Fome-Cor

Technical Details

Fome-Cor boards, at 5mm thickness, weigh approximately 300g/m² and, as a white surface, diffusely reflect about 85-90% of incident light. The black variant absorbs over 95% of light and serves as a cost-effective flag substitute. Professional film versions often feature a laminated surface, which better withstands moisture and mechanical stress. The boards can be precisely cut with utility knives and attached to C-stands or grip clamps with gaffer tape.

History & Development

Monsanto introduced Fome-Cor in 1972 as a display material for advertising and architecture. By the late 1970s, low-budget filmmakers discovered the material as an alternative to expensive studio reflectors. The breakthrough came in the 1980s when gaffers realized that Fome-Cor could be used to construct large light sources cost-effectively. Today, various manufacturers produce similar foam boards under designations like Foam-Core or Kapafix.

Practical Use in Film

Fome-Cor functions as a bounce surface for soft fill light in interviews or close-ups. Black boards serve as negative fill or flags to control hard shadows. In "The Blair Witch Project" (1999), the team exclusively used Fome-Cor reflectors for lighting the tent scenes. In product photography, multiple boards are often combined to create light tents. The main advantage lies in transport: a 70x100cm board weighs only 200g compared to 2kg for comparable collapsible reflectors.

Comparison & Alternatives

Compared to polystyrene boards, Fome-Cor, due to its paper layer, offers more uniform light distribution without textural shadows. Collapsible reflectors are more mobile but more susceptible to wind and more expensive. Modern LED panels are increasingly replacing Fome-Cor constructions as they offer controllable light temperature and intensity. For one-off shoots, Fome-Cor remains unbeatable in cost-effectiveness, while professional productions opt for more durable Lastolite or California Sunbounce systems.