Mike Staniforth / Free cinematography resource
Film lighting
diagrams.
Download a free 48-page PDF of real film lighting diagrams, overhead plans, behind-the-scenes images and scene breakdowns.
See where the lights went, why I put them there, and how the plan became the frame. These are working examples from films I’ve shot, including the compromises and the things I’d do differently.
Get the free PDF.
The frame.
The plan. The thinking.
Three sample pages from the download. The full PDF connects lighting layouts with scene context, composition, lens choices and behind-the-scenes photographs.
A kitchen scene built around the windows: an M40 through sheer curtains, SkyPanels for ambience and an S30 for an edge.
Enlarge pagePractical checklist
How to read a film
lighting diagram.
A useful lighting plan explains the scene, not just the equipment. Read each example in this order, then test whether the finished frame still follows the same logic.
- MotivationIdentify the window, practical or environmental source that makes the light believable.
- BlockingTrace where the actors and camera move, and which positions the setup must continue to serve.
- DirectionCheck source height, side, angle and the path from lamp to subject rather than reading fixture names alone.
- QualityNote the apparent source size, diffusion, bounce and negative fill that shape contrast and texture.
- ExposureDecide what must hold detail, what may fall away and how practicals and colour relationships are controlled.
- ContingencyLook for daylight changes, limited rigging, reflections and the compromises that affect the final shot.
From my sets
to your prep.
These are breakdowns from Underwater and The Road to Gehenna, directed by Michael Keogh, and The Farmhouse, directed by Garreth Carter and Will Douglas.
I’ve included the compromises as well as the finished frames: working with limited daylight, lighting a room for the actors to move through, and finding a night exterior with the crew and equipment available.
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