How to shoot in low light, with external lights?

I´m trying to shoot some footages in a tunnel. The low light force me to increase the ISO. Not a problem.
THe shutter speed is set to 50, because I shoot 25 fps. Not a problem.

The light in the ceiling, however, is a problem.
Firstly, it looks like the lights are glowing.
Secondly, they give the signs an overexposure. When looking at the signs, you can clearly see that that it´s to much light.

If I reduce the ISO, it gets better, but the background(roundabout) looses it´s texture. If I increase the ISO, the details at the roundabout shows - but then we are back to the glowing lights.

If you don´t understand, I´ll try to upload a footage.

Any tricks? Hints?

Well they would look overexposed because.....they are overexposed!

When you expose for a dark area (the ground at night) then any bright points of light, like practical lights, will be blown-out. There is not much you can do about this without introducing your own lights (not seen in the composition) that will increase the amount of light on the ground, allowing you to balance the exposure.

If the shot is static you could try using a a graduated ND filter to reduce the lights exposure a bit. But really; more lights would be the normal solution.

If adding lights to your production is out of the question, then you could try the old VFX supervisor's trick...

Take a exposure bracketed shots of the ceiling lights. (same camera angle)
- So take some that are way underexposed- but reveal more detail in lights

Then, in Motion, match move the lights onto your backplate shots. Mask off the underexposed shot with a soft-edged mask, and you won't have blown out lights anymore.

However, I hate the VFX supervisor's way of doing pretty much anything. I'm a purist.
It's better to get the lighting as balanced as possible on location. :silly:

Nice trick, Scott.

Years ago I remember a lighting guy spraying Streaks & Tips hair color spray onto a bulb to bring it down half a stop. It was a long time ago, & directly on the bulb sounds a bit much now, there might have been a scrim or gel of some sort, but I seem to remember, directly on a bulb. It was in a pinch.

Of course I'm not recommending spraying flammables on hot bulbs, just applauding resourceful ingenuity steeped in experience, when it is needed. That same mindset is a windfall in post.