Lighting is so important to getting the image you want. As a cinematographer or director, you need to know how lighting can change the mood of a scene and make it more dramatic, romantic, suspenseful, etc. A little lighting can take your film’s look from amateur to professional with just a simple setup.
Indoor
Three Point Lighting
The first thing any film school will teach you about lighting techniques is the three light setup. This includes the Key, Back, and Fill.
Before you start practicing you need to understand what the purpose of each light does and why you need to have all three lights.
Lighting contrast usually results from the relationship between the key light and the fill light. The back light’s purpose is to bring the subject away from the background. Take a look at how these three lights affect the subject below.
The Key
Always start with the key light. The purpose of the key is to cast shadows on the subject. This light can be placed on either side of the subject and usually shines down at a 45ยบ angle. The brighter and closer this light is to the subject, the larger and darker the shadows will appear. This light is generally a hard and focused light.
The Fill
After the key is up you will want to add the fill light. This should be a softer light and placed at an opposite side of the key to fill in the shadows. Having a brighter fill will reduce the dramatic effect of the key.