How to Set Up Fluorescent Lighting for a Video
- 1). Purchase fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts to prevent light flickering and hum, which can disrupt audio recording as well as produce uneven light beams. Ensure the fluorescent light bulbs produce 3200k for indoor filming to 5600k for outdoor filming. Both types of lights should produce a full light spectrum with natural color light. Purchase these lights from home improvement retail stores.
- 2). Place a set of two fluorescent tubes 6 feet above the ground by securing the light to a light stand or on a shelf. Lay the tubes so they rest horizontally. Position this light tube on the right side of the camera. The light beam should point down at the subject at a 45-degree angle.
- 3). Place another set of two fluorescent tubes vertically on the ground on the opposite side of the camera. These lights will counteract the shadowing effect created by the first set of lights. Secure these lights by leaning them up against a chair, or have an assistant hold the lights. Since fluorescent lights run cool, they are safe to the touch when on.
- 4). Position one fluorescent tube light on the floor directly behind the subject, and point its light beam up toward the top of the subject to create a highlight around the edge of the subject. This type of light is known as a backlight, and its purpose is to separate the subject from the background.
- 5). Turn on all the lights and have an assistant hold a white sheet of paper in front of his face. Turn on the camcorder and zoom into the white paper so the paper takes up the entire frame. Press the "White Balance" button on the camcorder. This is important as fluorescent lights tend to deliver whiter light, and if the camera is not properly white-balanced, the images will take on a yellowish hue. Every camcorder, amateur and professional, features a white balance feature. Refer to the camcorder owner's manual if you are unsure how to perform this function.
- 6). Position the subject in this frame, and review the lighting through the camcorder's view finder. If the lighting is appropriate, you are ready to begin filming.