By Emmet · Published 15 May 2025 · Last updated 1 July 2026
Video lighting assistance in London: lighting a promo shoot off Brick Lane
If you need video lighting assistance in London, you’re usually not hiring a whole crew, you’re hiring one capable person with the right kit. On 15 May 2025 that was me, lighting a promotional video for a tabletop D&D game in a house beyond Brick Lane. I supplied every light on the shoot and ran the lighting side while the director focused on performances. This post covers what lighting support actually involves and when a small production should bring someone in.
What does a lighting assistant actually do on a promo shoot?
Everything between the idea and the exposure. I arrived with the full kit, built the setups, matched the light to the mood the director wanted, and kept adjusting as the shoot moved room to room.
On a D&D promo, mood is the product. Candlelit-table warmth, a bit of mystery in the shadows, faces that read clearly on camera. Getting that inside a normal East London house takes planning, because domestic rooms fight you on space and ceiling height.
Why hire lighting support instead of shooting with available light?
Because available light in a London terrace is a single sad window and an overhead bulb. Video is less forgiving than stills. Skin goes green under mixed household lighting, and every camera move changes the exposure.
One person who owns the lighting problem frees the director completely. On the Brick Lane shoot the director never once had to think about why a shot looked good. That’s the job.
What kit do you bring to a small location shoot?
Enough to light three setups without a van. My core kit for jobs like this: two or three LED panels with softboxes, a small hard light for edges and texture, practicals and gels for mood, plus stands and diffusion. It all fits in a car and rigs inside an hour.
Supplying kit matters for small productions. Renting lights separately means pickups, insurance, and a learning curve on the day. Hiring someone who brings and knows their own kit removes all three.
When should a production book LemonLens for lighting?
When you have a director and a camera but the look isn’t landing. LemonLens is my London studio, and alongside shooting events and portraits myself, I take lighting and gaffer-style roles on other people’s productions. Music videos, promos, short films, crowdfunder videos.
East London jobs are frequent, Brick Lane, Hackney, Bethnal Green, but I’ll travel anywhere in the city from our Fulham base.
FAQ
How much does video lighting assistance cost in London?
Day rates for a lighting assistant with full kit are far cheaper than hiring a gaffer plus a rental package separately. LemonLens quotes per job based on setups, hours, and kit needed. Tell me your shoot plan and I’ll send a number.
Do you supply all the lighting equipment?
Yes. On the Brick Lane D&D promo I supplied every light, stand, and modifier on set. You get one invoice and one person responsible for the kit working.
Can you light small rooms and houses?
Small spaces are most of my location work. Low ceilings and tight rooms need compact fixtures, careful bounce, and honest conversations about what’s achievable. I plan setups around the actual floor plan before the day.
Do you also shoot video yourself?
Yes. LemonLens covers videography as well as photography, from music visualisers to event films. If your project needs a shooter and a lighting brain in one hire, that’s a cheaper day than booking two people.
Get lighting support for your shoot
Send me your script or treatment, the location, and the shoot date. I’ll tell you what kit the job needs and quote for the day. Contact LemonLens.
For artists, a good set of live images travels well onto Songkick and into press coverage from outlets like the BFI.
About the author. Emmet is a London photographer and videographer, and the founder of LemonLens. He works from LemonShark Studio in Fulham (769b Fulham Road, SW6 5HA) and takes lighting and camera roles on productions across London. See more at lemonlens.com and his portfolio, or follow @lemonlenz_ on Instagram.