Thin white diffusion fabric that gently scatters hard light and reduces intensity by approximately half a stop.
Technical Details
Standard sizes range from 12"×12" (30×30 cm) to 20'×20' (6×6 m), with 4'×4' and 6'×6' being the most common formats. The material reduces the amount of light by 0.5-0.7 f-stops and lowers the color temperature by approximately 100-150 Kelvin. Light diffusion occurs evenly over an angle of about 60°. Professional silks are stretched on aluminum or carbon butterfly frames, with a frame tolerance of a maximum of 2 mm sag. Transmission is 540-580 lux per 1000 lux of output light.
History & Development
In 1923, American cinematographer Karl Struss first introduced stretched silk as a light diffuser at Famous Players-Lasky Studios. In the 1950s, Mole-Richardson developed synthetic alternatives that were more weather-resistant and cost-effective. Matthews Studio Equipment perfected the modern butterfly system with standardized frame sizes in 1967. Since the 1990s, manufacturers such as Chimera and Matthews have been using specially coated synthetic fibers that are UV-resistant and maintain their shape at temperatures up to 80°C.
Practical Use in Film
Roger Deakins used 12'×12' Light Silks for the prison yard scenes in "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994) to soften the harsh sunlight. For interior shots, 4'×4' silks are often positioned 60-90 cm in front of tungsten or LED panels. Emmanuel Lubezki used 8'×8' silks in "The Revenant" (2015) to simulate natural light filtering through treetops. The typical distance to the light source is 1.5 times the frame size, and 2-3 times for optimal illumination.
Comparison & Alternatives
Unlike diffusion (1/8, 1/4, 1/2), Light Silk reduces the amount of light less than Medium Silk (1-1.5 stops) or Heavy Silk (2 stops). Bounce materials like Ultrabounce reflect light, while silks allow it to pass through. Modern LED softboxes are increasingly replacing smaller silk setups, but offer less flexibility in positioning. Grid cloth produces softer shadows but only allows 40% of the light to pass through. In winds of Beaufort scale 4 and above, silks are replaced by more rigid diffusion foils.