Projected Light Effects

With the availability of computerised effects some older techniques have been discontinued along with a great deal of their cumbersome equipment. Nevertheless some of the earlier techniques still have their uses.

Static projected effects

Projectors equipped with glass slides or cut-out masks can cast light and shadows to imply that something is behind the camera, when in reality it doesn’t exist. Typical would be sunlight through prison bars, open doors, stained-glass windows, etc.

Reflected light

Faced with the problem of projecting the light from a passing train onto an actor’s face no electronic equipment can compete with the very simple technique of reflecting a high-powered spot on to a revolving drum of mirrors. The rectangular images flashed at a controllable rate will simulate exactly what happens in real life.

Aircraft, trains and spaceships

Scripts that call for vehicles to be travelling when in actual fact they are stationary require some sort of an effect to imply motion – windows and ports that are blank give no support to the drama.

Where software or stored effects are unavailable a source of light projected on to a revolving drum will provide all that is needed. It can be reflected straight on to translucent screens behind the windows or used in conjunction with blue-screen chroma-key techniques (page 66).

A variable-speed drum can be surfaced with different materials to give different effects. Spots of glitter can be used to simulate a spacecraft passing through a meteorite shower, while a layer of metal foil which undulates will simulate the walls of a tunnel seen from an underground train. The same foil, lightly greased, will, when reflected on to the translucent windows of a stationary aircraft, give the impression of rushing clouds.

Animated light effects

The latest ‘moving’ light projectors are capable of producing a number of useful effects. Based upon a mirror system which divides a single light source into two they project the beams through rotating discs known as gobos. Their semi-three-dimensional effects include flames, clouds and water.

PROJECTED LIGHT EFFECTS

1. Backings for performers
Projected in this way, light can be used to provide large superimposed backings for performers appearing in front of a second camera, a, TV camera, b, Sheet of patterned glass, c, Revolving drum, d, Serewed-up aluminium foil, e, Projector light.

2. Water ripples
This set-up produces the water ripple effect associated with sea and shipboard scenes, a, Lamp, b, Pieces of broken mirror, c, Tray of water.