How to Make a PVC Reflector for Video & Film Production

Written by
Rudy C. Granados

Other Article Series:
TV Film & Video Careers

back to TV Film & Video Careers - Lighting

HOW TO MAKE PORTABLE PVC LIGHT REFLECTORS FOR VIDEO OR FILM

When professional video or filmmakers work outdoors they often use large portable light reflectors to control & bounce the sun's rays where they need. This is to brighten up dark areas of a scene they're shooting. These light reflectors are expensive and heavy to lug around, but they sure are handy. If you find yourself having a need for light reflectors but don't have the bucks, here are two portable PVC-pipe light reflectors that won't break your production budget. These projects shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to build, and will come in handy if you don't have anyone around to hold up a light reflector. So if you're handy with makin' things, let's see how.

WARNING!!!! BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO BUILD THIS PROJECT PLEASE READ BELOW!
This is only a concept worked out in my head. I have never actually built a proto-type. I don't have to. My employers supply me with equipment like this. However, I offer some guidance based on my own predictions of some considerations you may encounter while constructing these, and offer suggestions on how to solve them.
YOU ASSUME THE RISK OF ALL TRIALS AND ERRORS WHILE CONTRUCTING THESE IDEAS
Okay, now that we got that out of the way..

special thanks to the JavaScript Source

There are two versions of this reflector.
Portable Self-Standing Light Reflector
Portable Standing Light Reflector Rig

Please note that no dimensions are used here. Whatever size you want to make it is up to you. You can use 3/4" or 1" pipe depending on the size you decide. I'd say 3/4" for anything smaller than three-feet, and 1"+ for anything 3-feet or bigger. Keep in mind that you may have to alter lengths as you go along. Some sizes may be too big, and the PVC may not be as sturdy. Do yourself a favor and leave extra length to work with. It's better to re-cut a few times & make it a little smaller if you need to, than cut a PVC pipe too short when you didn't have to. The crucial items you need are some kind of light-weight and reflective material. My suggestion would be an emergency or survival blanket. The kind they use to put on bodies to retain heat. They are usually made of MYLAR, are very reflective, light-weight, and durable.
Best of all, you can fold it up and it'll easily fit in your camera case.
CAUTION:
MYLAR may be TOO reflective depending on the weather. You'll probably want to find other material that won't reflect as much, so you'll have a few choices. You could use white cloth, light yellow or sky blue cloth to add color. In fact, they also make cloth that has a reflective shimmer to it, similar to silk. It comes in a variety of colors.

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES, CLICK AGAIN TO REDUCE

	PORTABLE SELF-STANDING LIGHT REFLECTOR The materials you'll need: 6 PVC Pipes cut to desired length. 4 are for the actual frame. The 2 shortest ones are for the legs to prop it up. You may want to cut the legs later on when you have a better idea of how long they should be. You'll also need 4 Elbows and 2 Slip/Sling T fittings. You may have to look around, but I found these cool slip/sling T's on the web. One end fits snug, and the other end is wide enough to slide over another pipe. In this image I'm after a rectangle shape, which is why the side pieces are longer than the tops and bottoms. This is for more height when the reflector stands up, but you may want one that's square.
	When you have the frame cut to size, remember to slip the T's over the side frame pipes before assembling. At this point you may want to use PVC GLUE to attach one end of each Elbow Fitting to a pipe. This way you don't lose them when transporting. Just remember to WAIT and glue them later, when you're sure the ENTIRE reflector assembles correctly like you want. It's probably also a good idea to use a felt marker and number each piece after you glue the fittings so that it's easier to re-assemble.
	After assembling the frame, fit the two legs into the open ends of the Slip/Sling T's. Adjust the angle by cutting their length. Since the slip T's can slide up & down, You may want to cut several pairs of legs in different lengths to give you a choice of various other angles. All you have to do now is drape your reflective material over the top & bottom of the frame to hold it down a little. If you're concerned about the wind blowing your reflector away here are two suggestions. You can use sandbags (might be too heavy for PVC) or something else to weigh down the ends of the legs. If you really want to get fancy, you can put Velcro to 2 or all 4 edges so they attach when you fold them over. Be cautious when attaching velcro to Mylar. It may not be durable enough to handle the rigors of reassembly very many times. Have fun!

Written by
Rudy C. Granados

Other Article Series:
TV Film & Video Careers

Collecting Vinyl Records

Speculation & Theories

Misc Articles

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE, CLICK AGAIN TO REDUCE

PORTABLE STANDING LIGHT REFLECTOR RIG
NOTE: You may want to use 1" or bigger PVC pipe for sturdiness.
The materials you'll need:

REFLECTOR:
6 PVC pipe pieces. 5 are for the frame and one is for the center post. You'll also need 4 Elbows and 1 T fitting. Drill holes into the center post at intervals for adjusting. Make sure you drill the holes small enough for the Wing Bolt to thread itself into both the reflector's holes and the stand's. It might be better to use a threading tool for this, if you have one.

STAND:
9 PVC pipe pieces. 2 are for the top, 1 for the center post, and 6 for the base. You'll also need 4 T fittings, 1 Slip/Sling T and a Wing Bolt.

The reflective material can be draped over or attached with velcro. Technically you don't have to use the end piece on top of the stand. You can just use an elbow there. I added it in case the stand needed additional balance, like maybe a tie-down or weight. Sandbags will probably work better with this light reflector, because the legs lay flat on the ground.

If you really feel froggy, I guess you could add few more PVC's and a couple more Slip T's and make it so that you can adjust the angle as well. Because unfortunately you can't do that with this rig. You can only adjust the frame up & down until you find the height that works and lock it down. Anyway, good luck on this one!