Green problem for lighting men and cinematographers

[Andrew_Swallow]

The European Union's plan to plan to ban filament bulbs on environmental grounds is likely to cause problems for lighting men and cinematographers.

This video news item from BBC News24 covered it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6430000/newsid_6436200/6436259.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm#

Any environmental law passed in Europe and Australia will probably be copied in California, home of Hollywood. New York may also join in, home of the tv networks. Assuming that they have not already done this.

As part of its environmental plan the European Commission is proposing:

" * A possible ban on incandescent bulbs - with filaments - in offices, street lights and private homes by the end of the decade

EU officials are working on a directive that would compel the use of modern low-energy fluorescent light bulbs. It could come into force as early as next year.

The Australian government announced similar plans to phase out old-style filament bulbs last month. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6433503.stm

I may be out of date but the last time I looked the big spot lamps used in tv and film studios and live theatres contained filament bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs may use a quarter of the power after 20 minutes but they are very wasteful if they are on for say a four minute scene.

Fluorescent lamps may save money by lasting fifteen times as long but they do not work with dimmer switches, that will make on set "Fades to black" difficult.

[Dr Maturin]

Wow, here we have quite the potential battle: Environmentalist whackos vs. Hollywood unions.

[Aezvina]

If studies proof oldschool lighting is more effective it should simply be tollerated.

If they seriously feel about banning then they should put more research into power conserving lights for all purposes not just the standard household market because that's where the profit is..

[AaronB]

This raises an interesting question, what type of lighting did the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" use? If they used the old school lighting, I guess it was OK since it was to produce the movie

[Andrew_Swallow]

The other alternative type of lamp are LED lights. A sample site is here.

http://www.ledtronics.com

Currently the LED manufactures are targeting the general public but one or two of the manufactures may be willing to accept a commission to make LED spot lights and LED flood lamps. The manufacture will have to be told how bright to make them, the firm just adds LEDs until the required brightness has been achieved. Current brightness is easy to measure you just stick a light meter 1 metre away from the light.

Unlike fluorescent bulbs LED lights can be made to dim and flash which should makes fades much easier. The bulbs can be all white. They also come in red, green and blue. Make a lamp out of all 3 and its colour balance can be adjusted in the field, possibly dynamically.