Special effect lighting techniques in movies.
Knowledge, experience, skill, and technology all play a part in creating a great movie. This article explores some popular special effects lighting options.
A big part of creating a film masterpiece is the imaginative use of special and visual effects. From computer-generated imagery (CGI) to inspiring sound effects (SFX), each technique will add a new dimension to your film. There are lots of options to consider. Special effect lighting is a fundamental building block of artistic expression with film and video.
How to use special effect lighting.
Lighting techniques play an essential role in every visual aspect of your production. With different lighting techniques, a subject in a scene can project any number of moods, feelings, and emotions. With another lighting set up, Don Corleone in The Godfather could have been portrayed as a happy-go-lucky grandpa instead of the brooding and dangerous character he was meant to be.
Here are some of the film industry's commonly used special effect lighting techniques:
- Key lighting is used to highlight the actor or subject to make them stand out from other scene elements.
- Fill lighting is placed opposite the key light to cancel out shadows that may cause a more dramatic effect than desired.
- Hard lighting creates deep shadows for a tense feeling of excitement.
There'll be times when you can't get the perfect special effect lighting that you want when filming. Not to worry, you can use a video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro to add lighting effects. For example, add key lighting in post-production to focus the audience’s attention on a specific character or object that advances your story.
Get more video tips and find new tools that will help you create to your heart's content. Explore what more you can do with Premiere Pro to edit nearly any video clip with ease.