2025-10-10 – Weekly Film News : HMIs as 'sun': A game-changer?

Last week, our discussions spanned from debates about traditional film education’s value to practical advice for assembling a crew. Members shared personal experiences and insights on the utility of film schools in today’s industry, while others discussed the essential gear that has stood the test of time in their careers. There was also a lively exchange on finding reliable crew members for projects of all sizes.


This Week’s Hot Topics

First feature to rely on HMIs for ‘sun’
There’s a fascinating thread on the technical challenges and creative solutions of using HMIs to simulate sunlight in feature films. It’s a deep dive into lighting techniques that could change how we think about natural lighting on set.
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Is Film School Worth It Anymore?
The perennial debate on the necessity of formal education in film continues. This discussion weighs traditional schooling against self-taught methods, providing perspectives from both new and seasoned filmmakers.
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Camera Gear You Swear By?
Sharing is caring, especially when it comes to trusted camera gear. Discover what tools your peers rely on to get the perfect shot and why they wouldn’t leave home without them.
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Where Do You Find Crew for Your Projects?
A practical conversation on networks, resources, and tips for connecting with talented crew members. Essential for anyone gearing up for their next film project.
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Screenwriting Resources That Actually Help?
Uncover the resources that writers find genuinely useful, from courses to software that can elevate your screenwriting game.
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What’s Your Favorite Editing Software and Why?
Explore the pros and cons of various editing software as filmmakers share their personal favorites and the features that make them indispensable.
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How Do You Organize Your Production Workflow?
Organizational tips and tricks to streamline production processes, from pre-production to post-production, are being shared in this insightful thread.
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FAQ/Guidelines
A useful resource for newcomers to get acquainted with our community norms and expectations.
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Admin Guide: Getting Started
For those looking to navigate the administrative side of the forum, this guide is a helpful starting point.
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How Do You Break into the Film Industry?
An ongoing conversation offering various entry points and strategies for launching a career in film.
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Looking forward to another engaging week of discussions with everyone. Keep the ideas coming!

HMIs have ‘stood the test’ — 6K through 1/2 CTS on 12x at about 30 ft. Managing 60A on tight locations?

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@louisa_g +1 on the 6K/½ CTS — one tweak: let the main beam kiss a 12x ultrabounce for body, then steal a sliver off a 4x4 mirror for a crisp ‘sun’ edge, and run an electronic ballast in flicker‑free/1000 Hz so 120–240 fps stays clean; PFC ballasts also keep a 6K happy on a 60A lunchbox. If power’s tight, a 1200d Pro into the mirror sells the glint without angering the breaker gods — have you run into banding when mixing with LED practicals?

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Been faking noon sun with an M90 at about 40 ft; what really sells it’s a 12x ultrabounce for body and a 12x solid for negative fill on the far side, plus 1/8 CTS so skin stays warm without going orange. @louisa_g quick add: top/side solids to kill the bounce’s sky contamination, or your ‘sun’ goes cyan at the edges — anyone sneaking 1/8 Plus Green to match low‑E windows, or do you just ride WB?

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I’ve had better luck treating the HMI ‘sun’ as a touch hotter than key — about +2/3 stop — and popping 1/8 Minus Green to keep skin clean, plus a circular polarizer to tame window/car sheen… Anyone else biasing WB around 5000K to get a warmer ‘sun’ without stacking gels, or am I inventing my own weather system?

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If you want the HMI ‘sun’ to feel real, push it way back — about 3–4x the window height — and match its elevation to the scene’s time-of-day with a sun-path app; the distance gives “clean, parallel shadows,” and I ride level with window ND instead of dimming to avoid color shifts. @louisa_g do you ever match altitude like that?

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