Skip to main content

Color Investigation

A Bit of History

When we take a look at film we can see that it has an interesting relationship with color. Unlike all other visual arts film began in black and white. During this phase of film history filmmakers were able to create extreme contrast and exaggerated realities. There were still very clear limits to a world without color though. While all the other art forms had many centuries to be perfected and transformed film was brand new. With color filmmakers would have the opportunity to increase the variety in an image, create new and intriguing color palettes, breath a new realism into their films, and add extra layers of depth to the meanings within their film. One filmmaker that truly utilizes the full extent of color is David Fincher.

David Fincher



Fincher is one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. He is able to guide the audience throughout a convoluted plot and prevent confusion. The video above mentions a few different ways that Fincher utilizes color to guide the audience. These are most times subtle things that are picked up on subconsciously. One of my favorite color schemes is the discordant color scheme. For me I immediately notice whatever color seems out of place. I find it particularly useful when trying to get the audience to pay attention to something whether its a prop, character, or set piece. 


The Need for Color Palettes



One of my biggest irritations with filming a project is creating color palettes. It can be hard when you aren't shooting on a set which gives you control over every object in a scene. In one shot there might be a cup with pens on a desk, and one pen might be hot pink. Even though you didn't intend for the pen to be of relevance it is going to stick out to an audience. This is why people get confused when watching beginner films, because the amateur filmmaker doesn't know what influences the audience. In order to create a film that is able to communicate deeper emotions and or thoughts about the world, the film must be thoroughly thought out. This is the reason there are specific people called colorists who specialize in the creation of color palettes. 

Monochrome


The monochromatic color palette or color scheme refers to a color pattern using only one color. The painting above is a great example. the value and saturation of the color changes but the entire painting is still blue. This type of color scheme is great for uniformity or atmosphere. It is especially good for shots with only one subject.

Complementary

The complementary color scheme is perhaps the most well known of all the color schemes. It can be seen everywhere from sports team jerseys to product advertisements. It is created through the use of opposing colors on the color wheel. This combination of colors also creates a naturally appealing image to the eye. If one color is used predominantly it can be used to emphasize the opposing color.

Tetradic

The tetradic color scheme can be seen quite often in nature. It consists of two sets of complementary color schemes. This color scheme is very good for separating a foreground and a background. A general rule of thumb is to never use 25% of each color. By doing this you allow the viewer somewhere to rest their eye. There are more color schemes then the ones I have listed but these are my top picks.

Mon - Presentations

Tues - Presentations

Weds - Presentations

Thurs - Presentations

Fri - Presentations

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Donut scene

The biggest challenge that I faced in this project was making the plate. I wanted a particular look to the plate that was proving to be a challenge. I wanted the curve to go up and then out in a smooth and natural fashion. This was a little difficult to accomplish with the bezier curve because I was working with multiple curves in a slim area. It created difficulty because the curves were almost overlapping and made it hard to see which curve was which. I overcame this challenge through trial and error. I used trial and error by seeing what happened when one curve was adjusted and then I would undo that action. I kept doing this until I achieved the result that I wanted. That is how I overcame the challenge of forming the curves for the plate. 

Mean Crease

Film Score Investigation

Why Music? Music is an essential part of film. It can be used to set the tone for a scene or to drive the action. When used correctly in conjunction with visuals, music can transform the emotional experience of a film. Some of the most memorable moments of a film are because of the score. Film scores can be used to build tension, fear, or any emotion. For this investigation I will be learning about how to create a film score. The Psychological Effect of Music In Film 1 during our study of film history we discussed what is known as the Kuleshov effect. The Kuleshov effect is an analysis of how the audiences interpretation of an image changes in relation to the next image. So if you have a man with a neutral face and you cut to a hamburger and back to the man he looks hungry. Similarly, music creates a tone for the visuals presented to the audience. This tone is what allows the audience to understand the emotions they are intended to be feeling while viewing the film. A grea...