Lighting Design…
There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures. (James Thurber)
Introduction
Lighting Design at its best is the perfect framing of, and complement to, the subject - be it an ancient pyramid or a newsreader.
Lighting is a collaborative experience - whilst it usually starts with one person's vision - the creative input of programmers and operators, as well as the sympathetic understanding of the show by the technicians, is what makes or breaks that vision.
Television
FTS Lighting has been involved in lighting televised productions since 1998. During this time, the spread of work has included pretty much everything from Music to the News.
Much of the time, television is concerned with Talking Heads, so it is vital firstly to get this image clear with defined portraiture, and then to ensure the background is interesting, but does not overwhelm or distract from the subject.
Of course, rules are only there to be broken, particularly when it comes to music, but the golden principle of Key, Backlight, Fill hold true for most of the time. Soft-lighting the entire studio is not a prefered choice, as the resultant lack of shadows means a loss of depth to the image, but there are sometimes circumstances in which it is necessary…
Live Events
FTS Lighting recognises that virtually every event in the 21st century is either televised directly, or has cameras present for the audience both present and on the internet - and that the camera reacts very differently to the human eye. Even at a concert or a conference, many people in the audience will be watching the large screens instead of the tiny dot on the stage, so it is vital to make this picture both clear and interesting.
Fortunately, with the use of modern cameras and lighting equipment, combined with experienced design, it is possible to meet the needs of both the audience and the camera, without melting either the Talent or the power supply!
Film
FTS Lighting works in conjunction with Directors of Photography and their Gaffers as a specialist lighting board operator for everything from big budget Features to all sizes of Commercials and Promos.
Whether its a board op to save on power, or hundreds of movers timecoded for dramtic effects, FTS Lighting has the experience.
