Relight a coffee video in six ways

Watch the original videoInstagram

What you'll make

Use six scene-specific prompts to change the lighting while keeping your original performance.

Who this is for

Creators making videos with their own reference assets.

Step by step

Run the workflow

01
Film the coffee sequence
Record the coffee actions and camera moves.
Source tutorial, page 4
Source tutorial, page 4
Source tutorial, page 4
02
Open Relight
- Open Higgsfield (opens in a new tab)
Open Video in Higgsfield and select Relight.
Select Relight
03
Upload the clips
Upload the clips for the different lighting moments.
Source tutorial, page 6
Source tutorial, page 6
Source tutorial, page 6
Source tutorial, page 6
Source tutorial, page 6
Source tutorial, page 6

Apply the six lighting prompts

Choose a lighting prompt below, or use the custom lighting controls shown beside the examples.

Show copyable prompt

Use the uploaded reference clip as the ABSOLUTE MASTER.

RELIGHTING ONLY. Follow the reference exactly frame by frame.

Preserve the same actor, face, expression, movement, coffee, room, objects, camera motion, wobble, framing, perspective, speed and timing.

Do not recreate, stabilize or reinterpret anything.

Apply DARK MOODY CINEMATIC LIGHTING only:

low ambient light
deep controlled shadows
cool-blue directional side light
minimal frontal fill
subtle cool rim
high cinematic contrast

Keep his face readable but clearly darker and moodier.

Do not tint the whole frame blue. The blue must behave like real physical light.

Do not change the room, actor or camera.

REFERENCE VIDEO = LOCKED.
ONLY LIGHTING MAY CHANGE.

Use the uploaded reference clip as the ABSOLUTE MASTER.

RELIGHTING ONLY. Preserve the exact actor, face, movement, coffee, room, camera motion, wobble, framing and timing.

Start with the existing DARK MOODY COOL LIGHT.

At the exact moment he GRABS THE COFFEE:

INSTANT LIGHTING SWITCH.

OLD LIGHT OFF → HARD WHITE TOP-DOWN SPOTLIGHT ON.

Use:

strong concentrated white light directly from above
bright highlights on hair, hand, coffee lid and straw
clear downward facial shadows
very low frontal fill
high cinematic contrast

The light direction must clearly come from ABOVE.

Add synchronized SFX:
heavy studio-light CLACK + electrical POWER-UP + deep THUMP.

No gradual transition.
No camera change.
No scene change.
No face or object change.

REFERENCE = LOCKED.
ONLY LIGHTING CHANGES.

Use the uploaded reference clip as the ABSOLUTE MASTER.

RELIGHTING ONLY. Preserve the exact face, sip, hands, coffee, room, camera, framing, motion and timing.

Start with the existing HARD TOP-DOWN SPOTLIGHT.

The exact moment the STRAW TOUCHES HIS LIPS:

INSTANT LIGHTING SWITCH.

TOP LIGHT OFF → EXTREME HARD FRONTAL WHITE LIGHT ON.

Use:

powerful direct frontal white key
very hard light
minimal fill
strong facial highlights
hard-edged shadows
high contrast
strong highlights on coffee and straw

The lighting direction must obviously change from ABOVE to FRONT.

Add synchronized SFX:
sharp ELECTRICAL SNAP + hard LIGHT CLICK + bass IMPACT.

Do not change his face, sip, coffee, camera or background.

REFERENCE = LOCKED.
ONLY LIGHTING CHANGES.

Use the uploaded reference clip as the ABSOLUTE MASTER.

RELIGHTING ONLY. Preserve the exact face, eyes, expression, camera movement, framing, background and timing.

Start with the existing HARSH FRONTAL WHITE LIGHT.

As the camera MOVES UP INTO HIS EYES:

INSTANT LIGHTING SWITCH.

HARSH LIGHT OFF → SOFT BLUE BEAUTY LIGHT ON.

Use:

large diffused frontal beauty key
very soft facial shadows
natural skin tone
cool-blue ambient illumination
soft blue rim
bright natural eye catchlights
smooth cinematic highlight rolloff

The difference must be dramatic:
hard and aggressive → soft, luminous and polished.

Add synchronized SFX:
soft POWER-DOWN + reverse WHOOSH + clean LIGHT IGNITION.

Do not reshape, beautify or alter his face or eyes.

REFERENCE = LOCKED.
ONLY LIGHTING CHANGES.

Use the uploaded reference clip as the ABSOLUTE MASTER.

RELIGHTING ONLY. Preserve the exact actor, coffee, room, camera rotation, framing, motion and timing.

Start with the existing SOFT BLUE BEAUTY LIGHT.

As the camera PANS / ROTATES OUT and reveals him looking at the coffee:

INSTANT LIGHTING SWITCH.

BLUE BEAUTY LIGHT OFF → WARM AMBER SIDE KEY + COOL CYAN RIM ON.

Use:

strong amber directional key from one side
warm highlights on face, hands and coffee
deeper opposite-side shadows
strong cyan-blue rim from the other side
clear cyan edge around hair and shoulders
strong cinematic warm/cool separation

The new key must clearly come from the SIDE.

Do not apply a flat orange-blue filter.

Add synchronized SFX:
ELECTRICAL SNAP + side-sweep WHOOSH + low HIT.

Keep the original camera rotation exactly unchanged.

REFERENCE = LOCKED.
ONLY LIGHTING CHANGES.

Use the uploaded reference clip as the ABSOLUTE MASTER.

RELIGHTING ONLY. Preserve the exact actor, face, pose, coffee, room, camera, framing, motion and timing.

Start with the existing WARM AMBER KEY + COOL CYAN RIM.

As he reaches the FINAL POSE:

INSTANT LIGHTING SWITCH.

AMBER/CYAN LIGHTS OFF → DEEP BLUE GOD-RAY HERO LIGHT ON.

Use:

deep sapphire-blue ambient illumination
soft neutral-white key on face
strong blue rim around hair and shoulders
high cinematic contrast
strong directional top light from above

The top light should naturally strike his existing hair, face, shoulder and coffee to create a cinematic GOD-RAY feeling.

Do not change the room.
Do not add particles, clouds, objects or fantasy effects.
Avoid visible haze if it causes reference drift.

Add synchronized SFX:
rising ELECTRICAL WHOOSH + powerful LIGHT IGNITION + deep cinematic IMPACT.

REFERENCE = LOCKED.
ONLY LIGHTING CHANGES.