A lighting designer for a movie has to light a dramatic scene that is outdoor in the rain where two actors are discussing a seri
ous matter. The director wants the designer to come up with two lighting choices that can underscore the dramatic nature of the scene. Which lighting techniques could the designer use? Describe the techniques that you think the designer should choose and give the reasons for the choice.
If I were a lighting designer, I would propose two ways to present a dramatic scene. The first one would involve the face of the subject being softly lit with a slight fill and an additional bounce light to light up the background but a few stops underexposed. This technique helps to focus on the subject’s face and also makes the scene look intense and dramatic. For my second technique, I would use just one light to illuminate both of the characters in the scene. The lack of lighting makes the two subjects appear dark and mysterious, which then gives the intense dramatic feel to the scene.
