Lighting— Visual Storytelling

The key light is the primary source of illumination; the position of the key has a significant impact on the mood and style of the scene; Example: Ghost in the Shell (Rupert Sanders, 2017), Cinematographer: Jess Hall.

The fill light fills in the shadows caused by the key, reduces the contrast in the scene, plays a significant role in determining the contrast ratio of the scene. Example: The Piano (Jane Campion, 1993) Cinematographer: Stuart Dryburgh.

Existing light refers to illumination not provided by the filmmakers, includes both natural and artificial-Sources, sometimes referred to as ambient illumination. SIDE NOTE-the diffusion effect on the fluorescent lighting in the scene is the result of using a diffusion filter on the lens, a 1/4 or 1/2 black pro mist is widely used to have highlights bloom without excessive softening of high detail areas and faces. This effect can also be added in post. Example: Fallen Angels (Kar-Wai Wong, 1995) Cinematographer: Christopher Doyle.

The backlight illuminates the subject from the back, often creates a glowing effect; provides separation from the background. You have to be careful as too much backlight gives the scene a theatrical look and can take the audience out of the scene if realism is the goal.

A kicker highlights the edges of a subject in the scene, also called an edge light or side light. Works best when it is motivated, otherwise the scene takes on an overly “theatrical” look.  Example: The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972), Cinematographer: Gordon Willis.

The background light illuminates the background of the scene; can be provided by the key or fill or other source of illumination. Usually a stop or two under the primary object of attention in a scene. Example: The Betrayal (Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath, 2008), Cinematographer: Ellen Kuras.

Regular light sources like lamps, candles, televisions, etc. that appear in the scene are referred to as practicals. Most often we supplement the light they provide since they are often not bright enough to light the scene and the falloff (due the inverse-square law) is often problematic. Example: Another Year (Mike Leigh, 2010), Cinematographer: Dick Pope.

Direction: Where is the light coming from in relation to the lens/subject axis?  is it motivated? How does it enhance the storytelling? What does it express about the world and the character? //Examples: 1. frontal lighting, The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Philip Kaufman, 1988) Cinematographer: Sven Nykvist; 2. 45° lighting, Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942), Cinematographer: Arthur Edeson; 3. 90° lighting, Pandora’s Box (Georg Wilhelm Pabst, 1929), Cinematographer: Günther Krampf ; 4.  backlighting, Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989), Cinematographer: Ernest Dickerson;  5. lighting from above, The Blackcoat’s Daughter (Oz Perkins, 2015), Cinematographer: Julie Kirkwood; 6. lighting from below, The Fly (David Cronenberg, 1986), Cinematographer: Mark Irwin.

Soft lighting, earth tones, simplicty of the setting come together to evoke tranquilty. The Sweet Hereafter (Atom Egoyan, 1997), Cinematographer: Paul-Sarossy

We can use lighting to evoke mood, for example, loneliness. Example: Chung King Express ( Kar-Wai Wong, 1994); Cinematographers: Christopher Doyle and Lau Wai-Keung.

We can use lighting to evoke mood, for example, danger and mystery, Example: The Matrix (The Wachowskis, 1999), Cinematographer: Bill Pope.

We can use lighting to evoke mood, for example, ebullience. Example: Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001) Cinematographer: Bruno Delbonnel.

We can use lighting to evoke mood, for example, transcendence, example: 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968), Cinematographers: Geoffrey Unsworth and John Alcott.

We can use lighting to evoke time of day; example: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) Cinematographer: Tonino Delli Colli; We can use lighting to evoke time of day; consider these scenes taking place at high noon, the after noon, night interior, night exterior. Consider the role that location and time of day play in setting the context and the mood of a scene.

We can use lighting to evoke the historical period, for example: the 1920s in The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, 2021), Cinematographer:  Ari Wegner; the 1940s in The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick, 1999), Cinematographer: John Toll; the 1960s in Malcolm X (Spike Lee, 1992), Cinematographer: Ernest Dickerson, or contemporary times, example: Barbie (Greta Gerwig, 2023), Cinematographer:  Rodrigo Prieto.

Contrasting images from Skyfall (Sam Mendez, 2012), Cnematographer: Roger Deakins; In cinematography, color temperature is chosen to create specific moods or aesthetics. For example, warmer light might be used to create a cozy, warm effect, while cooler light may be be used to create a cold and isolated environment.

To create these looks, and evoke these moods, there is a lot going on behind the scenes; BTS image from Top Gun Maverick (Paramount Pictures); BTS image from Speed Racer (Warner Bros.); BTS image from Barbie (Warner Bros.); a scene lit with classic cove lighting by Roger Deakins, from the set of Revolutionary Road (DreamWorks); and BTS images from The Power of the Dog (Netflix).

Red is associated with love, passion, violence, danger, anger and power.

Pink is associated with innocence, sweetness, femininity, playfulness, empathy, and beauty.

Orange is associated with warmth, sociability, friendliness, happiness, the exotic, and youth.

Yellow is associated with madness, sickness, insecurity, obsessive behaviors, the idyllic, and naiveté.

Greens evoke nature, immaturity, corruption, a sense of the ominous, darkness, and danger. 

Blues evoke coldness, isolation, can give a scene a cerebral quality, as well as evoking melancholy and passivity, and even calm.

Violet is associated with fantasy, the ethereal, eroticism, illusion, mysticism, and can give a scene a ominous quality.