Lighting Development

November/ December

After I had changed roles from Texture-er to Lighting, I had to learn how to light a scene effectively. I incorporated what I had learnt from collage on the photography course.  Many of the principles are the same much like a set, with main lights and highlights etc. In addition to memory I researched professionals experience from films and games which I found very helpful.

I found lighting was key in a number of ways, and that there is a lot of meaning in every light within any scene. Applying this to the work I tried to light the scene in such a way the audience would be directed to the house in the centre of the scene. The house is the centre point of the scene, surrounded by mystery and kept secret of by the swamp.

As the swamp is enclosed I considered the light would be diffused through the leaves, no harsh shadows. The lights would be ambient to illuminate the scene; allowing the audience to differentiate shapes and the space. Fireflies would fly around the scene giving a mystical essence to it with the soft glow hovering above roots and water.

I found lighting a very technical role with values within the editors. How these affect different materials, as well as monitoring potential render times. If I made the scene too complicated the render time would not be possible to complete before the deadline. I have learnt a great deal about the importance of light within a scene.

In addition to lighting, my role included maintenance of the scene. I had to monitor the poly count to ensure the render time would not be too high. Create the setting for the scene, creating the composition. This required a lot of problem solving, patience and technical understanding of Maya. I have learnt a lot about the technicalities of Maya, solving problems and applying them to my work.