How To Light A Cinematic Bar Scene | Filmmaking Tutorial

Lighting is the most important aspect of creating the "cinematic" look. It's more important than your camera, lenses, or any other new-fangled piece of gear. Case in point: have you tried to light a bar scene and find yourself not knowing where to start? In this video, Garrett dives into how to use contrasting colors to create highly stylized and saturated looks for your next movie, short, or music video.

This video is not about the gear, but the concepts used to create the overall look. You can produce this look with tons of different light and camera configurations. That said, if you're interested in what gear I use, here are the links.

// GEAR IN THE BAR SCENE //
Gemini 1x1 Soft bhpho.to/35cWHgy
Gemini 2x1 Soft bhpho.to/35aEAaU
Snapbag 1x1 bhpho.to/3BOc7qe
Snapgrid 1x1 bhpho.to/3tvs8i0
Gemini 1x1 Dual Array bhpho.to/3l98vZo
2x3 Solid Flag bhpho.to/3BRXHFs
C-Stand bhpho.to/2WZYipo
Combo Stand bhpho.to/3jOsWeC
RED Komodo bhpho.to/3f4RgHe
WC Komodo Accessory Kit (Pro) bhpho.to/2OUwgYM
SmallHD Monitor (current gen) bhpho.to/3n6xzCO
Teradek Wireless (current gen) bhpho.to/3n8DyXK
WC Mattebox bhpho.to/3zVUnZr
Anton Bauer V-Mount bhpho.to/3jT6Uav

// NOT USED BUT MENTIONED //
Rosco Gel Kit bhpho.to/3C4W4oj
48" Floppy Cutter bhpho.to/38PKyAw
Duvetyne Roll bhpho.to/3jQSY0I

// GEAR I USE TO MAKE YT VIDEOS //
Panasonic GH5S bhpho.to/2NGupTI
Panasonic G85 bhpho.to/3dJJsal
Canon EF 16-24mm f/2.8 L II bhpho.to/2UfCXU0
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II bhpho.to/37scgB3
Metabones Speed Booster XL bhpho.to/2GqiWU8
PolarPro 82mm Vari ND Filter bhpho.to/38qltdd


//TABLE OF CONTENTS //
0:00 Bar Scene
0:33 Intro
1:08 STEP ONE: Planning
3:30 STEP TWO: The Setup
4:21 Light 1: Practical Light
5:05 Light 2: Background Light
6:55 Light 3: Side Key Light
9:22 Light 4: Negative Fill (not a light)
10:38 Light 5: Cut Light
12:04 STEP THREE: Adapt & Adjust

// THINGS TO KNOW //
Follow me on TikTok – tiktok.com/@garrett.sammons
Let's connect on IG – instagram.com/garrettsammons
The music I use fm.pxf.io/garrett

// #howto #light #filmmaking //

*This video is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. Some of the links listed above are affiliate link. It costs nothing extra to use and helps me create new videos.

My name is Garrett. I am a full-time commercial producer, part-time film professor, and avid whiskey enthusiast living in Metro Detroit. I began on YouTube to help bridge the technical and financial gap filmmakers face by giving away the same content I talk about in my classrooms. Learn tricks of the trade, discover new gear, stay up with filmmaking trends, dive into how I pull off cinematic looks, and so much more.