Final answer:
To soften hard light in a movie production, one should use diffusion techniques like a reflector board or other tools like softboxes, rather than removing lamp shades or filming in direct midday sunlight.
Step-by-step explanation:
To transform hard light into soft light in your movie production, you should not take the shades off the lamps as this will likely increase the hardness of the light. Instead, you could use a reflector board to diffuse the light, softening its appearance on the subjects.
Moving the production outside to a noon start time would usually result in very harsh shadows due to the direct overhead sunlight, which is not desirable for achieving soft light. It's also incorrect to say that hard light cannot be altered into soft light; many techniques exist for modifying the qualities of light in film production.
Softening light often involves diffusing it, which can be achieved by putting something translucent like a diffuser or fabric between the light source and your subject. Large softboxes or silks are commonly used to enlarge and soften light sources.
Utilizing a bounce board to reflect light onto the subject can also create a softer and more even light. These are all techniques employed by cinematographers and photographers to create the desired lighting effect for a specific scene. Shawn Irish's insights into modern LED and automated lighting shows that contemporary lighting design offers a variety of ways to shape and control light, emphasizing the importance of preparation and understanding in a lighting designer's role.