Babbling Banshee Blog

I’m working as the gaffer on The Babbling Banshee and this is like nothing I’ve done before. My experience lighting for theater was a bit rusty, but it all came back to me like drinking out of the fire hose. I was also able to bring in some photographic lighting tricks I’ve picked up over the past few years as a still photographer.

Light a pub, sure, how hard can it be.  Well, that depends on a few things, like:

• Are there mirrors (oh yea there are)
• Are the practicals useful for lighting and do they look good (yes and maybe)
• Where are the actors going to be (in that little, tiny, dark vestibule)
• Where is the camera going to be ( crammed into that same vestibule)
• Power outlets, what power outlets? (yes, we found some 20s half a floor down)

All in all, the challenges were pretty easy to overcome and some actually led to some creative lighting that looked great on monitor. We used a combination of 300w PAR 34 instruments and collapsible reflectors to create the scenes while using ambient light and practicals whenever available.

I’ll be working with the director to post some behind the scenes imagery over the next few days for your personal viewing enjoyment.

Tags: tech