October 2019 – Frank Gatto and Associates

Filming in Nature

Posted on October 13, 2019 by J3551CA

There’s a reason that nature filmography, especially of animals, is so highly prized. The shots can be incredibly difficult to capture. Cinematographers must first scout a location and even be prepared for hours of waiting while battling all the variables that Mother Nature can throw at them.

Many cinematographers are turning to assistance from drones to capture animal subjects in their natural habitat and obtain aerial shots. Drones can be equipped with different types of cameras, provide unique angles, and allows video capture that minimizes the danger to humans. However, drones are subject to the same types of environmental problems as traditional equipment.

Filmography is a day and night time endeavor, depending upon the subject. When filming at night, cinematographers may need a combination of remote, light intensifying starlight, and infrared cameras, along with thermal imaging.

Extremes of cold are challenging for people and are particularly hard on film equipment. From lights to cameras and batteries, they can all fail at a critical juncture. Those filming in very cold climates will benefit from bringing additional parts, batteries, and taking precautions that provide ways to warm equipment. It can be as simple as warming batteries with body heat or filming in short bursts.

Heat extremes can be encountered in jungles, deserts and grasslands. Aside from taking additional parts that can be interchanged if one fails, a space blanket can be used to shade and reflect heat from delicate equipment. Coolers are effective when power is available to operate them. Equipment will require protection from blowing sand or moisture in jungle environments. Don’t charge batteries if they’re hot.

Some natural phenomena, such as fog, clouds, rain and sun, can actually be used to an advantage in filming. It’s imperative that cameras and any equipment be waterproof for filming in locations that are prone to fog and unexpected rain.

In fog and snow, different camera settings will be required to pick out details rather than showing a solid wall of gray or losing the subject in the “noise” that snow creates. Clouds can appear quickly and while they can be great to mask overly bright sunlight, always travel with appropriate illumination methods to counter their effects.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

Going Back in Time

Posted on October 13, 2019 by J3551CA

Modern lighting for TV sets has come a long way from the Golden Age of Television of the 1950s. Today’s lighting use innovative LED lighting, technologically advanced cameras, and almost everything is operated by highly advanced computer systems.

TVs of the1800s were rudimentary appliances that more closely resembled an overhead projector. The first electric TV wasn’t invented until 1927 and even as late as 1947, few households could afford one. The first TV station was W3XK and it aired its first broadcast on July 2, 1928, but it wouldn’t be until 1938 when TVs were produced for home use.

The lighting during early broadcasts was bulky and cumbersome to set up, extremely hot to work under, and resulted in images that looked dull, flat and grainy. Part of that appearance was due to the flat lighting system that was in use. It created illumination that required less lighting, fewer pieces of equipment, and was designed to save money.

Another element that affected lighting and image quality was the cameras used. The entire industry was breaking new ground and it was expensive to deliver a broadcast. Artificial lighting hadn’t been widely adopted as it had been in the cinema and still photography. Studios relied primarily on natural sunlight for illumination.

Arc lights and mercury vapor lights were the primary types of studio lighting that was used for indoor sets. Incandescent lights were later introduced in conjunction with the other two. The newsreels of the war in the 1940s broke new ground by using photofloods and it was adopted in studios.

The bright illumination of an entire set was still the preferred method. It was Desi Arnaz, husband of Lucille Ball, who helped change illumination methods. Arnaz had vision and understood the lighting techniques used in cinema. He pressured studio executives to bring Oscar-winning cinematographer, Karl Freund, on the set to create the illumination for the hit TV show “I Love Lucy.”

It wasn’t until broadcast studios began emulating the lighting and camera techniques used in cinema that images began to change for TV viewers. Broadcast TV was simply shades of black, white and gray, which further added to the flat, grainy look of early TV images.

The first color TV broadcast was aired by CBS on June 25, 1951. It required different lighting techniques and camera angles that eventually evolved into the LED illumination, advanced cameras, and computer-controlled lighting that results in images that makes viewers feel as if they’re in the studio.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

Why Add Smoke to Enhance Lighting

Posted on October 13, 2019 by J3551CA

Smoke machines, are wonderfully versatile machines that can produce a variety of atmospheric effects, and it’s important to note that they’re not the same as a fog machine. The primary difference is that smoke rises, doesn’t take long to fill a room, and disperses quickly throughout an entire area whereas fog typically stays close to the ground.

A smoke machine will be the tool of choice for the spooky effects of TV and films in the horror genre, for concerts and theatre productions, and when shots require the entire room to be smoky. The smoke can be used for highlighting special lighting effects, especially for laser light shows, on dancefloors and concert venues.

The downside is that the smoke dissipates fairly quickly and can set off fire and smoke alarms. If not closely controlled, it can obscure images but it’s also one of the most cost effective special effects methods to use. Consumer models are available, in addition to fog machines, that are extremely popular as part of Halloween festivities.

A smoke machine is ideal for recreating the smoke-filled atmosphere of a speakeasy and a gently blowing fan will create air currents for a misty feeling reminiscent of “dream sequences.” The machines are appropriate for producing theatrical smoke for TV and the cinema, along with still photos and the theatre stage to create a specific mood or atmosphere.

They have the advantage of containing control panels that allows special effects professionals to accurately control how much smoke is added, when, and from what direction. Smoke reflects and refracts light, making it particularly effective when a special effect is required, but audiences aren’t supposed to detect it.

Smoke machines can simulate smoke coming from a wrecked vehicle, used as a scene transition on the stage, and to facilitate dramatic entrances at concerts and sporting events. It’s equally effective for sci-fi type effects or to create an alien landscape. The uses of a theatrical smoke machine are many and varied, making the devices a favorite of special effects creators.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

Taking Control: Becoming a Confident Lighting Director

Posted on October 13, 2019 by J3551CA

Confidence comes from knowledge, experience, and getting out of your comfort zone. Becoming a confident lighting director begins with obtaining the appropriate education and thoroughly understanding your craft. By the time most lighting directors make their career decision, they’ve already been playing and experimenting with lights and cameras for years.

Practice makes perfect and once you have the educational skills, work every job available to get the practical experience you’ll need. Education is essential, but it’s still difficult to get started in the business without some practical experience. No knowledge is ever wasted. Illumination of any event is an art and even though you won’t be the focus of the activities, your work will be center stage.

Innovation is also the mark of a confident lighting director. You’ll discover that you’ll often be asked to do much with little. Use what you’ve learned and pair it with your own ideas to illuminate venues and create special effects. Every gig is different and provides unique opportunities to expand your repertoire.

Be prepared for the unexpected, especially if you’re working with an event with which you’ve had minimal experience. Lighting directors are often required to make snap decisions and adapt to changes on the fly. Some ideas and requests may sound spectacular, but have no place in real-world applications. Always be honest with clients.

Practice, test and practice some more. Great lighting directors utilize their knowledge, talent and experience to constantly play with techniques, methods and equipment. What you conceive of today may be the solution to a specific illumination problem of the future.

Above all, get out of your comfort zone. If you typically work with high-end weddings, start by providing illumination for concerts or sporting events on a small scale. It provides you with perspective and valuable experience that you’ll take with you throughout your career.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.