A Simple Window Control Solution For Corporate Video Shoots

Jacin Lowe, a director of photography based in Bermuda, tagged Rosco in a number of his Instagram stories after using Roscoscrim on the windows during a corporate video shoot. Because he works in sunny Bermuda, most of the international companies he works with want that tropical landscape in the background. Jacin explains below how he is always searching for ways to control the bright sun coming in through the windows of the offices he shoots in, and why he chooses Cinegel #3809 Roscoscrim over other window control options.

Living on the island of Bermuda means that we are always competing against the hard sun blasting through the windows of the offices and businesses we shoot in. Add to that the fact that all the roofs in Bermuda are a pure white color, so we also have additional bounced light from the outside to compete with. One way to compete with bright sun outside is to use HMI fixtures inside. We tried them a few different ways: punching them into the ceiling, pushing them through diffusion, etc. I would say it would work about 65% of the time, usually when there was a light cloud cover to break up the sun. On a bright day though, it still wouldn't be enough and we would just blow out the background.

The other way to compete with bright sun is to apply Neutral Density gels to the windows. I have used them in the past, but, with these corporate jobs, we just don't have the time to set them up correctly. And we all know what happens when the ND’s aren't squeegeed onto the window right – the bubbles and warping are very visible.

Enter the Roscoscrim! I love it because you don't need to do any of that. Just tape it on and make sure it doesn't have any kinks. That's it! I don’t have to worry about making sure it doesn't crinkle or crease anymore. I can also reuse it over and over, and sometimes I don't even cut it off the roll – I just tape it into the window frame and let the roll hang or lay on the floor, saving me time and money. Roscoscrim is prone to lay flat, so when you put it on the window to size it up, it almost immediately gives you the results you’re looking for. Compared to gels where, if they are left rolled for a while, they have the tendency to want to curl up. Then you’re using an extra pair of hands to try and smooth it out, just to size it up on the window.

What I usually do is grab the scrim roll and put it on the window, while letting it roll down to the bottom, just to see where the top and bottom of the camera’s frame will be. Usually we want to have a little more than the camera frame, just in case they want to make adjustments later. After that, if I can get away with it, I will just tape the top and sides. If I have to, I’ll cut it to length before I tape it up. I also make sure to smooth it out a bit so the tape pulls it taut. No mess, no fuss. This simple window control technique takes me about 5-10 minutes tops, which allows me to move on quickly so I can adjust the rest of my lighting setup.

To see more of Jacin’s work, follow him on Instagram or visit his website: www.jacinclowe.com . If you’d like to learn more about the filters Jacin mentioned in this article, search for Roscoscrim in the Cinegel Product Page on the Rosco website, or contact your local Rosco dealer for a Cinegel swatch book. If you’re looking for more permanent solutions to limit the sunlight entering your shot, you can also explore the Window Control Solutions that we have to offer on the Rosco website.