Research - color theory

     You may be asking, are the colors frequently shown throughout a film purposeful or does it happen to be a coincidence? Well, color theory in cinematography is used to create meaning and influence the emotions of the audience. I learned that color is symbolic, it can communicate many things like moods, themes, and even character development. Therefore, film makers intentionally use different colors to shape the way an audience feels about a scene. 

Color Theory

    The basics of color theory includes comparison between cool and warm colors, complementary colors, and color symbolism. Cool colors like green, blue, and purple create feelings of sadness, calmness, or even isolation. On the other hand, warm colors like red, orange, and yellow insinuate a feeling of warmth or energy. This will help me decide how I want my film opening to feel emotionally. 

 Application

    Color is expressed through lighting, clothing, set design, and the use of color grading during editing. Editors use color grading to either enhance or completely change the tone of a scene. Color palettes are often made by filmmakers before filming to ensure consistency. Depending on the intended effect a scene can become brighter and nostalgic or the scene can become darker and more dramatic. Character representation through color is another common use of color theory, colors can be associated with specific characters to show emotional states or even personality traits. 

Examples

Barbie (2023)

    Bright pinks and pastel colors are intentionally used to create a vibrant, artificial world that represents themes of girlhood, femininity, and perfection. Barbie is known for her infamous shades of pinks, making her easily recognizable. When you think of pink you think of Barbie. "Barbie" shows how cinematography can reinforce theme and branding. 

The Batman (2022)

    Batman on the other hand uses dark, desaturated colors. Throughout the film the color palette focuses on the color black, grey, dark red, and overall deeply desaturated warm colors as seen in the clip from "The Batman". This is used to describe Batman's character as mysterious and isolated. The dark setting also resembles the violence and action seen in the film. "The Batman" demonstrates how color theory can shape theme and mood. 

    My research into color theory has expressed how much of an effect color can have on storytelling. It has shown me the importance it will play when constructing my film opening. I will use these techniques to create a visually engaging film.