Dim the lights effect?

I'm making a film which involve shooting in a library. I want to shoot with the lights off(and use only a flash light) . That will probably not be possible, so I want to create an effect which turns of the lights.

I haven't tried, but will a ND-filter do the job?
Or does FCPX have a bulid-in effect?

Neguah,

an ND filter will just limit the amount of light getting into your camera. It has the same effect as using a smaller aperture or a faster shutter speed.

You might have a reason for filming without light, maybe it is because you want certain areas to be more visible than others. If this is the case, you'll have to put more light on those areas than on the background. This way you can darken the image with either a smaller aperture or an ND filter and the highlighted areas will still be visible. But there has to be a difference in the lighting intensity, otherwise you won't get the desired effect.

In addition to that you could try to use a subtle day for night filter. Again, hard to say as I don't know your needs. What is the effect you are trying to achieve?

Overturf wrote: Neguah,

an ND filter will just limit the amount of light getting into your camera. It has the same effect as using a smaller aperture or a faster shutter speed.

Ahh, of course. I didn't think of that.

Overturf wrote: Again, hard to say as I don't know your needs. What is the effect you are trying to achieve?

Some kids visit the library during opening hours. They hide and wait until it closes. And this is the part where the lights are off and the kids are searching for a specific book.

This has to happen between 0730-1630, and during this period the library is open.

Okay, sounds like you want to fake a flashlight that a kid holds in its hands. I would try to achieve a lot while filming - make the library as dark as possible and use a really strong flashlight. Try to work with shadows.

Later in FCPX you could try to put a day-for-night filter on the clip. Maybe duplicate the clip on top of itself (this time without the day-for-night) and mask out the area that the flashlight shines on. Use a blend mode that fits your needs.

Also, you might want to add a vignette, just for the look.

Good luck!

Overturf wrote: Okay, sounds like you want to fake a flashlight that a kid holds in its hands. I would try to achieve a lot while filming - make the library as dark as possible and use a really strong flashlight. Try to work with shadows.

Later in FCPX you could try to put a day-for-night filter on the clip. Maybe duplicate the clip on top of itself (this time without the day-for-night) and mask out the area that the flashlight shines on. Use a blend mode that fits your needs.

Also, you might want to add a vignette, just for the look.

Good luck!

Sounds about right!
I'll try to arrange something. Perhaps we can shut the lights off in the area we are filming.

I'll play with the duplicate, day for night and masking.

Thanks for your help!