Support NeoGAF

[lenovox1]

From Mic: Keeping ‘Insecure’ lit: HBO cinematographer Ava Berkofsky on properly lighting black faces

By Xavier Harding

The actors on HBO’s Insecure are hotter than you. They’re hotter than your friends, they’re hotter than me and they’re even hotter than the ex the show won’t let you forget about. [..]But whether you’re #TeamIssa or #TeamLawrence, you have to admit the people who portray the show’s female and male leads — Rae and actor Jay Ellis — pop on screen, as do everyone else. This isn’t an accident.

Any brown person who’s taken a selfie in the club can tell you cameras aren’t made for us. Yet in Insecure’s club scenes, dark-skinned protagonists like Yvonne Orji’s Molly continue to impress. You can thank Ava Berkofsky, the show’s director of photography, for that. Berkofsky was brought on for the show’s second season (currently airing on HBO) to give the show a more movie-like look, which includes making black faces not only legible, but striking.

“When I was in film school, no one ever talked about lighting nonwhite people,” Berkofsky said in a phone interview with Mic. “There are all these general rules about lighting people of color, like throw green light or amber light at them. It’s weird.” These rules are a start, but they’re far from a complete picture.

“The conventional way of doing things was that if you put the skin tones around 70 IRE, it’s going to look right,” Berkofsky said. IRE, a unit used in the measurement of composite video signals (named for the initials of the Institute of Radio Engineers), ranges from 0 to 100. “If you’ve got black skin, [dialing it] up to 50 or 70 is just going to make the rest of the image look weird.” The resulting image looks very bright, Berkofsky noted, similar to what you’d see in traditional sitcoms like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or The Cosby Show.​

[...]

“When I was in film school, no one ever talked about lighting nonwhite people.” — Ava Berkofsky
Berkofsky said the secret to making television resemble film is providing different levels of light to the scene. “[In sitcoms], everything is the same level of brightness. That’s what I’m trying to avoid,” she said. “The trick is keeping [light] off the walls. If you keep it off the walls, you can expose for the faces and it still has a cinematic look.” When working on Insecure, the cinematographer wants every scene to look like a painting.​

Berkofsky also said Insecure’s look was influenced by movies like Ava DuVernay’s Academy Award-nominated 2014 feature Selma; in the past, DuVernay has called out shows like Boardwalk Empire for improper lighting when showing both black and white faces on screen.

So how do you make a show look like a piece of art while also doing justice to black faces? The answer is a special whiteboard and a light dab of shiny makeup.

Berkofsky said all of Insecure’s actors take light differently, but rather than putting light directly on them, she uses reflection instead. Similar to Dickerson’s use of moisturizer on the She’s Gotta Have It cast, this adds a bit of shine. “Rather than pound someone’s face with light, have the light reflect off them,” she said. “I always use a white or [canvas-like] muslin, so instead of adding more light, the skin can reflect it.”

Instead of a simple whiteboard, the Insecure crew makes use of whiteboards with little LED lights inside, called S2 LiteMat 4s. In the very first image up top, a 1-foot-by-3-foot LiteMat at low intensity was put near Rae’s face. According to the cinematographer, “it’s reflecting on her skin rather than ‘lighting’ it.”


Berkofsky, in an email to Mic, also discussed the value of a filter called a polarizer: “People use them when shooting glass, or cars, or any surface that intensely reflects light. The filter affects how much reflection a window, or any surface has. The same principal works with skin, and this can be a highly effective way to shape the reflected light on an actors face.”

Full article with video and photos at the source.

 

[Slayven]

Yeah a lot Podcasts of Color talk about how well the show is filmed. Not just the lightening but the makeup as well.

Spoiler

The Footless Kind

 

[Rumblebones]

It's really about time.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Yeah, one of y'all on here shared this a while back. A good video.

 

[lenovox1]

Yeah a lot Podcasts of Color talk about how well the show is filmed. Not just the lightening but the makeup as well.

Spoiler

The Footless Kind

Even the predominantly black dramas on Oprah's network OWN that Tyler Perry created have that overblown, over exposed look. Tyler Perry's director of photography should steal some tips.

 

[Air]

There's a great video about this floating on Facebook somewhere

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I like this.

 

[Mariolee]

Saw this around the time the finale premiered. Thought it was a very interesting insight into how the person in charge of lighting on shows works, and it's a hell of a lot more difficult than I gave them credit for. Also another feather in Insecure's incredible cap.

 

[Slayven]

Even the predominantly black dramas on Oprah's network OWN that Tyler Perry created have that overblown, over exposed look. Tyler Perry's director of photography should steal some tips.

Queen Sugar is pretty good about it

 

[MoonsaultSlayer]

Pics/comparisons for the lazy?

 

[caliph95]

Queen Sugar is pretty good about it

Is that good

Looks interesting

 

[Slayven]

Is that good

Looks interesting

it is

 

[DonShula]

“When I was in film school, no one ever talked about lighting nonwhite people,” Berkofsky said in a phone interview with Mic. “There are all these general rules about lighting people of color, like throw green light or amber light at them. It’s weird.” These rules are a start, but they’re far from a complete picture.

Considering that lighting lends so much to the “human” aspect, this is amazing to me. So many darker skinned actors are terribly lit in shows where whites are lit expertly. That so few DPs and directors are seeing this (or don’t care) is surprising to me. Maybe it shouldn’t be.

 

[Leona Lewis]

The episode in Handmaid's Tale with Moira in

Spoiler

Jezebels

was a shameful display of exactly this problem.

 

[old]

I love these inside baseball breakdowns. I never thought about skin tones and lighting. Fascinating.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

There's a great video about this floating on Facebook somewhere

Oh, it's on Facebook. I guess that explains why I can't find it on YouTube. Since you said floating, I guess you don't know where to find it either.

 

[Vicetrailia]

So no photos for proof?

 

[Htown]

When it comes to calibrating film cameras to properly light a subject, we attribute much of what we know to Kodak’s work with “Shirley cards” from the 1940s through 1990s. Color film was adjusted against the cards, named after model and Kodak employee Shirley Page who appeared on the initial set. As Richard Photo Lab worker Jersson Garcia told NPR in 2014, “If Shirley looked good, everything else was OK. If Shirley didn’t look so hot that day, we had to tweak something — something was wrong.”

Despite their worldwide use, for decades the cards featured only white women. According to Vox, things shifted when companies complained to Kodak that they couldn’t tell different-colored wood products apart.

priorities

 

[Chmpocalypse]

This is fantastic attention to real, human detail. I love it.

 

[royalan]

Ooohhh, this should help out my selfie game.

My 'Gram bout to blow up!

 

[Slayven]

priorities

LOL money and wood talks

 

[SamVimes]

I was thinking that it wasn't done that well especially in the early club scenes, but apparently she only came on board in season 2? Everyone did look way better then.

 

[Jenov]

There's a great Vox video about the history of film/photos and how initially film was only balanced for light skin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=135&v=d16LNHIEJzs

 

[SomedayTheFire]

Amazing show and it looks amazing too.

So no photos for proof?

There's a link in the op.

 

[Sobriquet]

It blows my mind how many DPs and CLTs don't know how to light black skin. Everything she's saying is pretty basic. Note that a new CLT came in for season 2. Since there are two DPs in the second season, seems like he deserves a little credit.

 

[lenovox1]

Considering that lighting lends so much to the “human” aspect, this is amazing to me. So many darker skinned actors are terribly lit in shows where whites are lit expertly. That so few DPs and directors are seeing this (or don’t care) is surprising to me. Maybe it shouldn’t be.

The default mode for all the equipment they use is to light pale skin tones perfectly AND that's what they get taught in film school as the default. Basically, you must get creative in lighting darker skin tone and be more aware the way light and shadow works in order to light that skin accurately and beautifully.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

Everyone does look amazing on that show.

 

[lenovox1]

Oh, it's on Facebook. I guess that explains why I can't find it on YouTube. Since you said floating, I guess you don't know where to find it either.

The video:

https://twitter.com/VKTabeth/status/907877409122390017?s=09

They use Ava's techniques directly on Xavier as she narrates. You can get the best idea of how effective her techniques are through it.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

Good. There’s a difference in filming skin tones that people need to realize and compensate for. One of my many criticisms of Detroit was how terribly the people of color were filmed in that movie.

 

[number11]

Can’t say I’ve ever noticed. Does anyone have any examples of bad lighting?

 

[Magnus]

Huh. I haven't noticed this being a problem before. Hadn't even thought about. Any good comparison photos?

 

[Andrew J.]

I recall reading somewhere that Ryan Coogler's team includes makeup artists and cinematographers that also use techniques for filming dark skin that are relatively rare in the rest of Hollywood.

 

[AuthenticM]

Interesting. Is this type of lighting good only for black people? How would it make faces of white people look? I watched the first season of Insecure (very good, btw) and I didn't notice anything different about the effect of lighting on black vs white people on the show. The lighting looked the same as any other well-shot show, like Hannibal, for exemple.

 

[royalan]

Can’t say I’ve ever noticed. Does anyone have any examples of bad lighting?

Huh. I haven't noticed this being a problem before. Hadn't even thought about. Any good comparison photos?

You guys probably haven't noticed because, surprise, it's not something white dominated Hollywood has every really cared about until recently. You only really notice when a show lights black skin well because everything else is just standard. There are examples in the article.

 

[Messofanego]

There's a great Vox video about the history of film/photos and how initially film was only balanced for light skin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=135&v=d16LNHIEJzs

Yup, this is worth watching in context of this article.

 

[Dmax3901]

Is Insecure a good show?

 

[royalan]

Is Insecure a good show?

Great show.

 

[Infinite]

Moonlight also used this technique and it pretty much set the bar on how to light dark skin as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad a show like insecure is following suit

 

[rudger]

I remember learning about this problem in film school. All the tools for cameras are designed around white faces. Older movies were especially egregious about this leaving black actors looking too soft and muddied, especially if the shot also included a white face. Glad somebody has finally tackled this, it’s about fucking time. Guess I should finally get to watching Insecure.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Interesting. Is this type of lighting good only for black people? How would it make faces of white people look? I watched the first season of Insecure (very good, btw) and I didn't notice anything different about the effect of lighting on black vs white people on the show. The lighting looked the same as any other well-shot show, like Hannibal, for exemple.

They’re going to look worse.

It really comes down to how much time and attention you’re going to spend on different lighting setups. If you have many different actors with many different skin tones you either go for a “good enough” setup that won’t blow anyone out or render them unreognizavle, or you have to shape the light and tailor it for each person.

A show that’s predominantly shades of lighter or dark-skinned people is going to be much easier than a mix of tones. The use of “cinematic” is probably apt because you’re spending way more money and time on shots for features than a television show under normal circumstances.

 

[AuthenticM]

You guys probably haven't noticed because, surprise, it's not something white dominated Hollywood has every really cared about until recently. You only really notice when a show lights black skin well because everything else is just standard. There are examples in the article.

The article only features screenshots of the lighting talked about in the article. I'd like a side-by-side comparison of that type of lighting compared to lighting that does not take into account black faces.

edit: for example, is there something off about Laurence Fishburne's face here?

 

[Dmax3901]

Great show.

Will check it out!

 

[Cookie18]

The article only features screenshots of the lighting talked about in the article. I'd like a side-by-side comparison of that type of lighting compared to lighting that does not take into account black faces.

edit: for example, is there something off about Laurence Fishburne's face here?

This. I went through the link but it only shows the good examples. Can we see some bad examples of lighting to compare it?

 

[lenovox1]

The article only features screenshots of the lighting talked about in the article. I'd like a side-by-side comparison of that type of lighting compared to lighting that does not take into account black faces.

edit: for example, is there something off about Laurence Fishburne's face here?

This is how he looks in his current headshot, the best lighting an actor will ever get.

You'll notice how the shadow does not sink in to darker parts of his skin. That there is actual dimension in his face, and you see light reflecting off the peaks on his face. You can actually easily read expressions with that type of light. And he doesn't seem to be wearing makeup in this, just moisturizer.

It's also why I kept the reference to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Cosby Show in there.

(The Fresh Prince of Bel Air)

(Living Single)

This is sitcom lighting in general, but the basic technique to tape dark skin tones is to blast the room with A LOT of light everywhere. Will Smith and James Avery aren't that pale in anything else they've been in.

 

[royalan]

This. I went through the link but it only shows the good examples. Can we see some bad examples of lighting to compare it?

Insecure is receiving near universal praise for how it lights its black actors. There is no universal standard for how lighting black skin has been done "poorly" to really compare it to other than to say "look at black actors in most other shows and note the differences yourself."

Here's a quick example of the top of my head. Here's the main character from Insecure, Issa:

Notice how you can see her natural skin tone, but there is still a brightness to her face. A glow. They achieve this cinematic brightness without washing her out, and they achieve it regardless of whether or not it's a night scene or a day shot:

Now, I'm no film guy, but I would guess this has a lot to do with Berkofsky generally avoiding the use of direct light to light the actors.


Now, just pulling a name out of a hat, let's look at Kerry Washington in Scandal:

Not that Scandal is particularly noted for lighting its black actors poorly, but you can make out the difference here. If you have a propensity toward lightness, the way Kerry is lit here might not register as off to you. However, anybody who has seen a candid shot of Kerry Washington knows that this isn't her skin tone. She's completely washed out here.

And when they show does go for lighting that more accurately portrays Kerry's skin, the glow is often missing, and the shot almost looks matte:

Again, I'm no film guy, I feel like I'm explaining this poorly, and somebody with experience might sail into the thread and completely clock me. That said, Insecure is receiving a lot of praise specifically for its lighting. And when I see shots like this, featuring four black women with different skin tones:

And they're ALL glowing and nobody looks washed out, it's easy to see why. Even to my untrained eye.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

This is pretty cool. And yes, club selfies are the worst.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

You'll notice how the shadow does not sink in to darker parts of his skin. That there is actual dimension in his face, and you see light reflecting off the peaks on his face. You can actually easily read expressions with that type of light. And he doesn't seem to be wearing makeup in this, just moisturizer.

Yeah, depth is the biggest thing to look for in faces. Noses should stick out, eyes should have sockets, and so on. The problem you have sometimes is that faces are lit so that they look flat, and night scenes and lowlight situations can cause the biggest hurdles where only the eyes are visible. It also means getting skin tones to be correct; again, the problem is that they often get blown out and look white/flat or way too dark/black.

I remember Straight Outta Compton doing a real good job, but I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that the DP worked with Spike Lee a lot and the director filming people of color as well.

(I keep having to change "shooting" to filming" so I don't write "shoot black people")