Lighting In Video Production

In making a quality video, lighting is one of the most important factors. Often when video is being made on a budget, lighting is the first thing to be cut. This is because of the idea that natural lighting will be good enough, however, weather can change or maybe the environment doesn’t allow for the best natural lighting and you need more.

Lighting can affect so many different aspects of a video. Here are a few examples:

• Lighting sets the mood of the video (somber, exciting, etc)
• Poor lighting will require more time in the editing room or a need to re-shoot which means even more time needed to complete your project.
• Light determines the quality of your project and whether people will actually stick around to view the full video.
• Even basic lighting in a production will make a huge difference on a set. One technique commonly practiced in video production is three point lighting. It’s one of the most versatile lighting techniques and is pretty much the most basic one, but this one technique will make a huge difference in your production. See below for a brief overview of the Three Point Lighting Technique.

Three Point Lighting

1. Key light: This is the main light and is placed to the side of the camera to help light the subject of the video.
2. Fill Light: Fill light is the secondary light and is always placed on the opposite side from the key light. Fills shadows casted by the key light.
3. Back Light: Back light speaks for itself. It is the light that is placed on the back of the subject you are shooting. It helps distinguish the subject from the background of the scene and give them a more 3D look on camera.

So keep in mind that when producing a video, whether big budget or small, lighting can help you get that professional edge you are looking for.