What is the best Video Lighting scheme, or plan, to get the most light for a movie scene?

Question

I am trying to shoot a scene indoors, and I don't know anything about video lighting, I only know photography lighting. I need the entire room to be bright. Not obnoxiously bright, but bright with the least amount of shadows possible. What type of lights would I need, how many, and how should they be arranged? Any other info on video lighting would help as well. Also where can I get good lights from. I am also not wealthy, so nice moderately priced

Answer 1

I should get paid to answer this question.
And ... don't diss shadows, babe.

1. Get some bright wide lights and bounce it off the wall and ceiling.
2. Use a 2k Fresnel as a back light (or rim light as they say in the movies). Video is very flat by nature, need to push your subject so they have some depth.
3. Use a 1k Fresnel as a key light.
4. Use a 1k Fresnel as a fill light, damped down with neutral density.
5. Steps 1-4 is about as basic as you an go.

Buy some color correction filters so you can match the color temps -- like flourescent to daylight (as an example). And some diffusion filters to soften everything up.

Where to get them?
You could rent a package fairly easily.

If it were me -- I'd walk into the local college and find some budding stagehand or camera operator and ask if they want to work on my movie.

Luck!