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Windows are a real challenge for lighting. This Morning uses a Rosco or similar gauze over the windows when it is very sunny (sometimes it looks like they use more than one layer) - which is essentially material with lots of tiny holes in it to massively reduce the light levels. (Trying to light a studio to match lunchtime summer sun is almost impossible without cooking people...)
Other solutions are to have frames of Neutral Density material (essentiall large bits of gel that cut down the light coming through) that can be placed over the windows, or alternatively you can (as many US broadcasters do) use polarising filters on the windows with complementary filters on the cameras (that effectively let you reduce the visibility of the direct light coming through the windows by rotating the polarising material on the camera). Polarisers don't cut down indirectly reflected light by the same amount though (as reflection will randomise polarisation) - so if you have sunlight hitting a sofa back, presenters hair etc. you can end up with very bright halos (the direct light is cut down massively, but the bounced stuff less-so). It is also very bright in the studio still with polarisers (as you're only cutting down the light the camera sees, not reducing the light levesl for people in the studio)
All of these require skill, and in some cases a lot of adjustment by people who know what they are doing. Most news-style shows will run on lower-levels of people, and with more multi-skilled staff who may not have these skills. (I would expect This Morning to have a more experienced lighting crew than GMTV for instance)
How did BBC Birmingham manage with the old Pebble Mill foyer & to a lesser extent, the 'second set' area near the Mailbox newsroom that the Politics Show uses, as I thought that was getting a little 'bright' on occasion?
Having real windows on studio sets can be a right pain though. Can cause all kinds of problems with lighting levels in the studio. I think This morning have some kind of filter over the window but im not totally sure on that and there window is confined to only one part of the set. I always remember BBC News 24 when it first moved into N8 and had the desk looking over the Mezz with the big windows in the background the blinds were nearly always closed due to the lighting from outside drowning the cameras.
Windows are a real challenge for lighting. This Morning uses a Rosco or similar gauze over the windows when it is very sunny (sometimes it looks like they use more than one layer) - which is essentially material with lots of tiny holes in it to massively reduce the light levels. (Trying to light a studio to match lunchtime summer sun is almost impossible without cooking people...)
Other solutions are to have frames of Neutral Density material (essentiall large bits of gel that cut down the light coming through) that can be placed over the windows, or alternatively you can (as many US broadcasters do) use polarising filters on the windows with complementary filters on the cameras (that effectively let you reduce the visibility of the direct light coming through the windows by rotating the polarising material on the camera). Polarisers don't cut down indirectly reflected light by the same amount though (as reflection will randomise polarisation) - so if you have sunlight hitting a sofa back, presenters hair etc. you can end up with very bright halos (the direct light is cut down massively, but the bounced stuff less-so). It is also very bright in the studio still with polarisers (as you're only cutting down the light the camera sees, not reducing the light levesl for people in the studio)
All of these require skill, and in some cases a lot of adjustment by people who know what they are doing. Most news-style shows will run on lower-levels of people, and with more multi-skilled staff who may not have these skills. (I would expect This Morning to have a more experienced lighting crew than GMTV for instance)
How did BBC Birmingham manage with the old Pebble Mill foyer & to a lesser extent, the 'second set' area near the Mailbox newsroom that the Politics Show uses, as I thought that was getting a little 'bright' on occasion?