Tip #57: Film day-for-night

(By Dan Parkes, Director)

As mentioned in the previous post, night shoots are never easy, so it is sometimes more practical to film day-for-night. By means of camera settings and filters and then some post-production colour correction you can take a shot filmed during the day and turn it into night. In Ambleton Delight all of the exterior night shots of the restaurant and Chris' house were done this way. But remember that day-for-night does not always work. Depending on the scene sometimes sunlight can be too strong, building or street lights are not turned on and it can become a post-production headache.

Tips:

• Underexpose the image, and then add different filters such as graduated filters to change both the quality and sharpness of the image
• Use ND filters so you can shoot at or near wide open as you would actually at night
• An overcast day is generally better -less shadows. If strong sunlight attempt to turn this into moonlight by underexposing.
• At night colour has less contrast and is more subdued, as it is lit by moonlight. White balance on a yellow or orange card to force a blue tint.
• Blue gels on lights can also help sell the effect (especially when filming night interiors).
• Day for Night effects can be added in post in compositing programmes such as Adobe After Effects (check Andrew Kramer's tutorial on this here: http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/day_to_night_conversion/)

Tip #56: Surviving night shoots

By Dan Parkes (Director)

Even for those who consider themselves 'night owls', filming at night is never easy and poses numerous challenges. But before we look at surviving night shoots, let's establish two key reasons for doing so, which are:


1. Filming an exterior night scene at night
2. Filming interiors at night due to cast/location availability

The first, also described as 'night-for-night' is likely the most obvious reason. The rain scene in Ambleton Delight was filmed this way. It is good to note that our eyes see night in a very different way from how a camera does as our eyes naturally adjust to the low light levels while most cameras struggle to compensate. The two key mistakes filmmakers can make is to either force the camera to see more light (using a wide open aperture or a gain increase) or by overlighting the scene with too many lights. Both will make the camera see more, but the result will not look authentic, either being overlit or too grainy.

Tips:

• Only illuminate key objects or areas - for example using practicals from logical sources (i.e. real lights within the scene, such as streetlamps)
• Use reflectors and white cards to reflect light
• Use natural elements such as snow if filming during winter, or rain (or by wetting the ground) to create natural reflection and illumination
• Use natural light -shoot during dusk or twilight -although remember this lasts for less than an hour!
• If possible do some test filming beforehand at the hours and location you intend to film

Overall night filming survival tips:

• Preparation/planning -treat it as a normal day with a 'lunch' scheduled
  
• Have a well thought out schedule that wastes no time...dead time at night is demoralising and can cause people to go to sleep
• Make sure actors are scheduled only where necessary (it is good to schedule scenes with the most actors first so that some can go home earlier and only those who are required stay for the whole night)
• Food and drink are important -liquids such as water and coffee can help keep you awake
• Consecutive night shoots can for many be easier than one-off shoots, as you can get your body into a pattern
• Prepare the day before by getting more sleep (like travelling overseas try to adjust to the time zone before you arrive)
• 4am - 5am is the most difficult hour both mentally and physically -schedule easier scenes to be filmed at this time or have this as the 'lunch' break.