Film Noir Lighting

Light your subject in

film noir style

Presented byKathy Cuyler

Let’s define film noir lighting:

Film noir lighting uses stark contrast between light and shadows to create a moody atmosphere.

Like this:

Before film noir lighting

After film noir lighting

Know your lights.

Key Light

Know your lights.

Key LightFill Light

Know your lights.

Key LightFill LightBack Light

Know your lights.

We will use symbols to designate the different lights.

The key light will look like this:

K

The fill light will look like this:

F

The back light will look like this:

B

Let’s discuss the characteristics of each of these lights:

. . . use a light with a focused, direct beam.

For your key light . . .

. . . use a soft, diffuse light.

For your fill light . . .

Traditional lighting ratio is . . .

K

F

Intensity

Intensity

=

Traditional lighting ratio is . . .

K

F

Intensity

Intensity

=2

1

Film noir lighting ratio is . . .

K

F

Intensity

Intensity

=

Film noir lighting ratio is . . .

K

F

Intensity

Intensity

=4

1

. . . use a light with a focused, direct beam.

For your back light . . .

Caution!

Don’t touch the lights!

Don’t touch the lights!

Position the subject in front of the camera.

Camera

Position the subject in front of the camera.

Camera Subject

Key Light

Now we’llbring in the . . .

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K

Camera Subject

K45°

Subject

Subject

K

Subject

K 45°

Here is the subject with just the key light:

Before key light

After key light

Now we’llbring in the . . .

Fill Light

Camera Subject

K

F

Camera Subject

K

F

Camera Subject

K

F

Camera Subject

K

F

Camera Subject

K

F

Camera Subject

K

F

Camera Subject

K

F

Here is the subject with the fill light added:

Before fill lighting

After fill lighting

Back Light

Now let’s bring inthe . . .

Camera Subject

K

FB

Camera Subject

K

FB

Camera Subject

K

F B

Camera Subject

K

FB

Camera Subject

K

FB

Subject

B

Subject

B

Subject

Here is the subject with back lighting:

Before back light

After back light

Prepared by

Kathy Cuyler

Prepared for

TECM 5285

.

Graphics from Silver, Alain and James Ursini, ed. Film Noir Reader. New York: Limelight Editions, 2006.

Wikipedia.org. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder,_My_Sweet> <http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_(film)> 27 April 2010

Works ConsultedAscher, Steven and Edward Pincus. The Filmmaker’s Handbook. New York: Penguin, 1999.

Silver, Alain and James Ursini, ed. Film Noir Reader. New York: Limelight Editions, 2006.