Shooting from inside out?

[shooter]

Just curious for tips and recommendations on shooting from within a home or office or automobile during the daytime and maintaining the view outside the windows. I'm hoping there are solutions other than greenscreen or complex compositing. In the past, I've just waited until the "perfect" time of day when I can fairly closely match the light outside to the lit set inside but that isn't always practical. What if you are panning or moving in 3 dimensions with a jib, compositing or green screen replacement becomes really difficult then. I've seen many films where they used that approach but you can tell the "outside" shot doesn't match the perspective of the move so it looks cheap.

Advice appreciated.

-shooter

[um3k]

I'm far from an expert, but I would think you could somehow filter the windows to match the light levels. Window tint maybe?

Or you could use really, really bright lights inside. :P

[weirdcrew]

A quick way is net on frames like a 20'*20', but then you can't be to close to the window (you'll see it then) and you can't put 2 of them together because it will most probably moraine. You can then put ND filter over the windows and ND them down (make sure they're put on neatly, since any wrinkle will most probably reflect) .

Last option is to light inside but if done carefully and cleverly you won't feel it. Best way is to bounce strong sources so they're soft. If you don't see the ceiling do it off that. It'll most of the time look more natural.

If it's strong sun outside and some of it is shining in I find it better to under expose people slightly - generally I think we see outside as brighter so it's good to keep that balance in camera as well (as much as narrative allows).

Fredrik

[shooter]

A quick way is net on frames like a 20'*20', but then you can't be to close to the window (you'll see it then) and you can't put 2 of them together because it will most probably moraine. You can then put ND filter over the windows and ND them down (make sure they're put on neatly, since any wrinkle will most probably reflect) .

Last option is to light inside but if done carefully and cleverly you won't feel it. Best way is to bounce strong sources so they're soft. If you don't see the ceiling do it off that. It'll most of the time look more natural.

If it's strong sun outside and some of it is shining in I find it better to under expose people slightly - generally I think we see outside as brighter so it's good to keep that balance in camera as well (as much as narrative allows).

Fredrik

Great ideas, thanks Fredrik.

-shooter

[FractureD]

Yep, only two options really.

Gel the windows or bump up the lights, just watch the heat. Like weirdcrew said, bounce them to keep it *cooler* in the room.

good luck.
- liam

[shooter]

Is that it? Having this in the cinematography forum, I was hoping for some feedback from seasoned cinematographers about "how it's done". There have to be more tricks (or common practices) for solving these problems.

Please advise,

-shooter

[wiseur]

I like to expose for the outside, or maybe just overexpose the exterior about a stop. This gives me a nice dark interior that I can either punch up with a big source from the window, or just let the scene play in silhouette against a window.

I never gel windows, it seems "fake" to my eye. I'd rather raise the light level from the window to suit my needs - and then regulate the fill to suit the drama of the scene.