Editorial Reviews
Product Description:Motion Picture and Video Lighting explores the technical, aesthetic and practical aspects of lighting for film and video. Written by a professional in the field, this comprehensive book reveals inside information based on years of experience and thoroughly explores the challenges faced by cinematographers, lighting directors, gaffers and grips.
Through a hands on approach which is augmented by insightful diagrams, tables, charts and photographs, the author illustrates the power of light as one of the most important elements of filmmaking. Whether the reader is a professional, or student, a gaffer, grip or cameraman, this book will be a useful reference.
Blain Brown is a cinematographer and lighting director based in Los Angeles, California. He has lit and photographed a range of productions - from macro/table tops to boxing arenas, and from no-budget shoestring productions to large-scale features. Mr. Brown has also worked as a producer and line producer on commercials, music videos and feature films.
Provides a comprehensive look everyone involved in motion picture or video lighting.
Contains diagrams, tables, charts, and photographs to supplement the text.
A perfect reference for the professional or the student.
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
motion picture and video lighting, October 13, 2008
By
Rough LuxuryI felt it was helpful, this is the first book on lighting that I am reading so I don't have anything to compare it against. Some of the chapters I skipped reading because it was too much into the electrical side (i.e. electrical power distribution) but that may be what someone else needs to know, I just wanted a ground floor introduction on How to light for film making. The DvD was useful.
Great book on lighting!, July 22, 2008
By
Will Thomas (Houston, Texas United States)
Motion Picture and Video Lighting is one of the best book's on lighting I have read.Great illustrations,and information.Great book for anyone who wants to learn,or study lighting.
Best book for DP students, December 27, 2007
By
Rick Wise (Oakland, CA USA)
After a long lifetime as a practicing director of photography, I now also teach graduate film and video lighting at the San Francisco Academy of Art University. In a quest for the best book for my students, one that provides background and needed information to the hands-on work we do, I searched through most of the available texts and found Blain Brown's to be by far the best book out there for aspiring directors of photography. Until this semester, I used his previous edition. I am delighted by this new edition, which brings many out-of-date issues up to date.
For a purely technical book, a gaffer's "bible," see Harry Box's Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, Third Edition: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution
A completely professional approach, July 20, 2001
By
brian mclaren (LA)
The thing about this book is that it is written from a completely professional point of view. It deals with lighting as it is really practiced on professional movie sets - not like most books on cinematography which seem to be written by people who haven't actually done it all that much in the real world. I've bought about every book there is on movie lighting and most of them are a waste of money.
This book covers everything from a basic introduction to color, exposure and electricity up to the more complex technical issues you have to deal with as a gaffer or cinematographer: very thorough and comprehensive. The Set Technicians book is good if all you are trying to be is an electrician, but this is the one you want if you really want to move up as a gaffer, lighting director or Director of Photography. Except for one chapter (film exposure), everything in the book applies equally well to video, digital video or High Def. There is also a very good chapter on video which covers what you REALLY have to know to work in video lighting.
If you work (or want to work) in the motion picture industry, knowing lighting is the key to advancement and success. This is the book to get if you really want to learn motion picture and video lighting.
A good lighting manual for a beginning cameraperson., October 20, 1998
By
Blaine Brown's book provides a decent explanation of set lighting, it's instruments and protocol. The text, though, seems to speak more to the cameraperson or AC who is curious about lighting. There is a lack of attention given to the juicers and hammers who are actually creating and shaping the light. There is a considerable amount of text granted to electrics and the distribution of power, but much more thorough and much more practically explained definitions are readily available in Harry Box's "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook."
