Budget Friendly And Super Easy DIY Bank Light Alternative

Not everyone can afford a pair of KinoFlo’s, or perhaps can’t justify dropping several thousand dollars on lighting for a simple side project. This is where this incredibly uncomplicated, incredibly quick DIY light project comes into play. It’s so simple, the only thing that requires tools is attaching the mounting brackets to the light fixture, which, it turns out, is as easy as it sounds. Plus, the entire setup will cost you about $71 a light including the bulbs.

Now, as you’re watching the video, keep in mind that this DIY project has the hobbysist in mind, as a professional shooter working on a large production may not want to show up to set with a DIY light setup–though the creator of the video, Basic Filmmaker, says he has (once) just to prove they’d work.

https://vimeo.com/119823473

The Four Big Issues With DIY Fluorescent Lights & Their Workarounds

Fluorescent lights are notorious for poor quality light and flickering that causes filmmakers to cringe. Here’s how this particular hack addresses each of them, making them studio worthy. There are links included, but these items can usually be sourced from the hardware store, as well.

1. Flickering – These lights come with a pre-installed electronic ballast regulates current to lights to eliminate flicker.
2. Wiring – The lamps mentioned above also come equipped with a 3-prong plug, so no additional wiring needed.
3. Light Quality – Look for bulbs, like these Philips Straight T8 Bulbs, that are 5k with a color rendering index (CRI) rating of 90 or higher.
4. Mountable – Add brackets to the lights that will make it possible to mount on your light stands.

Of course, there are additional hacks you could do to these lights, as the Basic Filmmaker pointed out in the video. For example, you could start by painting the fixtures flat black and DIYing yourself up some barn doors or diffusion panels, but that all depends on how involved and hands-on you want to get.

[ via Vimeo ]