Lighting Gels & Filters
Lighting Gels were originally made from a substance called gelatine, although they tend now to be made from plastic materials. Gels come in sheets, half- sheets and rolls and are manufactured by the main lighting suppliers such as Lee filters, Arri, Cirrolite, Formatt and Ianiro among others.
Lighting gels are used to add colour to a shot, but the colour they add is a false effect so they are not appropriate for every situation
There are three basic categories of gels which are used in video and film work:
- Colour-conversion Gels
- Colour-correction Gels
- Colour-effect Gels
Due to the fact that colours can change considerably in different locations these gels are available in several densities or strengths, usually 1/4, 1/2, and full.