Guess the Lighting : A.I. (2001)

Morning exercise for me.

Let’s play, “Guess the Lighting” with these stills from the film we just looked at in American Cinematographer to see if reading the article gives any insight, and it probably doesn’t cause AC is a magazine more concerned with showing insane lighting setups only hollywood movies can do.

If I’m wrong, correct me. It’s a learning experience for everyone. Also keep in mind it’s 2001 so no LEDs technology.

Also the point of this is that good lighting is timeless. Nothing changes - lighting ratio, eye lights, etc - I don’t think that will ever change, even with the tech changing so much. Of course, tastes change - but overall light from upstage, then add fill, check ratios throughout a film, and go by gut. And nowadays, we have a big safety net which is the unsung hero of all films, the colorist. I feel like they should share the Oscar with the Cinematographer, but I digress.

A.I. Was SHOT with Zeiss Superspeeds with Dior Net that lowers contrast with 500T and 200T film stocks and looks like probably 90%-100% in a studio.

Light by that awesome overhead practical, edge light on hair motivated by the fireplace, soft push from frontal side fill, and HMI or gelled light from outside the windows.

Silhouette shot so strong backlight, tiny bit of frontal light maybe to lift up the rain drops.

Lots of fog in background - sweeping HMI into background and strong hmi or so edge light on face from 3/4 angle creating that shadow, hair light, and a bounce board or frontal fill or a soft light for frontal fill like a kino.

Cross back lighting - from left side and right side - no hair light, motivated by practical on the left. But where is the right side backlight coming from? No one cares except like 0.001% of the audience.

Hey that’s a lot of Dior net? Double net that lens. Still it’s gorgeous how film overexposes. Try doing this on the fx3, friends! Super powerful 3/4 edge light that motivates all the lighting. Tiny eye light from right, maybe bounce return to get light on Haley Joel. Again, that’s why we shoot film - you can overexposure and there’s no penalty - it looks gorgeous.

Yikes - this might not fly in 2024! A little cheesy. But hey this is kind of a weird sick kids movie? Anyway low super strong like hmi backlight shooting up, lots of haze or fog. looks like a soft push of fill light from the left, also to light up the foreground stuff.

this is cool - he’s being keyed from a low angle like from a kino flo tube from camera left. Shooting thru stuff to get that reflection. Keying from a low angle is super interesting because instintially it feels like it creates a pumpkin lantern or spooky campfire effect when done poorly. Motivated by a practical probably.

This setup was talked about in AC. It’s like three overhead layers of lights and like 20ks in the shot as practical. Plus the use of Chinese lanterns are awesome and look at all that color contrast. The blue and the sodium vapor mixed is beautiful.

A little cheesy in 2024 maybe cause of the set design but probably overhead pink or purple kino tubes. Nothing else - that’s why Jude Law has raccoon eyes.

Lit a little heavy by 2024 standards, but probably putting a 500 watt photoflood in the practical then strong hair light and strong 3/4 edge light. Also a soft light from the fill side.

Love this. Maybe a leko light on Jude and Haley or just barn doored nicely.

3/4 edge or side light mostly hitting the copies of Haley and also hitting Haley. probably a kino or so for fill.

That was fun. What do you think?