Lynch Gives an Inside Look at the Lighting Scheme for Season 5
The HBO original series follows a group of computer programmers and their quest to build a successful start up company (Pied Piper) using a game-changing algorithm. Heading into its fifth season, Silicon Valleyhas had quite the run so far, garnering wide critical praise, and a multitude of notable accolades and awards as well. Season Four ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving fans with plenty of questions. With the built-up anticipation, we caught up with Gaffer Ryan Lynch who discussed his lighting techniques and game plan for Season Five.
Shooting a series with the tech-driven backdrop of Silicon Valleywould require the need for sleek, portable and flexible lighting solutions for many different scenarios. Having been the Gaffer of the show since Season Four, Lynch has come across many challenging situations which called for the use of LiteRibbon. “We used many versions of LiteRibbonfor various computer monitor work throughout the show,” says Lynch. He adds, “We also used LiteRibbon for car interior scenes or just getting a small source into a tiny space, usually battery powered.”
LiteMat would be a consistent staple throughout the series. “LiteMats are rigged often in various places around any one set. Sometimes we use them for night interiors to punch up practical lamps,” says Lynch. He adds, “Any elevator set on stage gets a couple for a soft top light. Once in a while, a 2L with a narrow honeycomb will work as a little eye light.” Lynch and his crew utilized LiteMats in the Pied Piper office, which is a new set for the upcoming season. “The new Pied Piper office set has more LEDs built into the set including 6 LiteMat 4s rigged as skylights from above,” says Lynch.
The crew also had multiple LiteTile 8’s and LiteBox 4×8’s rigged above the new Pied Piper office. “I’ve been using LiteBox 4×8’s on a regular basis,” says Lynch, “We have been using the 4×8 LiteBox with a custom diffusion face and 40 degree SnapGrid. It makes an easy soft source for the Pied Piper office.”
Silicon ValleySeason Five premieres March 25th on HBO. If you haven’t seen the show, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s Mike Judge’s comical take on the booming tech capital’s cultural atmosphere. Think Office Spacemeets The Social Network. Seasons 1-4 are currently streaming on HBO Now. As a long time fan of the show, I am personally looking forward to seeing what kind of shenanigans the Pied Piper crew gets into!