Quick Take: A 150W In-Line Dimmer System That Costs $20

Controlling household or “practical” lighting within a scene is something we deal with all the time in the film industry.

To really set a scene appropriately, a cinematographer needs to be able to use light like a paintbrush. That’s why you need dimmer switches, which are the subject of this week’s Quick Take.

Though there are really expensive ones out there that can handle lights of up to a thousand watts, you can also get kits that handle 150W incandescent bulbs for around $20. The Carlton dimmer featured in this video is available for under $10 at Amazon, and all these component ought to be available at a local hardware store. Now you can literally paint with light!

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