American Cinematographer - July 1990 - 84

We're not just
Lions and

son. The tests were comparative to de¬
termine an empirical set of numbers for
the intensity of the two flashing systems
for use during filming. Correlation was a
must as I would be working with both
units interchangeably throughout the
show. I also had to set the parameters for
the percentage of flash exposure to be
used on the film.
Both manufacturers supply a
set of instructions and charts as a jump¬

Tigers and Bears.

ing-off point for the tests. Panaflasher
percentage system of numbers
(5%, 10%, 15%) to set the intensity of the
light on the flasher unit. What the per¬
centage means one has to figure out for

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oneself. VariCon on the other hand uses
low con filters, (1/2,1, 2, and so on) as
the comparative relationship to the
amount of flash.
I shot tests on actors, with
different lighting ratios ranging from lots
of fill lighttonofill light. In addition, tests
were shot in bright sun, side lighting with

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fill, and direct back light with no fill
light. I also did some exterior night tests.
All shots were filmed using both units
with a full range of comparative flash
settings.
Everything was printed at one
light and projected for comparison. I was
no

©Photos (l-r): Lex Hes, Belinda

Wright / Stanley Breeden and
Stephen Krasemann / DRK
c

1989 National

Geographic Society

able to determine that the 10% flash

setting on the Panaflasher was very close
setting on the Vari¬

to the No. 1 low con

Con. With this determined, the rest of the

settings fell into place. Visually I found
the 10% flash setting was the best over¬
all with a range of from 5% to 20%
workable. Any higher than 20% and the
blacks went milky; less than 5% was not
perceptible. Areas that were black in the
control shots, with little or no detail,
when flashed at 10% suddenly had a
sense of something there. The black
areas in most cases, depending on the on
the amount of flash exposure (up to 20%
in a high contrast scene) held up nicely.

The shots of the actors where there was
no fill light on one side of the face had

visible details. With the addition of a
12 1/2% flash facial features were evi¬
dent. The night shots were very much
no

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flash.
If there is not enough

light in a

put some detail onto the nega¬
tive in dark areas,no amount of flashing
will improve the situation. What does
happen is the impression that the shad¬
scene to

ows

become translucent

-

no more
American Cinematographer - July 1990

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