ABSTRACT
Perhaps the most important aspect in selecting the lighting setup for any scene is consistency– consistency on several fronts. First, the choice of setup must be consistent with the mood of the script. It must be consistent with scenic elements and take cues from such things as window placement, placement of practical lighting fixtures on the set, established conventions, and unnatural effects that are to occur. This is not meant to imply that setups should emulate nature 100%. One of the joys of lighting is the fact that you can improve on nature and still maintain the illusion that it is responsible for the final look. The purpose of lighting is to further an illusion. When some element of the setup is not consistent with all the other elements, the illusion is destroyed. Good lighting is invisible. Bad lighting is obvious.
