Street Scene Lighting Techniques
When Jan delivers that chilling line "Dead", everything changes. You'll want a high-intensity, cold-white street lamp positioned above the actors to create harsh shadows on their faces - this immediately makes the scene feel more sinister and mysterious.
Projections of road markings on the floor instantly tell your audience they're on a street without needing elaborate sets. It's simple but effective. Meanwhile, a low-intensity blue wash from both the cyclorama and fresnels suggests it's nighttime, adding to that mysterious atmosphere.
Here's where it gets clever: when Mark says "Not hiding, dead", you'll fade red light in and out from the wings using par cans. This creates the effect of police car lights flashing, immediately suggesting danger and ramping up the tension.
The scene ends with a blackout on "What are we gonna do?" - leaving the audience hanging in suspense.
Pro Tip: Cold white light always feels more threatening than warm light, making it perfect for building tension.