Lighting

In order for our thriller movie to be filmed, we need to understand the different the types of lighting, and how to use them.

Main sources of lighting



The Key light is the brightest and most influential

The Back Light helps counteract the effect of the key light, making the character/object look 'rounded'

The filler light helps soften the shadows created by the key and back lights. More than one can be used.


The key light can be directed from different angles, creating different effects:

Under lighting is when the main source of light comes from below the subject. This creates a distorting effect, and if often used in horror movies.

Top lighting is when the main source of lighting comes from above the subject. It highlights the features of a character, and can be used to create a glamorous look in a star.

Back lighting is when the light source comes from behind the subject. It little or no other lighting is used, silhouettes are created.




High-key and low-key lighting

Low-key lighting is created by using only the key and back lights. This produces a sharp contrast between the light and dark areas making distinct shadows. It is also called Chiaroscuro.

High-key lighting is when more filler lights are used, making the subject more realistic to our eyes. It can be used to show brightly-lit sets such as a sunny day in a park, or to show more subtly-lit night scenes.

The difference between high and low-key lighting is that the difference between the light and dark areas are not so pronounced in low-key lighting.

Film Noir

Film Noir (Noir meaning black in French) is the term given by French critics to American films in the late 1940s and 1950s due to the dark subject matter and the visually 'dark' look of the film. The main features of Film noir is the use of low-key lighting which gives the film a hard sharp look with strong areas of contrast between the light and dark areas. The lighting on the actor's faces suggests the darker side of human nature. Another common feature is to have parts of the set cast shadows across the scene creating a sense of mystery. Many of these films were made on a limited budget, and the lighting meant cheaper sets could be used, which creating a sense of style at the same time.