Lighting for Digital Video and Television, 3rd Edition

Now we’re going to take a look at the variety of lighting instruments that are used in film, video, and television lighting. These are the basic tools of the trade, but they range in complexity and cost from the simple and inexpensive to the complex and very pricey.

First, here is a bit of terminology you may run into. The historical theatre term for any lighting instrument was luminaire, from the French term for what we would call a “luminary.” Many companies still use this term, though it’s not common to hear an American lighting gaffer asking for a Mole 1 K by saying “Hand moi that luminaire de bébé, s’il vous plaît. It’s more likely to be ...