The Basics are the Basics – For Good Reason
My focus in college was solely screenwriting. I was passionate and driven to do one thing really well – screenwriting. Sure, I worked on student film projects and spent hours in the editing suites, but at that time all that was secondary to me.
I was a story guy – not a gear or software guy. In fact, I hated production in college because it was boring.
Funny how things change. I am still, at the core, a story guy. But now, I’m just as much a gear and software guy. I can debate anyone about my software choices and I have been heard ranting about why full-frame cameras have a better look than Super-35 cameras.
However, one thing I learned in school that stuck: accurate exposure is the basic of the basics. I still use the exact same piece of gear I purchased for film class: the Sekonic L-398A Studio Deluxe II Light Meter.
Sekonic L-398A Studio Deluxe II Light Meter
This tool is as low-tech as low-tech can get: analog and no batteries – it’s only function is to define proper exposure for a specific spot in your frame, which is almost always someone’s face.
I sometimes wonder what made me hang onto this meter for two decades. In college, the meter fascinated me – it looked cool on my desk. Other than that, it was “too basic” – a tool from the past.
Then, along came editing. Specifically, editing material I was shooting. Another lesson from film school: when you have to endure the edit of what you shoot, you will become a better shooter. You will also get better at lighting, exposure, composition and timing.
Growing tired of fixing exposure and color in post production pushed me to pay more attention to these things while on set. If I can get 95% correct in-camera, I save time and money on the back end. That’s when I had my eureka moment while staring at my Sekonic Studio Deluxe II Light Meter on my desk. I put in my camera bag and it’s been there ever since.
Today, on every shoot, with my Sekonic in hand, I am reminded that the basics are what they are for a reason – they endure time and invention. The reality is that it took the adult in me to realize that Edward Weston’s invention of the first direct-reading light meter in 1932 would stand the test of time.