AVFX6001 Lighting Test Reflection

Purpose and chosen result

I tested how warm lighting could support the emotional atmosphere of POP’s miniature workshop while keeping the handmade surfaces visible. SmallRig015 is my preferred result so far because it appears closest to my Wildwood reference: it has the warmth and detail I want without appearing too bright.

Development from the earlier test

My earlier reflection focused on TEST_007, using a low-level NEEWER panel and an overhead spotlight at ISO 8000. The later tests used a slower shutter speed and lower ISO. This revised reflection focuses on the controlled SmallRig brightness comparison at ISO 100, with images SmallRig012–015 corresponding to 25%, 60%, 80% and 100% brightness.

Settings for SmallRig015

Canon EOS R7: 35mm, 1/10 sec, f/8, ISO 100. Ceiling spotlight: second notch of five. SmallRig Vibe P96L: 2500K at 100% brightness. NEEWER panel: 3600K at 100% brightness.

Reflection on warmth and material detail

The warmth reflects the affection I feel when remembering POP. I am developing an emotional interpretation of his workshop rather than trying to reproduce its lighting exactly. In my judgement, SmallRig015 balances this warmth with enough visible detail in the tools and work surface. This makes it a useful starting point for further tests on the miniature workshop.

Figure 1 Warm amber lighting in Wildwood. Screenshot Wildwood- Final Trailer | Get Tickets Now (LAIKA Studios, 2026, 01:24)

Image and settings record

The settings below come from Lighting Test Log Complete, pages 2–3. I matched SmallRig009–018 to the recorded test order from my recollection on 8 October 2026. The original log did not record the filenames alongside the settings.

Fixed throughout this sequence: 35mm, 1/10 sec, f/8; ceiling spotlight at notch 2 of 5; NEEWER at 3600K / 100%; SmallRig at 2500K. Only the ISO or SmallRig brightness changed within each comparison group.

SmallRig012

SmallRig013

SmallRig014

SmallRig015

Evidence still to add

Add the original SmallRig012–015 images together, labelled 25%, 60%, 80% and 100%, all at ISO 100. SmallRig015 is the selected result. The original image files were not available when this revised document was prepared.

Next test and production decision

I will use the SmallRig015 settings as a starting point on the miniature workshop, checking whether the shadows still reveal the material detail. This research informs the lighting approach for The Last Train, but the final workshop lighting remains to be tested.

Reference

• LAIKA Studios (2026) Wildwood – Final Trailer | Get Tickets Now [YouTube video], 16 September. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJQGtSeLPII (Accessed: 6 October 2026).

• Test record: Miniature Workshop Lighting Test Log, Lighting Test Log Complete, pp. 2–3.