How to make your own homemade light rig for a video shoot.

 

 

 

Yesterday Black Sheep Media House set out on our fourth shoot for Black Satellite‘s up and coming music video.  We wanted to create a dynamic lighting set up that would play well with motion and add another dimension type look.  While many professional lighting rigs would cost thousands of dollars, we set out on a trip to our local Lowes location and built a set up fairly cheap.   Check out our process and some images from our shoot below.

The Completed Lighting Rig

Supplies Needed:

  • 2 – 2×8’s  8′ feet long
  • 24 – LED Tube Lights from Amazon 5,000K temperature
  • 10 – 5 foot long  – 1/2″ PVC Pipes
  • Roll of Gaff Tape
  • 2 – 50′ Long old extension cord
  • 3 – Cans of Black Gloss Spray Paint
  • 1 – 5/8″ drill bit
  • Bag of 50 zip ties

Tools Needed:

  • Drill
  • Circular Saw
  • Utility Knife
  • Wire Stripper
  • Sharpie Marker

 

Lights break, be sure to order extra bulbs.

Step 1 –  We cut our 2×8 plank into 8×8 inch square sections that will be used for the base of each light stand.

Step 2 – Cut each 5′ long PVC pipe in half leaving us with 20 posts.

Step 3 – Drill each 8×8 wooden base with a hole just deep and wide enough to hold your PVC pipe.

Step 4 -Insert each PVC post into the base and spray paint each black.  (Use gaffers tape to make sure the fit is snug and secure.)

Step 5 – Mark out your extension cord with a sharpie marker in even sections where you would like each one of your lights.  (We measured every 2’6″)

Step 6 – Cut your second extension cord into two foot sections and use a wire stripper to expose both ends of the line so you can splice the connection into your main line for each light stand.

Step 7 – Be careful not to cut yourself (like Jorge) when exposing your main extension cord on the mark that you have made.  Begin to tie in your two foot extensions into your main line.

Step 8 – Be sure to tape each connection individually as your add your wiring extensions.

Step 9 – After adding the base to each LED tube, connect your tube light to your new wiring rig and zip tie each to your previously created base.

Step 10 – Double check that no wires are exposed and each connection is taped individually.

Step 11 – Cross your fingers and plug in your extension cord.

 

Did you create your own lighting rig using these steps?  If so, we’d love to see it.  Share them on social media and be sure to tag @BlackSheepMediaHouse so we can check them out!  Stay creative!

 

 

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