I had spent a month using the Aladdin Bi-Flex 1 on two projects. A TV series filmed in Switzerland (Ladies Happy Hours, Ep 2 to 5) and a short film filmed on location in Azemmour, Morroco. On these two projects the Aladdin Bi-Flexes were used 90% of the time as a key light, for aesthetic light effects on walls or as fill and back light.

First of all, the Bi-Flex 1 is an incredibly versatile solution for gaffers and cinematographers. My gaffers who didn’t know the product fell in love with it. We used the panels all the time on stands, taped to walls, in cars with different kind of grip, etc. Flat or in curve shape, it’s a truly amazing product. Thank you so much for that!

For the TV series our main location was a bar where we used two Aladdin Bi-Flexes 1 with a softbox as main light above the tables. They gave a nice soft light for the group of five girls, our main characters. The rest of the lights we used were tungsten for backlight, hair light and soft fill. At 3200K everything matched perfectly and the pictures captured by the Sony FS-7 in S-Log2 were great. The rest of the series I filmed in different locations with the Bi-Flex mostly as keylight. Sometimes we imitated sodium streetlamps with gel filters on the Bi-Flexes. Most of the time one of the Bi-Flexes was equipped with a softbox.

On the short film, the Bi-Flexes 1 were mainly used to illuminate locations as top light or on walls. Here again, my gaffer adopted them immediately and most of the time we kept other lamps in the truck. We used the Aladdins with some gel filters with mixed temperatures without any issues. I filmed that one on the ARRI Alexa+ and the images captured in Log-C were gorgeous and without any color shifts.

I’m currently starting a documentary across France and I will use the Bi-Flex  again.

Christophe Persoz – Cinematographer