Coloring Within the Lines

Hey y'all its Soph!

As I continue to do research, I found that in order to separate fiction from reality, color is an important aspect for this. While I still haven't come up with the plot, I wanted to research ways in which I could use color to create an atmosphere within the dream that is different from reality. I noticed that the colors being used to distinguish characters from reality give context to the character's inner personality, as well as allows the audience to wonder about the plot, and feel further immersed into the situation. 

The Color White

    While white may be one of my least favorite colors, I will give it credit for being intricate in creating a specific mood. White can mean peace and tranquility, while at the same time can represent emptiness, dullness, and danger. For example, in my favorite film franchise of all time, Harry Potter, white is used to create a distinct reality during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. After Harry is killed by Voldemort, he enters an alternative world which is later identified by Dumbledore as King's Cross Station, except much cleaner. Being that Harry is with someone who he looked up to and respected, the white surrounding this scene can imply that Harry is somewhere safe, and the low saturation applied to the scene further insinuates that this "dream state" could be a futuristic, alternative reality, if Harry chose to stay dead.  

    White, while it has its positive connotations, it can also reflect negativity, such in Miraculous: The Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. In the episode, "Cat Blanc", white is used to portray an alternate reality where the city of Paris, along with the rest of the planet, has been destroyed by Cat Noir, who had been akumatized (became a villan). Despite the usual bright color scheme of the show, the simple white and occasional shades of black and grey reflect not only the emptiness of his surroundings, but also Cat Noir's internal feelings, as he has lost all his friends, family, and the love of his life. His feelings of loneliness and frustration have impacted himself and the environment he surrounds himself in, hence creating a future that is coated in white and reflecting bleakness, emptiness, and emotional drainage. The white themed color scheme is not only present throughout Paris, but on his costume as well, matching with extremely light blue eyes instead of his usual green eyes and black suit. 

Color Can Be a Mask and a Connection

    By choosing a specific color scheme, it could impact the way the audience interprets the film or tv show, but I found it interesting how Wes Anderson used color as a mask, rather than as clear hint towards the message of the film. For instance, in The Grand Budapest Hotel, a bright, warm color scheme is used throughout the duration of the film, yet it contrasts and masks the dark themes being discussed. Despite using color as a facade, Anderson has also used it to associate the character with their internal problems, specifically with the color red. In Rushmore, Max wears a red hat and the red color is meant to associate with the trauma he experienced.

Making the Audience Feel

    

    Along with being a Harry Potter geek, I am also a fan of Pixar, and I was intrigued to learn how integral color was to telling their stories. Danielle Feinberg, who is the director of photography at Pixar, explained how important lighting and color were to animation, arguing that "lighting and color are part of the backbone of emotion". In the 2004 Pixar film The Incredibles, Mr. Incredible's workspace at Insuracare is filled with dull colors in order to represent boredom and depression. As for WALL-E, Feinberg demonstrated how oranges and tans were used to illustrate the lack of life on Earth, and how the color green was not allowed until WALL-E found the single plant, which establishes a sense of hope for Earth's survival. Pixar's main goal when developing a color scheme is to create the key emotions needed to progress the plot, and most importantly, make the audience feel connected to the story being displayed in front of them. 

Why Color is Important to My Film Opening

When I choose my eventual color scheme, I want it to reflect how the character is feeling, and their impact on the setting. Although, my main goal is to make sure I make that distinction between reality and fiction, and how the dream world is impacted because of reality. With color, I am able to emulate how that dream world feels to the character, as well as transform it into a space that reflects the character's personality and thoughts.