Collapsible aluminum frame with interchangeable fabric surfaces for light reflection. White side reflects 85–90% diffusely, silver 95% with contrast, gold creates warm light.
Technical Details
Professional bounce boards consist of a foldable aluminum frame with interchangeable fabric covers. The white side diffusely reflects 85-90% of incident light, the silver side reflects 95% with higher contrast, while the gold variant produces warm light at 80% reflectivity. Black bounce boards (negative fill) absorb 98% of light and enhance shadows. Modern variants like the Lastolite TriGrip (45 cm) or the Californian Sunbounce Pro (130×190 cm) use specially coated fabrics with defined reflection values.
History & Development
Bounce boards originated in the 1930s in Hollywood as simple white-painted plywood panels. Cecil B. DeMille already used large white canvases for fill light in "The Ten Commandments" in 1923. In 1979, the British manufacturer Lastolite developed the first foldable round reflector with a spring-steel-like rim. Matthews Studio Equipment introduced the Butterfly/Overhead system in 1985, where 12×12 foot bounce boards are stretched over stands.
Practical Use in Film
Roger Deakins used massive 20×12 foot bounce boards for the desert scenes in "Blade Runner 2049" (2017) to control the harsh sunlight. For portraits, 45° bounce boards are typically positioned opposite the main light source in a 3:1 ratio for shadow fill. Emmanuel Lubezki used exclusively natural light with large white bounce boards in "The Revenant" (2015) to enhance the available light aesthetic. The disadvantage: wind turns large bounce boards into sails, while small ones only offer localized fill.
Comparison & Alternatives
Unlike softboxes, bounce boards do not produce their own light but modify existing light. LED panels like the Litepanels Astra are increasingly replacing bounce boards in controlled lighting situations as they operate independently of the main light source. Kino Flo tubes offer more even illumination than bounce boards but require a power supply. For exterior shots, bounce boards remain unrivaled – a 6×6 foot bounce board costs 800 Euros, the equivalent HMI setup 15,000 Euros.