5 Haiku is an experimental short film, in which future actors and filmmakers read classical and modern short poems, haiku.
Actors, Poems and Lighting
1. Alex
Basho
Broad loop lighting - the key light (fresnel with a white diffuser) is on the side, about 30 degrees to the right in from of the actor, and directed on the side of the face, which is turned towards the camera.
2. Amanda
Thomas Grieg
Short loop lighting - the key light is about 30 degrees to the side from the front, directed to the side of the face that is turned slightly away from the camera. Blue gels of various tones and shades, plus a white diffuser on a fresnel light.
3. Eddy
Kyoshi Takahama
Rembrandt lighting - the light is on the side, raised up, with a brown color gel on it, plus a white diffuser for light softness.
4. Melissa
Jack Kerouac
Partial paramount lighting (“butterfly”) - softened with a white diffuser, the key light is right above the camera, light falls on the face from the front and slightly above; no lower fill light (hence, partial paramount). The hard rim light is on the back above the actor, slightly to the left.
5. Zef
Chris Spruck
Split lighting - the key light is on the right side about 90 degrees, aligned with the actor, only half of the face is lit.
Special thanks to Duane Gardella.
About Haiku
Haiku, or hokku, is a very short form of poetry.
Japanese haiku is typically characterized by three qualities:
- Juxtaposition of two images or ideas and a "cutting word" between them.
- 17 phonetic sounds or syllables, in three phrases of 5, 7 and 5 on respectively.
- A seasonal reference.
A typical haiku in English is a three-line observation about a fleeting moment involving nature.
Lighting Summary
- Broad loop - the key light (fresnel with a white diffuser) is on the side, about 30 degrees to the right in from of the actor, and directed on the side of the face, which is turned towards the camera.
- Short loop - the key light is about 30 degrees to the side from the front, directed to the side of the face that is turned slightly away from the camera. Blue gels, white diffuser on a fresnel light.
- "Rembrandt"- the light is on the side, raised up, with a brown color gel and a white diffuser.
- Partial Paramount (“Butterfly”) - softened with a white diffuser, the key light is right above the camera. The hard rim light is on the back above the actor, slightly to the left.
- Split - the key light is on the right side ~ 90 degrees, aligned with the actor, only half of the face is lit.