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Using Light to Create Focus

Iain Davidson explains how to attract a viewer's attention using light.

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Today's video cameras are sensitive and can create pictures in any light. But proper lighting, depending on the style of the production can help tell the story. There is a difference between illumination and "proper lighting".

An intimate interview, for instance, will need a different treatment than a daytime cookery item.

When you have sufficient light for the TV system to work at its best you then need to provide the mind with the stimulation to create the right emotional response. The eye is really sensitive to two things; movement and brightness. You will look first at the brightest part of any scene before moving on to scan the remaining image.

Picture a politician sitting in a hotel room lit by light from the window. In the back of shot there is a lampshade, lit despite the daylight. Your eye is drawn straight to the lamp as the main point of interest since it is the brightest object.

Follow the actress

Another way of describing this effect is to imagine a theatre show with the chorus line. When the lead actress enters the lights are dimmed and a follow-spot picks out the diva. Every eye in the audience is now following her. This is no accident; it is built in by the lighting designer to lead the audience to the right part of the action.

Although the TV screen is small compared to a stage, we still need to lead the eye to the right part of the screen. Don't distract the viewer with over-bright graphics or unnecessary movement. Use the cameras depth of field for selective focus (but ask your camera operator what f-stop they are using, around f2.8 is good.)

Develop your skills further, browse all our lighting courses here

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Iain Davidson is a specialist in lighting skills for everyone from producers to lighting directors and has been with the BBC since 1981.

He is an assessor for NVQ's in lighting and involved in the consultation process with Skillset for the setting of new standards in lighting as well as 'Membership Secretary' for the Society of Television Lighting Directors, the professional body which represents lighting practitioners around the world.