Cheap Softbox Movie Light

Here is cheap light and softbox that I built for getting professional looking photos and video.

The Softbox is especially useful for three point lighting, probably the most common of all professional lighting methods.

This light should never be left alone when it is turned on! This applies to all movie lighting equipment!

This easy project uses modern compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) to provide warm tungsten (3000k) colored light.

YOU MUST USE A CFL LAMP OTHERWISE THINGS MIGHT GET TOO AND... HOT AND WOOSH! UP IN SMOKE!

Step 1 The Materials & Tools

You will need the following items:

Materials
- 1 Microphone boom stand( the stronger the better).
- 48WATT CFL Bulb ( I used a Warm 3000k model)
- Plastic PAR 38 floor lamp holder ( check that the bulb can screw into this holder).
- 50 Liter plastic box with lid
- About 10 long cable ties
- A bag of sand.
- Gaffa Tape
- Aluminum Foil
- Baking paper

Tools
- A drill and bit ( Make sure that the cable ties can fit through this size drill hole).
- A Chainsaw Drill File ( the cheapest circular file available and its is tough as nails).
- Some some cutters to trim the cable ties

Comments

[jemduff]

I used this again the other day to take some snaps of my gear

[tattoodude]

Where did you get the plastic PAR 38 floor lamp holder? I have been trying to find them for days now, and none of the electrical supply stores I have been to, phoned or gotten hold of via the web know what they are... :(

[MechanicalMashup]

 I did something similar on my Softbox ible (Here is a link to the ible) but yours makes more sense for a smaller version of what I have done. But maybe we should combine our ideas. If you put in a powerbar and some plug in light sockets you can make the build a little easier and manually dimmable by un screwing CFLs . 

Food for thought. Dont think I am hacking your idea it is really really solid what I said is just a suggestion.

Looking forward to more ibles from you...

[jemduff]

I like your idea .. maybe put three fixtures in there.. maybe.. heat might be a concern with too many fixtures.

I love the idea of PVC framing.. I'm going to build a 12 foot scrim using PVC!

[Lonelydad1962]

You can buy dimmable CFL's and you can use a dimmer switch I have done this and it works great

[antkinsey]

I THINK THIS IS THE MOST USEFULL INSTRUCTABLE I HAVE YET SEEN.
I SHALL BE BUILDING MY OWN UNIT SOON AND IT'S MOST CLEVER INDEED.
ILL TRY BUYING A BLACK 50 LT BOX AS WELL AS A CLEAR ONE. AND USE THE CLEAR LID ON THE BLACK BOX. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?. DO I NEED TO SAND BLAST THE LID TO GIVE IT MORE
MATT EFFECT? ANY IDEAS?

[jemduff]

I just use the oven proof cookie sheet inside the lid to diffuse the light. I have no sandblaster :) Good luck!

[iamtoats]

This looks much better than my cheap craft store lamps (simmilar to desk lamps, but can clip to anything... Those things like to "beam" the light more than disperse it evenly like these appear to do.