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Lighting in Gone Girl - Honors Film Video Essay

A student film essay analyzing how lighting choices in Gone Girl shift in warmth and contrast to track the power balance between its two leads.

Kathrine · 6 min · Beginner · LGT · Lighting · 2018

What you take away

Study a concrete example of lighting used to signal a shift in a character's control over a scene.

Watch it

Filed under

Films to study for light

Books on lighting

Motion Picture and Video Lighting — Blain Brown
Color and Light — James Gurney
Light: Science and Magic — Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua
Lighting for Cinematography — David Landau
Film Lighting — Kris Malkiewicz
Painting with Light — John Alton

Kit for this lesson

Rosco Cinegel filter pack — CTB, CTO, diffusion — the colours a set runs on
Aputure MT Pro — A pocket pixel tube
Aputure F10 Barndoors — Cuts the spill off a Fresnel — the cheapest control there is
Aputure MC Pro — Pocket RGBWW — an eye light that fits in a pocket
Aputure Light Dome Mini III — The Dome for small rooms and small fixtures
Neewer 5-in-1 reflector, 42" — The cheapest light on any set

More Lighting

Advanced Documentary Interview Lighting - Step by Step — Mark Bone · 25m · Advanced
Filmmaking Lighting Masterclass: Xenon Light | Shane Hurlbut, ASC — Filmmakers Academy · 18m · Advanced
How to Light a Night Scene with Shane Hurlbut ASC [Part 1: Setting Up Your Key Light] — Filmmakers Academy · 15m · Intermediate
How To Light a Night Scene with Shane Hurlbut ASC - Part 3: Lighting Secrets — Filmmakers Academy · 13m · Advanced
How to Light a Night Scene with Shane Hurlbut ASC [Part 2: Matching Urban Light] — Filmmakers Academy · 14m · Intermediate
Film Lighting Techniques that will Boost Your Cinematography with Shane Hurlbut, ASC — Filmmakers Academy · 16m · Intermediate
Lighting & Filming Darker Skin Tones with ARRI Signature Primes — B&H Photo Video Pro Audio · 12m · Intermediate
The Easy Way to Not Suck at Lighting — Luc Forsyth · 31m · Intermediate
How to Light a Cinematic Scene with Only Natural Light — Filmmakers Academy · 11m · Intermediate
Hollywood VS Indie Filmmaking (With Shane Hurlbut, ASC) — Brady Bessette · 19m · Intermediate
Lighting for Film: The Complete Beginner's Guide — Luc Ung · 27m · Beginner
Diffusing Can Lights | Cinematography Tips with Shane Hurlbut ASC — Filmmakers Academy · 9m · Intermediate

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