How to Create Cinematic Interview Lighting at Home
In this weeks youtube video, we give you a lighting breakdown of our cinematic and moody interview look. Drawing inspiration from Netflix documentaries such as “Drive to Survive”, we'll guide you through the process of transforming a space into a serious and dramatic set for your talking head.
First things first, to achieve that moody vibe, we need to declutter the space. Say goodbye to the typical YouTube setup with its array of props and RGB lighting. Instead, opt for a minimalist approach that removes distractions and focuses solely on the story being told.
Central to creating the desired atmosphere is mastering lighting techniques. Contrast between the subject and the background is key. Using the Zhiyun G200 with the lantern attachment with a skirt helps control light spillage, ensuring a darker background that accentuates the subject. To mitigate harsh shadows, a reflector positioned at a 45-degree angle fills in light and adds dimension to the subject's features.
For a non-distracting ambiance, incorporate subtle space lighting. A strategically placed light behind a computer screen adds depth, and we chose an Aperture BC light bulb and a Zhiyun M20 light to provide additional warmth and rim lighting to the look. The magnetic barn door attachments helped to control the light spillage onto the background - again to maintain focus on the subject.
In terms of the gear, we decided on using a classic 2 Camera set up. The Sony A7SIII with the 24-70mm as the A cam, and the B cam was mounted on the TopRig S40 slider from Accsoon. For more of that filmic and cinematic style, we added a diffusion filter from Format Hi Tech to both lenses. We have also become a big fan of the Accsoon Cineview Nano for live image transmission, allowing us to monitor the video on our 12 Inch Ipad Pro. Crispy audio was coming from the Rode VideoMic Pro Plus boomed in from above.
Referring back to the B cam on the slider, we used this to create a pan and rotate motion for the shot, which gave us high production value on a budget.
Areas for improvement
Focus on enhancing contrast between the subject and background, refining lighting for a more flattering effect
Adjust slider speed for smoother transitions between camera angles. Switching between a static and moving shot was quite jarring, so next time we would need to slow down the slider movement.
This cinematic and dramatic interview video setup worked wonders in our YouTube video telling the story of how Bart completed the Iron Man 70.3 Challenge. By far one of the most common comments we received was how amazing the production value was on a video about a sporting event. By strategically manipulating lighting, selecting the appropriate gear, and refining the colour grade, this narrative set up was key for the concept of the story.
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Lighting Equipment:
Zhiyun G200 - https://eu.zhiyun-tech.com/products/m...
Lantern Softbox - https://eu.zhiyun-tech.com/collection...
Aputure MC - https://geni.us/VL2I5B
Aputure B7C bulb - https://geni.us/OeR2
Zhiyun RGB M20C - https://uk.zhiyun-tech.com/products/f...
Computer Light - https://geni.us/monitorlightbar2
5 in 1 Reflector - https://geni.us/g3l5
Filmmaking Equipment:
Accsoon Cineview Nano: https://geni.us/cineviewnano
Ipad Mini Cage: https://geni.us/powercagemini
Accsoon Toprig S40: https://geni.us/toprigs40slider
Peak Design Tripod: https://geni.us/wkgBFKT
Camera: Sony A7SIII - https://geni.us/sonya7s3body
Sony A7IV - https://geni.us/sonya7ivbodyTRIO
Sigma 24-70 f2.8 - https://geni.us/J06YB2C
Zeiss 55mm f1.8 - https://geni.us/sony55mmzeiss
Rode Video Mic Pro + - https://geni.us/JBdmri
Rode Wireless Go 2 - https://geni.us/8EmADf4
Phillip Bloom Gold Mist Filter: USE code TRIO10 for 10% off at: https://www.formatt-hitech.com/
Intro - 00:00
Create the Set - 00:14
Lighting the Subject - 01:15
Lighting the Background - 02:23
Camera Gear - 03:05
Mistakes to Learn From - 06:15
Outro - 07:15
See the Cinematic Headshot in action: