Silouhette

[Jimi]

Okay, here's one for you. Using the simplest possible method I'd like to open a scene with the whole of the set in silhouette. As an actor wanders on to the stage (still in silhouette) the lights then rise up to reveal the scene in full.

 

I've done a brief look using the search feature, but not come up with anything that really fits the bill. I got the idea earlier this evening when I was walking to the shop. I looked at the tree line and loved the way that it was silhouetted against the pale blue sky. The sky was bright, but didn't light the front of the scene.

[Don Allen]

easiest way is to use a cyc wash, you can get experiment with getting more character with backlight.

 

Otherwise you will have to use some form of sheet to project the actor onto with a flood on the floor at the base of the cyc facing downstage. A flood will give the sharpest image.

 

Both are easy to try if you have a cyc.

[Jivemaster]

Lots of light on the cyc and as little as possible from the front. You may even use black legs to prevent light off the cyc being reflected back onto faces.

[Grahame]

Works best if you can backlight the cyc.

[KindredHyperion]

Depending on your scene (mainly whether haze would look completely out of place or not...), a hazed out stage backlit with a few Coda floods is really effective.

 

A

[Maddison]

As everyone else has said, light up the cyc carefully.

 

One thing you might try, esp if you are going for the sunset sort of look is putting some flares up it, if there is space between the cyc and set, or stick them in behind the cyc (so long as you can't see them at source). Done that a couple of times for different effects, and it has worked well.