guide: use color theory to make your videos look more like movies

Blue.

And.

Orange.

Lighting.

From Squid Games, to Get Out, to Everything, Everywhere All at Once, it’s everywhere in cinema.

Today’s blog post covers how I get this look by mixing daylight and tungsten lighting. I’ll review the theory behind why blue and orange mix so well, give you some practical tips for your own setups, and then dive into three ways I achieve the blue and orange look in my one-bedroom apartment.

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intro to color temperature

Before we get into the practicals of how I mix daylight and tungsten lighting, let’s detour into what color temperature is, and why daylight and tungsten are both called “white points”, when they’re different colors to our eyes.

The color white as we know it isn’t a single point, but exists along a spectrum on a graph known as the Planckian curve. This spectrum is known as color temperature, and we use units of Kelvin to describe where our “white point” exists along it, from warm at the lower end of the spectrum to cool at the higher. The color white we imagine when we think of white is one specific point along this spectrum at 5600 Kelvin. This is also known in film as “daylight” or having “daylight-balanced lights”. Tungsten sits at a lower point along this spectrum, 3200 Kelvin, which is why it appears orange, or warmer than traditional daylight when they’re viewed together.

Our eyes are constantly adjusting for white along this spectrum. Your eyes will recognize the color white whether it’s in the cool shade or being lit by a warm candle. One way to see how our eyes can adjust to different color temperatures is with a fun optical trick. If I light this scene at daylight, and set the color temperature on my camera to 5600k to match, the paper appears white. Then, I’ll switch to the same scene but lit in tungsten, the scene appears very orange. If I hold on this orange scene for a bit, your eyes will gradually normalize the new white point of the scene and the paper won’t look as orange as it did when we first cut. When I switch back to daylight, notice how blue the paper looks despite being the same piece of paper from moments ago? This illusion is also something to look out for when you’re editing and swapping between tungsten and daylight balanced scenes. Take a second and rest your eyes on a neutral gray tone in between to avoid this issue!

Because our cameras don’t adjust naturally like our eyes do, we need to adjust the color temperature ourselves in camera with a setting that’s usually called “white balance”. Most cameras go from at least 2700-7000K, with the “standard” daylight value again being at 5600 Kelvin. Parts of a scene that are lit with lights having a higher color temperature than the white balance in the camera will appear blue, with the blue saturation increasing as temperature increases. Anything in frame below the white balance setting will appear orange.

basics of mixing color temperature

So we know what color temperature is, and why white isn’t just one shade, but why does this matter in film?

Well, mixed color temperatures happen all the time around us, in obvious and not so obvious ways. For example, the winter sky I’m experiencing right now in Colorado measures 5600 Kelvin in the sun, but is actually around 8000 Kelvin in shade. I can use this knowledge practically on a set to increase the realism of a scene. Because mixed color temperatures happen all around us in subtle and not so subtle ways, scenes with multiple color temperatures in them can often appear more natural and pleasing to our eye than scenes lit with a single color temperature in frame.

basics of color theory

One reason mixing color temperatures in frame looks so pleasing to our eye is due to some basic color theory. In case you’ve never seen a color wheel before… this is a color wheel. Colors that are directly across from each other are known as complementary colors, and can be a good starting point for deciding which hues will pair well together. Notice that blue and orange are across from each other on this wheel. It’s this part of color theory that we’re taking advantage of when we combine mixing color temperatures and the white point setting on a camera to achieve the blue and orange look.

gels

Now, if you have lights that only output at one color temperature, don’t fret! There’s these things called color correction gels, which, well, kind of do exactly what the name implies. They correct the color of the lighting so you can get them to match the white point of your camera. They’re available in orange or blue, and a full strength one will either adjust a daylight-balanced light to tungsten or vice versa. You can also get them in half, quarter, or eighth strengths to fit the mood you’re going for. A single sheet runs a couple bucks and can last awhile if properly taken care of. By using these gels, we can even push a daylight colored light cooler than 5600 Kelvin, or a tungsten light warmer than 3200 Kelvin. Without RGB colored lights, this is the cheapest way to get blue or orange tones on set.

intro recap

Let’s rewind a sec and review some of these key points because I know I just threw the whole studio at you. The color white exists along a spectrum, known as color temperature, and is measured in units called Kelvins. Low values appear orange or “warm” and higher values appear blue or “cool”. Daylight comes in at 5600 Kelvin and Tungsten is at 3200 Kelvin. By manipulating the white balance setting on our camera we can make our scene appear more blue or orange in camera. Mixing blue and orange is pleasing to our eye because they are across from each other on the color wheel, what’s known as complementary colors. Without having RGB lighting, the best way we can add blue and orange tones to our lighting is by using color correction gels that can come in varying strengths.

Combining what we just learned about color temperature being along a spectrum, what we know about basic color theory, a few gels or colored lights, and the color temperature setting on our cameras, lets get into the practical application of how this works on a film set.

controlling lights

Because control is the most important aspect of good lighting, The first thing I’ll do when I get onto set is I’ll change any existing light sources that affect the scene in a way I don’t like. This may include opening or closing window curtains, adjusting doors, turning on or off room lights, and even blocking small sources that add weird discoloration like from a router or a PC graphics card.

Another way I achieve good separation between the subject and background of a frame is by feathering the key light. Most people will aim their key light directly at their subject, but this isn’t how to get the most control from a modifier, or achieve the softest possible lighting. What I do instead is I’ll do what you’d normally do – place my key light where it’s going to live, and point it at my subject, but I don’t stop there. I’ll then begin to rotate the light until just the edge of the light is hitting my subject. I’m rotating the light in whichever direction causes it to impact the scene less while still keying the subject, which is generally away from the background of the scene. Once I’ve rotated my key light to where I’m losing exposure on my subject, I’ll bring it back a little bit and now I’ve got a feathered key light! It’s easier to do this with a grid than without a grid for more control, but the concept still applies either way. Here’s the difference between how these all look.

Feathering is one of the ways that I’m able to mix color temperatures even in smaller spaces. It allows me to maintain a distinct separation between lights that are for my subject and those that are for the background and is how I begin to shape a moody, cinematic look. Separate lights for each element in frame also allows me greater control when working with a DP. If they don’t like how some portion of the scene is lit, I only have to address one light rather than take the time to troubleshoot how one light is affecting multiple areas.

Another way to control the lights in a scene is to use a modifier that limits the beam angle of that light. The reflector that comes with most LED’s is a basic example of this, as it limits the spread of the light to around 55 degrees from being open-faced. If you want to place a softbox on a light to make that light softer, then to control it you’ll need to use what’s called a “grid”. It’s THIS boxy looking thing that velcros onto the front of your softbox after you’ve placed your diffusion screen. Because of all the squares, it has a similar effect to a reflector and reduces the beam angle to usually around 55 degrees also. Practically, you can see this when we look at a softbox without a grid, and then place the grid on it, and you can see the difference on the spread on the wall too.

lighting setup #1

I wanted this to look like a cozy interview setup that could feel right at home on HBO but not be so moody that you’d assume I’m the bad guy in the show. Generally for interviews I’m lighting my talent with a daylight balanced light, so in order to introduce warmth to the scene I added some tungsten coloration to the background. Taking advantage of tungsten practicals in the background is suuuuper common in the on-location interview work I do, most restaurants, bars, hotels, etc, use tungsten lighting to set a nice mood for their customers.

There’s two lights I used to create the orange background glow. I’ve put an incandescent bulb inside the lamp that you can see on the left, which gives motivation for the actual light filling out the background, which is an amaran F22c set to 2700 kelvin positioned just out of frame.

One reason I use incandescent bulbs is because some LED bulbs will flicker in-camera when dimmed, and I don’t want to waste money and time figuring out which ones. But the main reason is because incandescent bulbs have a richer output across the visible light spectrum when compared to LED bulbs, which helps the camera sensor with more accurate color reproduction. I’ve plugged this into a dimmer switch from my local hardware store so I can dim it to where it isn’t blowing out in the highlights and causing a loss of color data. Because I’ve dimmed the light though, the output is rather minimal, this is what this setup looks like with only the lamp turned on. Which is why I’m supplementing this lamp, my motivated lighting, with additional lighting out of frame. The combination of the two gives me more control over the levels in the scene, and when done properly, looks natural to the eye. Using “practicals” like this, houselamps, streetlamps, etc., to add motivation to the lighting in a scene helps to ground the lighting in reality. Here’s how this scene looks without the bulb and just the off-frame light on. Feels a little off, right? Why is there an orange glow but the lamp isn’t on?

Speaking of our off-frame light, let’s move on to that one. The amaran F22c was moved just out of frame and placed at a height that would match the lamp on the table. I placed a grid on it to give it directionality towards the background and keep from spilling on my face. Here’s what this scene looks like without a grid on this light. Notice the orange glow that’s appeared on the side of my face that wasn’t there before. By using the grid I’m able to keep the background lights separate from the lights that are affecting the subject, and the difference in the two color balances makes the subject, me, more obvious in the frame.

The main light I used, called the key light, for the subject, was an Aputure 300D II with an Aputure Lightdome II soft box. I combined a grid and feathering with this light so I’m able to have it shine on me without spilling on the background. Here’s what this setup looks like without a grid on the key and without me feathering the light. Notice how much more washed out the background has become compared to before.

Lastly, two lights create separation between me and the background. The first, a four foot tube adds some brightness to an otherwise dark part of the frame, and adds this nice highlight on my cheek while maintaining a small footprint necessary for the space. If you’re familiar with 3-point lighting setups, this is my rim or kicker light. The second light creating separation between me and the background is a 1’ Aputure MT pro that I’ve boomed in on a c-stand as a hair light. A mini ball head screwed into the end of the arm helps me angle this easily. Here’s what this setup looks like without these lights, and with them. See how much more clearly you can see the shape of me in frame as compared to when these are off? And if you prefer the look without these lights, that’s great too, that’s the fun and creative part of lighting!

lighting setup #2

Let’s move on to Lighting setup number 2, a tighter one-person scene where I’m watching TV at night.

The key light is an Aputure 300d II with a Lightdome II shining through a full-strength color temperature orange gel. I chose the Lightdome II specifically because, while slightly pricey, it comes with these night gel holder built into it so I can use these smaller gel squares rather than having to buy giant pieces to put in front of the modifier. I placed this very specifically at an angle to get just a slight hint of the orange on the shadow side of my face, which helps give my face some shape without being too moody and dramatic. I feathered this light as well so that there wasn’t a large hot spot on the wall behind my head that would draw the viewers attention away from my face.

An amaran F22c provides the orange glow on the wall on screen left. I used this to mimic an incandescent bulb like the first setup, and having two different lights for the warm look gave me independent control for the brightness levels between my face and the wall. Here’s what this setup looks like with just the key light and just the wall light showing.

A 4′ tube provides the moon ambiance that you see on the near side of my face and in the shadows. This light was set horizontally to increase the softness of this light on my face, and given a slight blue tone because that’s what Hollywood has led us to believe moonlight looks like in cinema.

Lastly, the TV gag is a two foot tube using a programmed effect. I’ve placed this horizontally to better mimic the soft output of a TV, and positioned close enough that you could see the catch light of it in my eyes, which helps sell the TV effect even more. I balanced the output so that the gag is obvious at first glance without overpowering the blue & orange look I’ve created.

lighting setup #3

Alright, on to the final lighting setup! Let’s break down how I lit this cozy evening scriptwriting scene.

One of the keys to good cinematography is having depth in frame, so the first thing I did was pull my dining table away from the wall. This enabled me to shoot more directly into the corner, while also catching empty space and random lights outside in the window to add to the depth. Here’s the angle I would have had to use if I had left the table in place, or shot towards the opposite corner. Waaaay too much white wall to ever look good in frame.

To give motivation for the key light, I placed an Aputure B7c into a lamp this time. It’s turned to 2700k to mimic the output of an incandescent bulb, and I made sure to dim this so it wasn’t blowing out in the highlights. Make sure you do this through the app or bulb controls and not with a dimmer. The bulbs will flicker if they’re not provided the required amount of power.

An amaran f22c placed just above the B7c is the key light this time. A grid helps give the key directionality and keep it from mixing with the background light on the wall on the left. In order to make positioning this light easier, I’ve replaced the rear receiver on this light because the one it comes with doesn’t work with all of my standard grip hardware. I’ll link a video in the description that walks you through this process so you can do it yourself!

An Aputure 300d II with Lightdome II does double duty. It fills in the background with our moonlight glow, and also acts as a kicker for me, which you can see here. I placed a full CTB gel in this to bring the light well past 10,000K and bring a blue hue to the scene.

Lastly, an Aputure 60x w/ mini spotlight is hanging out on my deck, casting the hard beam across the wall to give some interest to the background.

An important note, I tuned my camera to a white balance of 4,000 Kelvin for this shot, which pushed more blue into the background light while still maintaining an orange glow from the bulb and key light.

If you’re just starting to acquire your own lights, here’s how to get similar results for less than $400. The GVM-80W kit on Amazon comes with a light, stand, and modifier with grid for about $170, so let’s snag two of these for $340. Two gels off B&H photo will run you about $20 after shipping. It’s also a good idea to have some clothes hangars or smaller clips on hand because these modifiers won’t come with gel holders built in.

Here’s what this scene looks like if I replace the amaran F22c and Aputure 300d that I originally used with the 80-W GVM lights, inexpensive modifiers and gels. If you replace the B7c with an incandescent bulb and dimmer, another $20, we’ve got a very similar look for a whole lot less.

If you happen to have a third light, or feel like splurging on one, you can place the reflector on it and use gaffers tape to reduce the output to create the same slash. The lip on the reflector is also a great place to clip gels. Clip them on the sides rather than top and bottom so the heat has somewhere to vent out the top and you’re less likely to melt the gel!

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– This blog post contains only Tyler’s opinions about G&E, gaffing, and LED lighting, and was not reviewed or paid for by outside persons or manufacturers

– Tyler Trepod is a freelance owner/operator gaffer of a Grip & Electric truck based in Denver, Colorado and serves the Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, & Fort Collins markets