Any light source visible to the audience or camera as part of the set: desk lamps, chandeliers, candles, street lamps, televisions. Practicals are wired to dimmers or controlled wirelessly so they can be set to look right on camera or stage, usually much dimmer than in real life, and they motivate the direction and color of the lighting around them. Gaffers often swap their lamps for lower-wattage or warmer ones.
Practical on the nightstand is blowing out on camera, put it on a dimmer at 30 percent and add a little CTO.
Also heard as
- practical light
- practical lamp
- prac
Related terms
Key light
The main light source illuminating a subject, setting the direction, exposure and character of the lighting.
Gaffer
The head of the lighting and electrical department on a film or television set.
CTO
Color Temperature Orange: a correction gel that warms daylight-balanced light toward tungsten color temperature.
Flag
A black fabric panel on a frame used on film sets to block light from hitting part of a scene or the lens.