"I'm sorry this is a dark movie." No back light. Flat.
Directors have got to work. Cinematographers have got to work. Alright, everyone has got to work, to make an image. We look at images all day long. Sometimes people try to tell us which images are better than others, and why we should watch this image, instead of that image etc; I love images. I think we all love, and respond to pictures.
It's time for the 'artists' crazy enough to make feature films, to have a higher standard by which they operate.
The film business is like any other business. How cheap can we make this product?
It's expensive to create something that many people should look at, and are hoping will take them on a journey, out of their rote existence, for a couple hours.
Within this challenge, working cinematographers are responsible for composing the image, most often using LIGHT to achieve the Directors vision. The least you can do is set a back light. Insist upon setting a Key Light for your lead actors. It doesn't matter what new techie camera your producers are inquiring about, or how much money they can save by shooting the movie with some matches and a candle, your image should be compelling!!
Who want's to look at a FLAT image? Back in the day the great Cinematographers battled with the producers to acquire the LIGHTS that they needed, and insisted on hiring the crew necessary to implement the plan.