Okay this isnt costume but I do have thoughts about it. Full disclosure Im just a woman in stem so idk anything about tv production/set design etc and if its normal to set up lighting like this but like. I do think its really interesting that all the light in the scene is between buck and eddie. Specficially when buck is talking to tommy all of the light is coming from where eddie is sitting and it literally looks like tommy is casting a shadow over him. And also to some extent all the light on eddie is coming from where buck is sitting
Hey Nonnie
Being a woman in Stem is a fabulous thing and you have far more knowledge of tv production and set design than you think - you've proven it in your ask.
The lighting and camera departments can set up the lighting and how it appears on camera however they'd like - the lights are mostly moveable (apart from the ones that appear on camera - such as the ceiling lights in the corridor behind tommy!) so can be positioned to push the light in the desired direction! The crews choices are all part of telling the story and aiding the narrative.
The things you've written above that you picked up on are exactly what you should be seeing - what they want you to be picking up on - even if it is only subconsciously (trust me you notice when a scene is lit badly and wrongly for what the other elements are trying to say!).
This scene (or section of scene as we don't yet know how much more of it there is or isn't!) is all about the triangles, and it has very much been lit to ensure that triangle is obvious!
This is also shown in the way the light hits each character
Bucks light is coming from the left of the camera - lighitng bucks right side
Tommy's is coming from both above and from behind Buck, but also from behind him, but becasue of the way the blinds are positioned it generally drives that from behind light downwards - except through the doorway - which is directly behind Tommy and helps create that looming shadow you mentioned.
While Eddies is coming from behind and to his left side (and a little bit behind him as well)
All of the light is coming from behind Eddie and between Eddie and Buck - they are not in shadow, but Tommy is - which can be seen best from this angle here;
Where we can see a clear line across Bucks pillow casting his injured arm and Tommy into shadow - which is coming from behind Eddie.
Whats interesting is the way that this lighting set up casts all of their faces into shadow in varying ways as you can see in the pictures above - we have Eddie who's face is mostly in shadow apart from the section from his left eyebrow round to his ear. Buck who is more or less half and half vertically, while Tommy is lit straight on but also slightly from above - meaning the lower half of his face is slightly in shadow, but generally speaking his entire face is lit. This is a play on the episode title - Tommy is not wearing a mask, while both Buck and Eddie are - to various extents - Bucks mask is hiding who he is from Tommy while Eddies is hiding most of himself from both of them, but Buck can see some of the real him (the lit part!).
The other thing the lighting does in this scene - is make the area around Tommy appear darker and duller - the image below shows this pretty well - with all the light coming into the room from behind Eddie and from the corridor behind tommy - the area behind Tommy should be brighter that it appears - but instead it is very cool toned and dull and gives the feeling of creeping darkness that makes the space look like its closing in. The opposite is the case with Eddie - its much brighter and warmly lit and feels like the light is expanding.
This is what good lighting and the right filter on the camera can do!
The other thing that we can see from the lighting and from the camera angles is the fact that Buck and Eddie are at the same level while Tommy is looking down on both of them
If we compare these lighting and sightline aspects with the other scene/scene we have stills for involving Buck, Tommy and Eddie we can see a similar thing - Tommy is looking down at Buck in the living room but we don't have that triangle formed as there is only the two of them in the scene.
The light is hitting him in a similar way to the hospital - more or less front on. This time is is creating a little more shadow over the side of his face. It will be interesting to see how much of Bucks face is in shadow when we see things from other angles.
The scene at the dining table is the most similar to the hospital scene - we have the identical sight lines (making an approximation due to not actually being able to see Tommy in the still!) only this time it is Eddie who is looking down while Buck and tommy are at an even sightline.
The light is coming in from behind Eddie once more as well creating a similar effect to the hospital scene. I'm making the assumption that the camera will be located in the kitchen so that we are given the scene straight on - putting tommy in between Buck and Eddie visually - this angle will allow us to see if the same shadows are being cast across their faces or if they are different. When we see the scene we should also be able to get a better idea of warmth v cool with the lighting.
I hope this is helpful - I'm by no means an expert on the lighting side of things, just the stuff I picked up from the sets I've been on in my past life! You're already getting so much of it though, so just keep watching and paying attention and you'll find you spot more and more and begin to connect how the choices made serve the scene!
This was fun to answer! 💜💜💜
