Journal

Fatal Attraction: window light and a human lighting crane

Music VideosBehind the Scenes

Window light did most of the work on Lilliane’s Fatal Attraction. Our gaffer Nikita handled the moving soft light just outside the frame.

Lilliane singing at a microphone, with warm window light and shadows across the studio floor.

Lilliane wanted a warm, acoustic feel for Fatal Attraction. Her references included Ed Sheeran’s Visiting Hours performance video and Billie Eilish’s Wildflower. The direction was a performance-led film, with a warmer colour palette.

We also kept the set design simple, using what we could find around the studio that fitted the mood: a mirror, some white fabric and a speaker. Those few pieces gave the background more depth and helped build the atmosphere.

At Fade Street Studios, most of our light came through the big windows. We used that as backlight for Lilliane, then added a touch of soft light to her face.

That was where Nikita, our gaffer, became a human lighting crane.

He carried a boom arm with an amaran 200d, softbox and honeycomb grid, keeping it just above her face and adjusting its position as the camera moved. The light wasn’t simply set and left in one place. Nikita moved with the setup, responding to the camera position while the windows provided most of the illumination.

The finished frame shows the performance and that warm studio light. Just outside it, there’s a gaffer carrying a softbox on a boom. A fairly important part of the picture, even if you never see him in it.

I also did the colour grading, shaping the warm look in post to match the feel Lilliane wanted.

I directed, shot, edited and colour graded the video, with production by FruitFrame at Fade Street Studios in Dublin.

Watch Fatal Attraction on YouTube

Credits

  • Artist: Lilliane
  • Director, director of photography, editor and colourist: Jacek Snochowski
  • Gaffer: Nikita Kushch-Shevalov
  • Production: FruitFrame
  • Studio: Fade Street Studios

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