Time Based Media - High and Low Key Lighting

The next project we are doing increases to 10 seconds long, and must contain (within a single shot) a transition from high key to low key lighting (or vice versa).  When I was just typing the title out, "High and Low" made me think of the Kurosawa movie of the same name.  I can't remember if there's any instance of this kind of transition in the film, but I do like it a lot!  I might have to give it a re-watch soon...

There was a scene from Network which contains a great transitional moment like this during the speech Arthur Jensen (played by Ned Beatty) gives to Howard Beale.  I'll include it below the jump.  The reason it came to mind is because the lighting change is so dramatic and theatrical that it really draws attention to itself.  But, I don't think it destroys the illusion of the film world for the following reasons:  we are kind of swimming in Howard Beale's headspace (which dir. Sidney Lumet slams us into with the ECUs of his eyes) and the dogmatic writing of Paddy Chayefsky (this movie really is firing on all cylinders!), the melodramatic staging.  They all create an atmosphere of such high tension and drama that I totally buy it!


I would like to try to compress that moment, highlighting the lighting transition.  I've assembled a group, and we are going to meet on Sunday to begin discussing our strategy.  Right now it's just a fun idea.  We'll see how it goes!

Here's the scene: