Cinematography-Theory-And-Practice

Figure 8.27. Color-correct fluorescentsby Kino Flo. Their lightweight makes rigging them easierand quicker. Notice how the largewindow at left rear has been blackedout with a large solid of blackduvetyne. A pipe has been riggedto the ceiling to support some of thelights. Note also the snoot boxes onthe two tungsten zip lights. (Photocourtesy of Kino Flo.)bulb. Control is accomplished by painting the paper or taping gel ordiffusion to it. Similar in principle are spacelights (Figure 8.23), whichare basically big silk bags with 1, 2, 6, or 12 1K nook lights inside.For establishing an even overall base level on a set, they can be quiteuseful. When cabling, you will want to separate them into differentcircuits to give you some degree of control over the level. China ballsare inexpensive and very easy to rig.Self-Contained Crane RigsThere are a number of units that consist of several large HMIs riggedon a crane (Figures 8.28 and 8.29). Most also carry their own generator.Musco was the first of these, but now there are several to choosefrom. These units can provide workable illumination up to a halfmile away and are used for moonlight effects and broad illuminationof large areas. The main Musco unit comes with its own 1,000 ampgenerator, which is typical of this type of unit. The 6K heads areindividually aimable by a handheld remote control.Ellipsoidal Reflector SpotsThe ellipsoidal reflector spot (ERS) is a theatrical light, but it is usedas a small effects light because of its precise beam control by theblades. Called lekos in the theater, on a film set you will frequentlyhear them referred to as Source Fours. (Source Fours is manufactured byElectronic Theater Controls (ETC).)Because the blades and gobo holder are located at the focal point ofthe lens, the beam can be focused sharply and patterned gobos can beinserted to give sharply detailed shadow effects. These lights come ina size defined by their beam angle. The longer the focal length, thenarrower the beam. They also make a unit that has a zoom. SomeERS spots have a gobo slot that will hold a metal disk that will projecta pattern. These patterns come in a vast array of designs.cinematography144