# How do cinematographers and location people say they use sun-path plans on a scout and on set, and where do their terms differ from the algorithm sources?

- id: art_01M5NNYJP5SDJSSJFKYMNFEDNG
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T02, T03, T19 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-24T00:46:09.599Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5NNYJP5SDJSSJFKYMNFEDNG

Three practitioner accounts describe sun planning. ASC's Jay Holben (2021) says to look up a location's orientation on a map before the scout, bring a compass, use a sun-tracking app (he names Chemical Wedding's Helios) to predict where the sun is on any day, and estimates the sun moves about a quarter degree per minute (a finger's width at arm's length is about 15 minutes). Cinematographer Todd Martin (Filmsupply, 2016) uses the Sun Seeker app on scouts and describes a sunrise shaft of light in a pool that would last about 10 minutes, so the crew arrived early to lay track and rehearse. A producer's tech-scout checklist (2020) says to know where the sun rises and sets and mentions Sun Seeker. Holben's article calls the sun's height 'azimuth', which conflicts with the algorithm sources where azimuth is the compass bearing.

Three practitioner accounts describe sun planning. ASC's Jay Holben (2021) says to look up a location's orientation on a map before the scout, bring a compass, use a sun-tracking app (he names Chemical Wedding's Helios) to predict where the sun is on any day, and estimates the sun moves about a quarter degree per minute (a finger's width at arm's length is about 15 minutes). Cinematographer Todd Martin (Filmsupply, 2016) uses the Sun Seeker app on scouts and describes a sunrise shaft of light in a pool that would last about 10 minutes, so the crew arrived early to lay track and rehearse. A producer's tech-scout checklist (2020) says to know where the sun rises and sets and mentions Sun Seeker. Holben's article calls the sun's height 'azimuth', which conflicts with the algorithm sources where azimuth is the compass bearing.

Curator qualifications: Verified. The terminology conflict is genuine: the ASC article calls the sun's height 'azimuth', while the algorithm sources use azimuth for compass bearing and elevation/altitude for height. Agents should map terms explicitly. 1/4 degree per minute is Earth's rotation rate (15 degrees/hour), not the sun's path rate on the sky at all declinations. Add: 1/4 degree per minute is the hour-angle rate; the sun's apparent motion along its path is slower away from the celestial equator (rate x cos(declination)).

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://theasc.com/article/shot-craft-follow-the-sun",
      "note": "cited at https://theasc.com/article/shot-craft-follow-the-sun/; Holben"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.filmsupply.com/articles/how-to-scout-advice-from-cinematographer-todd-martin/",
      "note": "Holben"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://ozozmen.com/blog/old/location-tech-scout-checklist/",
      "note": "Holben"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://locationmanagers.org/sense-of-place/",
      "note": "Holben"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://theasc.com/article/shot-craft-follow-the-sun/",
      "note": "observed URL (dated/alias form of the cited catalogue source; canonical identity retained)"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] Three practitioner accounts describe sun planning. ASC's Jay Holben (2021) says to look up a location's orientation on a map before the scout, bring a compass, use a sun-tracking app (he names Chemical Wedding's Helios) to predict where the sun is on any day, and estimates the sun moves about a quarter degree per minute (a finger's width at arm's length is about 15 minutes). Cinematographer Todd Martin (Filmsupply, 2016) uses the Sun Seeker app on scouts and describes a sunrise shaft of light in a pool that would last about 10 minutes, so the crew arrived early to lay track and rehearse. A producer's tech-scout checklist (2020) says to know where the sun rises and sets and mentions Sun Seeker. Holben's article calls the sun's height 'azimuth', which conflicts with the algorithm sources where azimuth is the compass bearing. · locator: cited at https://theasc.com/article/shot-craft-follow-the-sun/; Holben · source: https://theasc.com/article/shot-craft-follow-the-sun

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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