HELP! Lighting for Tutorials

[philter]

Hi,

Im pretty much a total noob at this so assume i know nothing.

I work for Sonic academy, a music technology and DJ training college.

I need help with a lighting and background setup for some video tutorials we are going to be filming (we will also be doing equipment reviews and other things like master classes etc. in the future).

In the pic below i have drawn out a setup which i have based on my research in books and on the net in the last few weeks and would love some feedback and advice on how to light the scene where to position cameras and what i should use for backgrounds or how to get the place looking better for shooting.

We have just purchased a canon xh-a1 camera and have a smallish (£500-£1000) budget for lighting and backgrounds etc. advice on what to purchase would be a really big help.

Hope this all makes sense!

Thanks for your help.

Phil.



you can click on the photo for larger versions of the photos

[The Guru]

This is obviously a commercial venture. When doing your cost calculations did you forget to allow for a lighting cameraman? Will you be selling the training videos or will your students (who pay fees to attend) be getting them as part of their (paid for) course?

There are two ways of doing this. The easy way and the good way. The easy way will look okay(ish) the good way will cost you money.
For the easy way, go online, ask around and you'll get loads of suggestions from people who know a bit, know nothing or are just bullsh*tting. Unfortunately you won't be able to tell them apart...
For the good way employ a cameraman from the STLD (Society of Televison Lighting Directors) or the GTC (Guild of Television Cameramen). Our daily rates are not as much as you might think.
You might even find a semi-pro (IOV or the APV) who has a bit of an idea.

If you have a £1k budget for lighting, for a job this size you could get a proper lighting cameraman and rent the appropriate gear.

I don't mind helping out an amateur or giving advice to a potential semi-pro or answering a technical question from a collegue, but this is a "job" and a commercial project should be paid for...

Sorry to be blunt but you'd get upset if someone said "I own this nightclub, I don't want to pay for a DJ, so could you please tell me how to do it myself."


Edit: Whatever you decide... Good luck (I mean it!)

[philter]

I hear what your saying. we have a camera guy working on the first set of shoots with us but tbh when i asked him about lighting he wasnt very resopnsive. this is why i have been doing my own research.

this isnt a one of shoot so hiring a specialized lighting person isnt an option as we need to get some thing that will make our budget work for us over a long period of time.

im editing all the stuff myself on FCP and after effects.

we bought the camera because we film our students for acreditation so we thought we would use it as much as possible hence trying this out.

we are providing the videos free on our website.

anyway.... if anyone else has any sugestions it would be greatly appreciated.


Phil.

[philter]

Think i am just going to buy a set of redheads.. from what i have been reading they seem to be popular and less expensive than most other sets.

im guessing ill need somthing to soften one of the lights and havnt decided what to try yet. Ill keep reading and let you know how i get on.

if im barking up the wrong tree do let me know!

if you are interested in what we are about look here http://www.sonic-dj-academy.com/

Cheers Phil.

[The Guru]

Phil, I don't know how to say this mate... Please don't take it personally.

If you were an amateur, or a charity project or suchlike, I'd gladly spend hours on this.

The Sonic DJ Academy is a commercial business, it should have planned to pay for this sort of thing.
I regularly lecture at S.A.E. http://www.sae.edu/ and they pay me. If I help out with any of their video projects, they pay me. That's why I feel that it wouldn't be right to work for a business for nothing. It doesn't matter if the tutorials are for the internet, students or publicity... it's still a business and should pay for work. A private academy which relies on free advice (especialy in media) sounds a bit micky-mouse to me.

Maybe you should point this out to the management.

For free: A trio of redheads was "standard" twenty years ago, now there are far better solutions. I honestly suggest that money spent on a lighting cameraman and renting decent gear, is better spent, in this case.

Edit: You wouldn't advise your students to buy headphones, mixers or decks because they were cheap would you? So why do that with your lighting?