Compact LED light fixture for precise key or fill lighting in film and photography, typically 15W output with 45–60° beam angle; battery-powered for mobile positioning.
Modern kickers utilize high-quality LED arrays with color temperatures ranging from 5600K to 3200K, with bi-color variants offering stepless transitions between these values. Light output is between 80-120 lumens per watt, with a standard beam angle of 45-60 degrees, which can be narrowed to 15-25 degrees using accessories. Battery-powered models achieve runtimes of 2-8 hours at full power, while wired versions are powered via 12V or 24V DC voltage. Dimming is controlled by PWM from 1-100% without color shift.
The first kickers emerged in 1983 in the Panavision workshops as miniaturized Fresnel spots for close-ups in "Blade Runner." Tungsten-halogen versions dominated until 2005, when LED technology drastically reduced their size. The breakthrough came in 2008 with the Litepanels MicroPro, the first battery-powered LED kicker under 200 grams. Since 2015, RGBW arrays have enabled colored accents, while modern variants can be remotely controlled via smartphone apps.
In "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015), John Seale used over 200 kickers for facial modeling in vehicle scenes. They are typically used as eye lights or hair lights in interviews, where a 15W kicker positioned 50-80 cm away provides an F-stop fill of 0.5-1.0 stops. In night scenes, they simulate smartphone displays or dashboard lighting. The workflow usually involves pre-positioning by assistants followed by fine adjustments by the gaffer. Disadvantages include limited light output and frequent battery changes on long shooting days.
Kickers differ from fill lights due to their pinpoint illumination and from practicals by their pure lighting function without scenic integration. LED panels offer more light output but are less precisely controllable. Modern tube lights like Astera Titans are increasingly replacing kickers in larger productions due to their greater flexibility and remote control. For macro shots or product photography, classic kickers remain indispensable due to their compact design and precise light control.
Ich setze Kicker hauptsächlich für subtile Gesichtsmodellation ein, besonders bei Available-Light-Situationen wo ich nur minimal eingreifen will. Die 15W-Varianten geben mir genau die halbe Blende Aufhellung, die ich für natürlich wirkende Augenlichter brauche, ohne das bestehende Lichtklima zu zerstören.
Kicker helfen mir dabei, die Aufmerksamkeit des Publikums gezielt zu lenken - ein warmer 20W-Spot auf das Gesicht des Protagonisten während eines emotionalen Moments verstärkt die Intimität der Szene. Besonders in Dialogszenen kann ich durch asymmetrische Kicker-Platzierung Machtverhältnisse zwischen Charakteren visuell unterstreichen.
Ein Set von zehn professionellen Kickern kostet etwa 8.000 Euro, amortisiert sich aber durch gesparte Rüstzeiten - wo früher große Scheinwerfer umgesetzt werden mussten, justiert ein Assistent jetzt schnell den Kicker nach. Die Akkulaufzeit von vier Stunden bedeutet allerdings täglich 30 Minuten zusätzliche Ladezeit in der Disposition.
1. Was beschreibt „Kicker" am besten?
2. Zu welchem Department gehört „Kicker"?
3. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.