B&W film in theater

[duchan]

Hi,

 

I will soon have a chance to take pics of the rehearsals at a

regional vaudeville show, have been asked not to use flash. From what

I understand, the stage lighting will fluctuate from performer(s) to

performer(s), sometimes bright, sometimes darker. Initially, I had

thought of using HP5 pushed to 800 and setting the camera on AE

mode. But then I thought of using Neopan 1600 - that changing light

issue has me thinking, and I'd like to read your insight. Also, is

1600 with AE setting going to work, or should I go it manually? Lens

to be used is a 50/1.5

 

Greetings,

Duchan

[trooper]

Either materials approach is likely to get usable results for you.... I'm responding because I've done quite a bit of this in local theaters. As cast members became more accustomed to the lobby enhancement and souveniers that my 8 X 10 glossies provided, I became more intrusive over time. I now get right on stage during dress rehearsals and make certain to be as invisible as possible but still get the angles I want. The pictures are naturally much more intimate. I even use soft fill-flash when needed for the harsh sidelighting that can occur. This took some conditioning and asking for a minute from the director to forewarn and remind of my presence helps, too. It also seems that everyone becomes more relaxed with the canned "ta-da" shots and cast shots when you are accepted as part of the action. I use a MF rangefinder when on stage and 35mm when forced to work from more distance. If you feel you're not getting good usable images, don't hesitate to set up some staged shots. These people are acting anyway, so it really doesn't look all that contrived if done right. Remember, too, these people are typically very egocentric and you can easily play to that and get good cooperation. Even the rather plain ones like to be told they've got great cheekbones for pictures!

[gary_watson]

Another workable approach is to use either Fuji NPZ or Superia 800 and desaturate. Just steer toward overexposure with any C41 material.

[jason_fitzmaurice]

First of all I'd ask if I could attend the tech rehersal. This is usually what is called a "Cue to Cue". This means they wil not preform the whole show, but only go from just before a lighting and sound cue to just after. This will let you meter darn near every light situation there will be so You can decide. Depending on the look of the show I've been able to shoot everything from 100 iso to needing to push to 6400. I would bring HP5 and Neopan 1600 (or Ilford 3200 or TMZ you get the idea). If possible I'd load two bodies one with each. Then if you have enough light shoot HP5 at either 400 or 800, then shoot some with more depth of field with your 1600. I've done a lot of this, as well as done light and sound for area productions. So this isthe POV of someone who has both set the lights, and taken the production stills.

If you have only one body and can't attend a rehersal, goi for the 1600.

[mark feldstein]

Howdy Duchan ! There's some worthwhile info here. Last week, I think, someone asked a very similar question and got some good replies as well. You might try to find it.

 

Meanwhile, after doing this kind of photography for many years (longer than I care to remember) I'll give you two additional tips. First, careful planning is really important to success in theatrical work. Attending a tech rehearsal will allow you to meter each scene and particularly troublesome areas of a scene and let you write some notes so you're one step ahead when shooting during a regular rehearsal. AND second, working closely with the director, the cast and crew will prove to be a real boon to what you're trying to do, especially in terms of cooperation. If, as someone suggested, you work long enough with a particular company, you can blend into the woodwork (or stage planks <G>) so as not to be accepted as just being there and essentially free to come and go anywhere you please during rehearsals as long as you don't disrupt what's going on.

 

Film? Yeah Neopan 1600 is good. I also get good results using Tri-X 400 at ISO 300. But then, I tend to use a tripod much of the time (unless I'm shooting from the wings) and some very fast lenses. My preference being a Nikkor 85mm 1.8 that works like a light sponge. A 50mm is ok if you can get close enough, otherwise I think it's a reach unless you're shooting wide scenes from the front rows or you're up on a ladder.

 

I also shoot Agfa Optima 400 C-41 quite a bit at ISO 200 (overexposing by one stop). For regular set-ups during photo calls when I'm using mainly medium format eq. and aux. lighting like strobes in a softbox, I still shoot Tri-X but Tri-X pro 320 at ISO 250 and have the lab process it using D-76 cut 1:1. Produces some very nice results and prints that do well in the reproduction process like newspapers and magazines. If you're really in a crunch for light, you can either push that Neopan to 3200 (one stop) or use something like Ilford 3200 which can also be rated at 800 (which is where it's supposed to be, I guess). Some guys like T-max 3200 but I just don't like the contrast with that film at that ISO. Personal preference I suppose.

Take it light. Mark

[duchan]

Thanks all for your advice, very helpful info! Time issues will not allow me to meter the tech rehearsal, so I'll go it with the Neopan 1600. But can I use AE mode setting with the 1600? This flashless indoors scenario is absolutely new to me, and I'm not too confident going it with the manual setting. (Would sunny f-16 work? That would be a high shutter speed setting with the Neopan). Sending you best wishes.

 

Duchan

[jason_fitzmaurice]

IF you aren't confidenr doing i manually, try using AE. I recently took some shots of a band in a bar and since it was just for fun, decided to try auto focus, and auto exposyre just to see how it worked. Surprisingly I got a fair number of usable images. Having said that I do get more usuable frames when I meter and set exposure manually.

[patrick_gainer]

First, the director varies what the audience sees by these changes of lighting. I have had some experience with such situations, and I usually set the exposure for the well lit scenes and leave it, on the theory that this will let the camera see what the audience would see.

 

I have found the 1/60 at 2.8 works for ISO 400 in most cases.

 

Most of my experience has been with symphony orchestra rehearsals. I sat in the midst of the orchestra because I was the principal oboist. Rehearsals are where the good pictures are to be had. The lighting is pretty much constant. I learned very soon that the kind of auto exposure systems available then should be turned off, because from my viewpoint the btightly lit music stands weighted the highlights too much.

[al_divenuti]

Unfortunately, Patrick, theatrical lighting is likely to prove a whole different ball of wax.

 

The lighting will certainly vary scene to scene (though you might have some latitude to control it during a rehearsal) and more importantly the incident light on the scene will likely be far from uniform.

 

I've typically found that with a 50mm lens at f/1.4 or f/2 I can get a 1/125 shutter speed at EI 800 or so for many conditions.

 

If you're shooting color film - be very conscious of the color temperature of the lighting. Actors wear makeup for a reason and though the human eye may accept certain combinations of makeup-modified skintone and lighting as natural - your film may not. Filters may be needed to correct this. I typically find that the makeup on facial skintones is quite obvious unless corrected with a slight cooling filter.