Light Handling and Camera Angles
Creating a perfect video involves a very comprehensive set up process. Every video production houses will need to go through this setup to make sure they can get the perfect shot they need. Having the right equipment is also important as it can help in achieving the perfect shot. Professionals who have been in this industry a long time can actually get a perfect shot without much hassle. They can tell the perfect lighting and right angle for most situations.
The Basic Angles
There are 3 different angles that video production companies rely on and are most commonly used. These are;
- Eye Level
- High Angle
- Low Angle
For the first we have Eye Level. This angle is most commonly used for any type of corporate video production. This is because it provides a more neutral feeling compared to the other unflattering angles. If you realise, you will find this angles more on news channels and most movie productions where there is interaction with one another.
As for the High Angle, you will basically be shooting from high above. This will give the viewer to feel more authority over the subject on the video. Certain action movies will also utilise this angle to show a certain action shot.
Shooting from a Low Angle, will have the camera closer to the ground shooting upwards. Where it may showcase a building to make it look more dramatic in a sense of intimidation. The goal of shooting from this angle will portray the subject as to be more dominant towards the viewer.
Most cases, video production houses will utilise all of these angles but not too extreme towards a certain degree. The height of the camera may not need to be raised or dropped at a drastic height. Many production houses also will raise the camera angle slightly as a high angle shot so that the subject or person will appear more flattering. It all depends on the person’s facial features or expressions when taking the shot. The angles may need to be adjusted during the shoot.
Effects on Lighting
Almost all video production houses in Singapore swear by getting the perfect lighting before taking the shoot. Anyone that is new to the video production industry should always explore to learn as much as possible about lighting and how to utilise it most cases. Every video before a shoot will have a proper lighting set up and it will mostly consist or are a combination of these types;
- Backlights – This will help create some depth between the subject and the background.
- Key Lights – The main lights that are used for any film
- Fill Lights – Mostly used as supportive lights
All this will depend on what kind of shot you want to take. It may be a combination of all 3, or maybe utilising 1 or 2 types. The brightness of the lighting can also be adjusted according for each specific scene or shot. For creating more drama and intensity in the shot, increasing the intensity of the key light compared to the fill light may be possible.
Shadows can also be a tricky aspect to manage as it can improve or aggravate the subject’s appearance. This is especially important when for a corporate video shoot when the goal is to portray a more cleaner appearance. Utilising both the key lights and fill lights at the same intensity can help eliminate most shadows.
For portrait shots however, a simple ring light can be attached to the camera to make the appearance cleaner as it will eliminate all the shadows completely. Especially if shot from the eye level angle. This shots can be useful for interviews. The combination of both key and fill lights with similar intensity is usually used upon the subject. However, if you are just starting out and have limited options available for your lighting, you may need to make sure that your subject is right in front of your diffused light. The process for this may take longer but it is the only option to get the perfect flattering shot.
As for most production houses in Singapore, they will have all the equipment and personnel ready for a full video production shoot. They will also be able to come up with a more professional dealing.