Matte black aluminum foil by Rosco for precise on-set light control. Heat-resistant to 600°C, tear-resistant, and reflects less than 2% of light.
Standard Cinefoil is supplied in rolls of 12 and 24 inches wide (30.5 and 61 cm respectively) with a length of 25 feet (7.6 m). Its tensile strength is 14,000 PSI, allowing the material to be shaped and reused multiple times without tearing. The matte black surface produces a reflectivity of less than 2%, while the reverse side remains shiny. Cinefoil can withstand temperatures up to 600°C and emits no toxic fumes. Variants include self-adhesive Cinefoil with acrylate adhesive and perforated versions for special lighting effects.
Rosco introduced Cinefoil in 1972 as an alternative to conventional household foil, which melted at studio temperatures and created unwanted reflections. The breakthrough came in 1975 with the introduction of the anodized surface, which made the material completely reflection-free. In the 1980s, Cinefoil established itself as an industry standard after cinematographer Gordon Willis prominently used it in "The Godfather" (1972) for precise shadow work. Since 2010, Rosco has offered more environmentally friendly variants with recycled aluminum.
Cinefoil is primarily used for light modification through flagging, snooting, and shaping light sources. In "Blade Runner 2049" (2017), DoP Roger Deakins used Cinefoil cylinders around LED panels to create hard light lines for the futuristic city architecture. Typical applications include taping camera lenses to prevent lens flares, shaping gobos for shadow patterns, and isolating individual LED segments in panel arrays. Unlike fabric flags, Cinefoil allows for millimeter-precise light control directly at the light fixture.
Cinefoil differs from conventional aluminum foil in its higher tear resistance and absolute matte finish. Rosco's Black Wrap serves as a direct competitor product with identical specifications. Modern LED technology reduces the need for Cinefoil through more precise light control via barn doors and electronic dimming systems. Digital light shaping through programmable LED matrices is increasingly replacing mechanical shading, but Cinefoil remains indispensable for micro-adjustments and special effects.
Ich verwende Cinefoil täglich für millimetergenaue Lichtformung, besonders bei Nahaufnahmen wo selbst kleinste Reflexionen das Hautbild zerstören. Die Kombination aus Flexibilität und Hitzebeständigkeit macht es unersetzlich – ich kann damit LED-Panels segmentieren oder präzise Gobos direkt am Set formen, ohne auf vorgefertigte Flags angewiesen zu sein.
Cinefoil ermöglicht mir spontane Lichtanpassungen für emotionale Nuancen – wenn ich in einer Dialogszene plötzlich härtere Schatten für Dramatik benötige, kann mein Gaffer binnen Sekunden mit Cinefoil nachjustieren. Diese Flexibilität ist besonders bei improvisierten Szenen oder Location-Changes wertvoll, wo vorgefertigte Lichtsetups nicht funktionieren.
Eine 25-Fuß-Rolle kostet etwa 45 Euro und reicht für mehrere Drehtage – das ist kosteneffizienter als das Mitführen dutzender starrer Flags verschiedener Größen. Der Zeitgewinn durch schnelle On-Set-Anpassungen ohne Equipment-Wechsel reduziert Standzeiten erheblich, besonders bei Außendrehs wo sich Lichtverhältnisse permanent ändern.
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