1: Upstage Lighting & the Pareto Principle

The Key to the Framework:

The idea of Upstage Lighting and understanding why it is advantageous to cinematographers looking to create depth and interest in a scene cannot be underestimated.

Whether you are location scouting, lighting a scene, or dissecting references for an upcoming project, understanding when and where Upstage Lighting can be beneficial can help solve a number of common issues.

If there is any tip you take away from this 7 part series I hope it is this one.  Upstage Lighting has a trickle down effect to everything within a frame and can be the easiest change you make to your cinematography workflow.

This concept really serves as the foundation of the Framework and I hope after seeing it explained here that you go out and experiment with it to see if it has a place in your toolkit.

Important Frames:

1. What is the line?

2. What does Upstage Lighting look like?

3. What Does Downstage Lighting look like?

The Next Step:

In the next video we will look at a term I call "The Point of Control or POC" and how understanding where the point of control is in a location will be the springboard for designing solutions that fit your look and budget.

Make sure to look out for the next email in your inbox!  One down and 6 to go.

Happy shooting!

- Patrick