Lighting for PDs

As part of the Step Up strand, we're offering training aimed at addressing workplace best practice as well as how to stay healthy, happy and productive at work.

The ability to work creatively with light is a crucial skill for any shooting producer/director (PD). This course aims to give a broad understanding of essential approaches to working with light on location and in the studio – whether filming observational sequences or lighting for sit-down interviews. It will include a series of practical tips and techniques to build participants’ confidence to be able to work effectively and efficiently with light. 

Who it's for

This course is aimed at DV directors, assistant producers and PDs in unscripted TV who are already confident and competent self-shooters. The course can still benefit those who are not yet working as PDs.

The majority of the USF online short course offering is for those at an early career stage and above. As a result, we generally require applicants to have at least three credits (unless working in a traditionally uncredited role). If you strongly feel you would still benefit from the training, please email USF@screenskills.com so we can assess if an exception should be made.

We are committed to ensuring all our courses are accessible to everyone. This course is designed to be as interactive as possible. Please email the above address if you have any access requirements and we will be delighted to help, be that clarifying the form such interaction is likely to take or discussing reasonable adjustments.

What it covers

The course will involve discussion and demonstrations using clips and stills from various programmes. Areas covered include: 

• Why we light
• Using different styles to create mood, tone and texture. 
• Working with available light 
• Colour temperature and white balance
• Lighting with minimal kit: reflectors, practicals and single light set-ups
• Three- and four-point lighting: in studios and on location 
• Lighting kit for the shooting PD: what’s best and what’s feasible
• Top tips and techniques

Trainer: 

The course is run by Ashok Prasad – who is an experienced self-shooting producer-director and trained educator. A former Head of Documentaries at the National Film & Television School, Ashok has taught programme making at Westminster University and London’s University of the Arts as well as with programme makers at community groups and at the BBC. 

Ashok has more than twenty-five years of experience making documentaries, and primetime specialist factual and current affairs films for major broadcasters. He has worked as a solo camera operator and director responsible for setting up lighting as well as directing multi-camera crews in more complex shoots. 

He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Authority and has a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. 

How to apply

This session will take place online via Zoom. Click ‘apply now’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application.

If you need additional support to complete your application or require the application form in an alternative format please contact USF@screenskills.com

Places on these free online courses are limited and applications are often highly competitive. To stand the best chance of securing a place, please be sure to consider the following:

• When asked to list your three most recent credits, please include the programme title and your job role.
• When asked what you hope to gain from the course, please be concise but ensure you cover the specific elements of the topic you would like to gain knowledge of and what gaps in your skillset you believe the course may address. A rewording of the course title or a general comment on career progression does not tell us much about how this course would benefit you.

If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the 'decline ticket' function on the right hand side of the page so that we can release your place. Our sessions are often oversubscribed, so we’d like to give other freelancers the opportunity to fill available spots. Thank you for your consideration.

This course is supported by ScreenSkills, by the Unscripted TV Skills Fund thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

This course would normally cost participants to attend, but thanks to this support, we are able to offer it to you for free. If you fail to attend, we reserve the right to request reimbursement of costs, unless your place can be taken by someone else.