This fully revised and updated fourth edition of Motion Picture and Video Lighting explores the technical, aesthetic, and practical aspects of lighting for film and video. It covers not only how to light, but also why. The process of lighting is emphasized, as well as practical techniques and visual storytelling with light.

Written by experienced filmmaker, film school teacher, and author Blain Brown, this book emphasizes how the image, the mood, and the visual impact of a film are, to a great extent, determined by the skill and sensitivity of the director of photography in using lighting. It provides an indispensable, highly illustrated, and comprehensive guide to making every scene look its best.

This new edition has been expanded to provide further guidance at the introductory level for students, those just starting their careers, and people already working in the business who want to move up.

Topics include:

Lighting Sources
LEDs
The Lighting Process
Lighting Basics
Controlling Light
Lighting Scenes
A Lighting Playbook
Storytelling With Light
Electricity and Distribution
Gripology
Set Operations
Technical Issues

A robust accompanying companion website also includes video tutorials and other resources for students and professionals alike, including lighting demonstrations, basic methods of lighting, using diffusion, color control, and other topics.

Author Biography

Blain Brown has worked as a Director of Photography on feature films, commercials, industrials, music videos, and documentaries for over thirty years. His other books include Cinematography: Theory and Practice, 4th Edition (2021), The Basics of Filmmaking (2020), and The Filmmaker’s Guide to Digital Imaging (2014).

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