Cinematic Lighting: Cinematography for Drama
What you'll learn
- How to block scenes for the maximum depth and production value
- How to choose camera angles and design camera movement
- Where to put your key light for the most cinematic look
- How to use LED, tungsten lighting and practical lamps
- How to use a light meter and false colours to correctly expose your image
- How to shoot in common locations like houses and restaurants
Requirements
- Students should have a grasp of basic cinematography concepts like white balance, depth of field, f-stops/T-stops and the 180 degree rule.
Description
This course explains the role of a Director of Photography (aka DP, DOP, Cinematographer) on set, from collaborating with the director in blocking the cast and choosing the camera angles, to lighting the scene with depth and mood.
Across the four modules of the course, watch experienced DP Neil Oseman set up and shoot scenes in common contemporary locations: domestic banter in a sunny kitchen, a monologue in a dark bedroom, an awkward first date in a restaurant, and a walk-and-talk in an outdoor bar. Watch him try out different blocking and camera angles to get the most depth and interest in the frame, create movement using a slider and a gimbal, and work out the coverage needed to complete the scene. Then learn the secrets of cinematic lighting as he sets up LED, tungsten and practical lights to create a look. Witness the camera rehearsals through to the final take, then sit back and watch the final edited scene. Every step of the way, Neil explains what he's doing and why, as well as the alternatives you could consider for your own films.
This is a follow-up to Neil's best-selling Udemy course "Cinematic Lighting", but it's accessible to anyone with a grasp of the basic concepts of cinematography.
Who this course is for:
- Cinematography students
- Camera operators looking to move up to Director of Photography
- Corporate/industrial filmmakers looking to move into drama
- Indie filmmakers looking to increase their production values
- Directors looking to learn more about cinematography
Instructor
- 4.7 Instructor Rating
- 1,337 Reviews
- 6,179 Students
- 2 Courses
I am a cinematographer with over 20 years’ experience. I’ve shot 12 features as main unit DP, including the upcoming Hamlet starring Sir Ian McKellen, The Little Mermaid with Academy Award-winner Shirley MacLaine, supernatural thriller Heretiks with Michael Ironside, and the multi-award-winning road movie Above the Clouds. Currently in post-production are the comedy Harvey Greenfield is Running Late, the horror film The Stranger, and a contemporary adaption of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. I have also photographed more short films than I can count!
In 2016-17 I was nominated for six Best Cinematography awards around the world for the action/adventure series Ren: The Girl with the Mark. Since then I have won 16 cinematography awards for short films, ten of those for Annabel Lee, a period piece based on the poem by Edgar Allen Poe.
Second only to my love of cinematography is my passion for sharing knowledge of it. I have given workshops and lectures to audiences of all kinds, from students to professionals, for such organisations as the British Fim Institute and the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers. I write regularly for British Cinematographer (the official magazine of the BSC), RedShark News and my own blog, and I post a lighting breakdown every Friday on my highly popular Instagram feed.