ABSTRACT
Great cinematographers often talk about “painting with light,” and many of them will talk fluently about the techniques of classical painters for capturing light and creating a sense of depth through the use of light and dark, known as chiaroscuro. The look of television and video lighting is advancing all the time. Imagining new looks and envisioning the next level is the art of the individual imagination. Television shows with a unique “look” that stands apart from every other show on TV don’t happen accidentally. A show such as Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (1993–1999), with its heavy use of industrial grillework shadows, has an immediate visual identity that is completely in keeping with the feel and premise of the show. Innovation in instruments is sometimes technical, but is more often just inventive use of components in a new way.
