How to Film Outdoors - Diffusion Outside.

☀️ You’re filming outside, in direct sunlight and it’s causing all kinds of harsh shadows and chaos.
🎬 How do films make their outdoor shots look so good?
Often they will be using a diffusion frame to soften the harsh direct sunlight, which gives the subjects a more even and flattering look.
The complexities come into this when dealing with wide or moving shots. A standard 6x6 or 8x8 should be enough for most stationary shots, but if you need to go wider than this, you will need to start looking at larger frames, which will mean more crew and more sand bags. (If there’s even the slightest breath of breeze these frames turn into sails and can fly off into the distance!)
For a moving shot, you can rig the frame to stands on wheels and move with the actor, or if it’s a tight shot you might be able to get away with ‘Hollywooding’ a 4x4.
The whole idea is to make the light that falls across the actors face fall more gradually into shadow, the same way a soft box does on a studio light. This will offer a more flattering look and can help shape the face more evenly.
Different diffusion cloths will offer different ‘stops’ (how much light they take out) giving you a little more control over how much you’re changing the effect of the sun.
You can also add some bounce and neg fill to shape the face even further.
This frame kit is from Glide Gear and is a great low cost starter kit with 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 options.
Have you used diffusion frames to soften hard light before?
‪@GLIDEGEAR‬

[@jackhealey-campbell4502]

Such a good video thanks for the useful info!!!

[@kitherco]

Thanks so much for the support!