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FilmSkool — a free film school

how to create natural ‘cinematic’ lighting

Mark Bone shows how to use a single window as a natural key light, controlling its softness and direction with flags, diffusion and bounce. He compares the raw daylight look to the shaped, motivated result.

Mark Bone · 13 min · Intermediate · LGT · Lighting · 2025

What you take away

Use a scrim or diffusion at the window to soften direct daylight into a workable key.

Watch it

Filed under

Films to study for light

Books on lighting

Kit for this lesson

NiSi True Color CPL — Takes the glare off water and glass without a colour cast
NiSi Swift VND 1-5 stop — Screw-in variable ND that does not cross-polarise at the ends
NiSi True Color 1-5 stop VND — Variable ND that does not turn faces green
PolarPro Mist Edition VND — Diffusion and ND in one piece of glass
Aputure Light Dome III — The softbox most Bowens fixtures wear
Aputure Lantern 90 — Soft from every direction — ambience in one piece

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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
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