In this still image from a film, soft, artificial lighting is used as the main source of light – this being the light above the table. As the light is hanging and placed above the table, it can be described as a top light. Whilst the light itself is a harsh light, creating extreme contrast between bright and dark areas, the light which is shown on the characters faces is soft. The main use of this light is to illuminate the actors faces. It is clear to the viewer that the front of their faces are the most lit areas and the light begins to shadow around the sides of their faces, and the rest of their bodies are dark. The white colour temperature of the artificial lighting helps to create a tense mood in this scene. The bright, white spotlight implies an interrogative and exposing tone. The hanging light, also known as a Low Key Light, is further accompanied by other, secondary light sources in this scene, such as the back light. The Back Light can be seen from the window and gaps in the door behind the characters. This technique helps the scene to appear more 3 Dimensional, adding some definition and depth to the shot. This natural light however, is not bright, much in contrast to the light hanging above the table. The dull, yet still visible light, gives the clear impression that it is dark outside. This indicates that light has also been used in this scene to imply the time of day. Another source of light in this scene is the reflected light from the lamp onto the oven. This fill light, which is used to gently light the shadows in the scene, allow for the background of the shot to appear visible. By doing this, the viewer knows in what location the characters are in, yet the background is not the main area of focus. Finally, another fill light in this scene is the light that reflects off of the glass items on the table. This reflects the light, highlighting small parts around the actors, such as the single glare on the chair. I think that this method of lighting has been used to create an intimate atmosphere, isolating everything else that is happening around the two characters, creating a personal moment.
In this still image from a film, hard, harsh light has been used as the main source of light – this being the strong glow from the Jellyfish in the background. As the main source of light is presented from the background of the shot, this is called a back light. Furthermore, because of where the light is placed and where the camera is placed, the actors, who are in the foreground, are silhouetted due to the strength of the hard light. I believe that this light source has been used to portray multiple different uses. Firstly, it is the only visible light in shot, therefore it is the only light that is illuminating its surroundings. The blue colour temperature has also been used to create a chilling tone. The intensity of the light adds to the metaphorical strength and eeriness of the giant Jellyfish. Alongside the bright light, shadow is also created in this scene. The attached shadows of the two actors are presented on the floor, along with the other dark areas on the sides of the building. There is also not any natural, outdoor sunlight to be shown in this scene, therefore creating a disorientating and tense atmosphere for the viewer as they are not able to identify the time of day through the use of light. The clever use of leading lines in this scene, being the parallel frames of the broken window, help to implement depth and layers into the shot. Being the only source of light in this scene, the light from the Jellyfish is the High Key Light, as well as being the Back Light. This light is strong enough to create enough light to illuminate most of the shot. However, there is also a fill light in this shot; being the light projected up from the floor which has been reflected from the surrounding glass. I think that this method of lighting was chosen to create an intense and harsh atmosphere in the scene. It is clear that the bright light is so strong that it is blinding, plunging the characters into silhouettes.
Both of these two still images from two different films each use lighting to set a tone in the scene. The first image can be viewed as a calming and natural environment, even though artificial lighting has been used. However, if the lamp in that scene was to have been turned red, through the use of gels, the scene would have an extremely different mood. It would appear dangerous and eerie; therefore it is clear to see how important the use of light is when creating a tone for a scene. On the other hand, the second image can be viewed as being an intense and dangerous scene. The colour blue can usually seem calming however, in this scene, it has been used to creating a chilling and deadly mood. However, the Key Lights for each images are used in different places in the shot. For example, the Low Key Light in the first image in used in the foreground of the image; whereas, the High Key Light in the second image is in the background, creating shadows. Overall, each scene successfully uses different forms of both soft lighting and hard lighting to create their desired tone for each shot.
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