads you white balance to and I'd venture to say there is a small lamp on the desk. I'd sooner incorporate that than tote the light kit in the building at all. I never bag myself by not bringing it in the car but I veeery seldom slow myself down by getting it out of the car.

   I can tell you, pop a breaker in any office building and you won't be popular. Unless you are shooting beta, you can avoid it completely.

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4. robgrauert
   Member

   

   CTB gels are what you want. Stands for "Color Temperature Blue." 

   You can do the same effect I described above, but match the daylight to your tungsten lights. For that you'd want CTO gels. 

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5. dreambigmg
   Member

   

   Ok so use the CTB's if I turn off the flourescent lights and then white balance with window and tungsten lights (with CTB) to get best even look?

   I am just worried because some of these offices are cramped and their meeting room has noo windows. so do I still turn on my lights with CTB's attached? or white balance according to the flourescent?

   I am shooting with a Canon Xha1 (CCD) and thank you for your help, lighting is one of the things I have not mastered.

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6. robgrauert
   Member

   

   ooh...in your initial post you said there are fluorescent lights and windows throughout.

   If there are no windows, there is no need to put gels on the lights. The gels are used to match the color temperature of the lights to the color temperature of daylight. If there are no windows, then there is no need to match the lights to day light...

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7. dreambigmg
   Member

   

    ok thanks. Yeah some of the shoot will be in offices that have overhead fluorescent lighting as well as window or two. Then some interview may take place in their meeting room which has no windows. I just want to be able to keep eveything looking the same.

   any other tip?

   thank you for everything already, helps alot.

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