I believe in America, a voice in the darkness says. The scene fades in to a single light shining onto the forehead of a balding man. Everything else is hidden within shadows. As the camera slowly pulls back, we see a light shine on the imposing silhouette of Marlon Brando. Thus starts the immortal beginning of The Godfather.

With the expertise of the legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, Francis Coppola chose to contrast the dark and ominous atmospheric interior surroundings and the bright sunny day of a wedding. Great cinematographers understand not only how to best light a set, but how light affects the mood of a scene and the emotions of an actor.


Light and Shadow Boot Camp emphasizes not only how to quickly and efficiently light and shoot a scene, but also how to manipulate light and shadow to further the themes, feelings, and plot of a film.

Things you will learn:

  • How to control the QUALITY OF LIGHT (Hard v. Soft lighting, Direct v. Bounce lighting, Gels v.  Filters) Learn the ins and outs each lighting style, how to create certain effects, and what mood each style can evoke.

  • How to create MOOD, TONE and GENRE (Night Lighting v. Day-for-Night Lighting, High Contrast v. Low Contrast) Discover the techniques of manipulating camera and light to suit the scene, from moody film noir to romantic comedy.
  • How to choose CAMERA ANGLE, LENS, and MOVEMENT  (High v. Low Angles, Wide v. Long Lenses, Stationary v. Smooth-Tracking v. Documentary-Style Handheld) Determine the best visual style to tell the story, reveal the plot, keep the audience engaged.
  • How to shoot WITHOUT A BIG BUDGET (Source Lighting, Lighting Strategies, Over/Under Exposure, Use of Shadow) Gather tricks and tips that will enable you to shoot a scene at minimal costs – Gorilla Style with Finesse.


Light and Shadow Boot Camp focuses on the philosophy that shadow is just as, if not more, important to the depth of a scene than light. Each day, the instructor will demonstrate lighting techniques from a different genre. With only a handful of lights, little time, and a small crew, participants will work in small groups and learn lighting under stress and everyday production constraints.

Check us out on YouTube

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"This class takes you to a new level of excellence! You can take those skills into your production and save time and money!"- Kim Albert, Writer/Producer

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