Table Of ContentLighting for Digital Video
and Television
This book gives a comprehensive overview of lighting equipment and
techniques for digital production. Suitable for either beginners or more
advanced users, the fully updated fourth edition covers human sight vs.
film or video, the basic issues of contrast and exposure, with explanation
of how exposure of digital video differs from analog video or film, electrical
connectors, requirements, electrical load management, safety issues, and
the latest LED systems.
A variety of basic lighting setups for different situations are explained,
with clear diagrams and photos showing the “look” of each approach.
Techniques for shooting in available light and dealing with color problems
in mixed lighting situations is examined. More advanced film-s tyle lighting
is covered, especially techniques in creating a convincing realistic look. A
special section deals with solutions to common problems, ranging from
reflections on glasses and dealing with white walls, to lighting very light-
skinned and very dark-s kinned subjects in the same shot. Special lighting
situations, such as lighting night scenes or bluescreen sets, are covered in
detail, with studio lighting covered in a dedicated separate chapter. The
book is also peppered with anecdotes and trivia about lighting techniques
and the lighting trade.
It is the ideal text for both beginners studying lighting and
cinematography, as well as more advanced practitioners.
John Jackman is an author and filmmaker who has been involved in
dramatic and video production since the mid-1 970s. He has produced
several feature films and documentaries and has contributed to numerous
industry magazines.
Lighting for Digital
Video and Television
Fourth Edition
John Jackman
Fourth edition published 2020
by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Taylor & Francis
The right of John Jackman to be identifed as author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and
explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published 2004
Third edition published by Focal Press 2010
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Jackman, John, 1957- author.
Title: Lighting for digital video and television / John Jackman.
Description: Fourth edition. | London ; New York : Routledge, 2020. |
Includes index.
Identifers: LCCN 2019046131 (print) | LCCN 2019046132 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781138937963 (hardback) | ISBN 9781138937956 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781315676005 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Video recording—Lighting. | Digital video—Lighting. |
Television—Lighting.
Classifcation: LCC TR891 .J33 2020 (print) | LCC TR891 (ebook) |
DDC 777/.38—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019046131
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019046132
ISBN: 978-1 - 138- 93796-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1 - 138- 93795-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 315- 67600- 5 (ebk)
Typeset in ITC Stone Serif
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
Acknowledgements viii
Introduction ix
Chapter 1 Why Is Lighting Important for Television and Video? 1
Exposure and Contrast 3
Beyond Basic Exposure 6
Chapter 2 Human Vision, the Camera, and Exposure 12
What You See 12
What the Audience Sees 14
Fitting in the Window 19
So What Happens If We Don’t? 20
Inside the Legal Video Signal 21
Proper Exposure 30
Controlling Contrast 35
Controlling Color 41
The Kelvin Scale 41
Chapter 3 Volts, Amps, and Watts 45
Standard Connectors 52
Power Tie- Ins and Contractor Connections 57
Electrical Safety 57
Chapter 4 Lighting Instruments 60
Open- Faced Instruments 60
Lensed Instruments 64
Fluorescent Instruments 68
HMI Instruments 73
Ceramic Discharge Metal Halide 75
Plasma 76
vi Contents
Soft Lights 76
Specialty Instruments 80
LED Instruments 83
LED = Battery Power! 84
Cookies and Snack Boxes Aren’t for Lunch 86
Chapter 5 Lighting Controls and Uses 87
Gels 87
Diffusion 93
Chapter 6 Basic Lighting Techniques 102
A Sense of Depth 102
Basic Lighting Setups 107
Lighting Jiu-J itsu, or the Art of the Reflector 113
Using a Kicker for Modeling 114
Using Soft Lights 115
Hard or Soft? 117
Chapter 7 Interview Setups 120
Basic Three-P oint Interview Setup 120
Hard or Soft? 125
Simplifying the Soft Look 128
But Wait, There’s More! 131
Chapter 8 Solving Common Problems 132
Hot Spots: Film Folks, Be Vigilant! 132
Eyeglasses 134
Practicals and Light Sources in Frame 138
Lighting Dark Complexions 140
Too Much Light in All the Wrong Places! 144
Different Color Temperatures in the Scene 146
Chapter 9 Studio Lighting 150
Power System and Grid 153
Fluorescent Instruments 159
LED Lighting 160
Designing a Lighting Plan With Flos or LEDs 161
Flat Lighting 162
Chapter 10 Advanced Lighting Setups 170
Establishing Mood 178
Lighting Darkness: Interiors 179
Lighting Darkness: Exteriors 183
Contents vii
Daytime Exterior Contrast Management 191
Light Surgery 194
Chapter 11 Lighting Low-B udget Locations 197
Make Location Lemonade 198
Low-B udget Lighting Principles 199
Low- Budget Lighting Process 200
Using Light and Improvised Cheap Lighting 209
Chapter 12 Specialized Lighting 211
Product Shots 211
Food Shots 215
Lightning and Fire 218
Automobile Interiors 222
Blue- and Greenscreen 225
Church and Wedding Lighting 233
Live Theatre Taping 238
Chapter 13 Imagination and Invention 240
appendix 1 Using a Light Meter for Video 247
Light Meter Basics 248
appendix 2 Basic Primer in Signal Monitoring 250
Waveform Monitor 251
Vectorscope 252
appendix 3 Addresses of Manufacturers 254
Glossary 257
Index 277
Acknowledgements
Dedicated to my amazing wife Debbie, who has had to listen to me criti-
cize the lighting of movies and television for donkey’s years, and without
whose help and support my production work – and this book – would not
have been possible. And to my kids, Andrew and Abby – and “extra daugh-
ter” Laurel Clabaugh – who have put up with being involuntary subjects
more often than they wanted. Special thanks also to my technical editor,
DP Arledge Armenaki, who helped make sure that even the most technical
stuff was both correct and understandable. Similar thanks to DP Richard
Clabaugh, a friend who is always interested in talking “shop,” and who
always has a good idea to make the show better! Special thanks also to Nic
Morris, BSC, who helped us make sure that we included European and Brit-
ish terminology instead of only American slang. And a special tip of the hat
to the late Bob Collins, SOC, who was going to be our original technical
editor. You are much missed, Bob!
Introduction
Over the years, I have participated in or moderated a number of Internet
forums related to video production, and often field questions about light-
ing issues. After a thread where several of us explained to a beginner why
he needed to light his videos, one wag posted:
“Remember, without lighting all you have is a black picture.”
Facetious, tongue- in- cheek, but true! The most common mistake beginning
video shooters do is to overlook the importance of good lighting.
I’ve always been interested in lighting. In my earlier days it was theatri-
cal lighting; I just loved playing with the light boards (built one myself) and
figuring out dramatic lighting effects. Then I became interested in video
production. That was back in the days of the Sony PortaPak®, the genesis
of “guerilla video,” however, and we didn’t do no stinkin’ lighting. Point-
and-s hoot was pretty much all we did outside of the studio. The PortaPaks®
ran ½" reel- to- reel tape, black and white only, about 150 lines of resolution
on a good day. The tape deck was about the size of a mini-t ower computer
today, with a shoulder strap and batteries that seemed to last about ten
minutes. Then along came ¾" U-M atic® and then ¾" SP. And then came the
day when a great program I had done was rejected for network broadcast
because of poor lighting in some critical interview scenes.
I got back “into” lighting with a vengeance. My earlier fascination with
theatrical lighting effects was reawakened, and I started to experiment. When
the first 3D programs came out (anyone remember DKBTrace, the original
Caligari, and Turbo Silver?), everyone else was playing with reflective surfaces –
but I was playing with the lights! I’ve been playing with lights ever since.
Once you discover the difference great lighting can make, you’ll be
playing along with me!
John Jackman
Lewisville, NC
Summer, 2019
