-Hi.

I'm Drew, and, today, we're going to see how with just a little shift in light and the addition of some sound, you can change the whole vibe.

Lighting design is the art of creating place, atmosphere, and mood using light, and sound design is the art of creating place, atmosphere, and mood using, you guessed it, sound or music.

Think about your favorite movie, TV show, play, amusement park, or even restaurant.

They all use light and sound to create a mood and pull you into the stories that they're trying to tell.

Change the mood and you change the story.

Um, let me think of an example I can give you.

Oh, of course.

Rewind!

[ Button clicks, tape rewinds ] Hi.

I'm Drew, and, today, we're going to see how, with just a little shift in light and the addition of some sound, you can change the whole vibe.

Remember that?

I was lit from the front with a lot of light on my face, and there was some pleasant music playing in the background.

But what if we change where the light was coming from?

Say, move it off to one side, onto the floor, and have it pointing up at me.

And suppose we change the music to be a bit more dramatic.

[ Eerie music plays ] Now I'll say the same line as before, and you'll see how the whole mood and feeling of the video have changed.

[ Eerie music continues ] [ Clears throat ] Hi.

I'm Drew, and, today, we're going to see how with just a little shift in light... and the addition of some sound, you can... [ Thunder crashes ] Eee!

Ohh!

...change the whole vibe.

You sure can.

So let's use some lighting and sound design to change up the mood and experiment with different ways to tell a story.

Here are some basic materials that you'll need.

A flashlight or two.

The light on a phone or a tablet works really well, some markers and some clear plastic, like Ziploc bags, if you want to create some colorful lights, and then something that plays music, like a phone or a stereo or even a record player, if you have one.

The first step is to find the darkest place in your house.

We can only really dramatically change the lighting of a place if we are in darkness.

A bathroom is a great place because often there aren't any windows and you can see yourself in the mirror.

Now with the room nice and dark, turn on your flashlight and move it around while lighting yourself.

How do you look if the light is above your head or off to the side?

How do you look if the light is just under your chin?

What happens if you put the flashlight on the floor and throw a huge shadow of yourself on the wall?

What happens if you add a second light to soften the shadows from the first light?

Try repeating a simple line of dialogue like, "Well, what do we have here?"

and expressing different emotions with your face and voice as you change the lighting.

For example, if the light is underneath you... [ Deep voice ] Well, what do we have here?

[ Laughs evilly ] And if the light is over your head, pointed down at you... Well, what do we have here?

Now, remember those markers and that piece of clear plastic I asked you to grab?

Take a marker and color a portion of the plastic.

I'll do mine in blue.

Then stick the plastic bag over the flashlight and voilà.

You now have a colored light.

Lighting designers call these gels.

Play around with different colored gels and see how they affect your scene.

Finally, let's add some music and sound effects to dial up the sense of place and atmosphere.

You could use music from a scary movie if your lighting is harsh and dramatic.

[ Intense music plays ] Or maybe something more gentle if your lighting is softer.

[ Soft music plays ] You can even add sound effects that are specific to the place you're trying to create.

[ Warbling ] Well, what do we have here?

[ Warbling ] Congratulations!

You are now a lighting and sound designer.

Isn't it amazing how much story we can communicate with just light and sound?

The next time you go to the theater or watch a movie or visit a restaurant, keep a close eye and ear on how light and sound create a sense of place and mood.

And when you get home, break out of the bathroom and use lights, gels, music, and sound to redesign your whole space.

[ Fingers click, upbeat music plays ] Have fun, and we'll see you next time.

Bye!