3 Point Lighting

The 3 point lighting system is used throughout the visual mediums of film, television and photography, and it forms the basis of most lighting.
The three types of lighting used are : Key light, fill light and back light, all of which have an impact on the look of a scene.

• The key light is usually the brightest light, and therefore affects the look of the scene the most. It's put on one side of the focal object to allow one side to be fully lit, and also create a shadow on the other side, which often gives a more intersting image with more depth.
• The fill light would be put on other side the the key light, and fills shadows created by the key, hence the name"fill". It is normally softer and not as bright as the key, and may be placed a distance from the focal object, but sometimes more of a flood light effect is used with it to give a wider lit area.
• Finally, the back light is a light placed behind the focal object and gives light from the back, hence the name again. This light will provide a definition to the focal object, and make it stand out more by slightly highlighting the outlines of the object. This light helps create a 3-D look to a scene, and stops the scene being so flat against the background.

Obviously, all of these lights are important to get the visuals of a scene right, and make the scene look more natural than it would with just one spotlight. Without any lighting at all, the scene may not look contrasted enough, and so look lower budget and quality, which is obviously not what any film director wants. Overall, the lighting of a scene is one of the most important things to consider if a film is to look high class and well finished.