Don't have your own film studio? Well, we don't either! You don't need a multitude of projectors for a good corporate video. Believe us, we've made more than one using a single LED panel. Our customer success manager lighting expert, Boris, explains how it's done.
As you already know, one light is not enough to illuminate a speaker. That's not to say that a single spotlight isn't enough. The fact is, you can use other sources in addition to the LED panels we're so fond of. We'll teach you how to become a real McGyver! Mind you, we're not talking about how to make shorts with a pair of scissors and a pair of jeans, but how to create a beautiful image with a single projector.
The key light
Let's put it this way: "key light" isn't very nice. In the audiovisual world, we prefer to use the Anglo-Saxon term"key light". These words are used to designate the main light. In short, it's the most obvious light, the one most in front of the speaker. Make sure it's not too far in front either. It's best to position it so that it highlights one profile more than the other.
This same keylight is by no means a projector to be bought. In fact, it could be a bedside lamp or the sun streaming through the window. It's up to you to decide what will be the main light of your image, adapting to the surrounding light conditions. This applies mainly to indoor shots, of course.
The layout
As we said a few lines back, one light is not enough. So you need your one and only LED spotlight to come into play when you have your second light source. We've already mentioned a few examples, but the window remains themust-have spotlight.
Boris explains it very well in the video: one source on the left, another on the right, all arranged so that your speaker marks an almost right angle between your two sources. The aim is to cover both profiles with light. Ideally, his face should be evenly lit at the end.
In the middle of the day, there's a good chance that your LED panel will act as a complementary light to make up for the shadows caused by the sun. Don't forget that this tool is adjustable in both intensity and color temperature. It would be a real shame not to take advantage of all it has to offer.
Just one more episode and you'll be ready to light up some of the world's greatest corporate films! Not everyone is Vilmos Zsigmond, Christopher Doyle or Boris Rouah, but one thing's for sure: the more you practice, the better your films will be. So don't hesitate to send us your best audiovisual essays!
See our other tutorials below:
Putting your speaker in the light indoors
Make transitions with your hands!
Learn how to shoot the medium shot with Théophile
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