TECHNOLOGY
sets in large contests, musical programs, etc. Of course, such devices are directly connected to dedicated computers, although they can also be fed with video images of the right format in the manner of a videowall. None of these items would be viable at the required lighting levels ten years ago or more! The lighting level required back then being 4 or more times the one currently required, would leave these devices quite dark indeed.
OUTDOOR LIGHTING OF SETS, CYCLORAMAS AND VIRTUAL SETS For lighting of these sets, which are similar in concept, white-colour or increasingly- RGBAW bars are being used. For cycloramas there are very high-power professional bars that allow for uniform lighting of up to 8 metres in height, by playing with lighting spots at ground 64 MAY ‘19
Studio panel.
and ceiling level, with the additional advantage of being able to stay quite close to the fabric as compared with the older assymetrical parable projectors. Virtual sets are similar save for the fact that bars cannot be laid on the floor (except in large studios with chroma sheeting at floor level to conceal the lamps). For external set support, RGB bars are used in specific areas to make them darker or to highlight them as background for close-ups.
NEW KEY LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR STUDIOS Key lighting is the same as 100 years ago! Of course, in view of the current sensitivity of cameras, lighting of people, props, furniture, etc., this ranges between 300 and 600 lux, as compared to the at least 10,000 lux required in the initial era of cinema, featuring arc projectors (due to the extreme lack of sensitivity of the first photographic negatives). The basics entail lighting