Lighting

Lighting

Lighting not only allows the audience to see the action, it shapes and frames

this action, drawing attention to objects, characters and actions – thus illuminating far more than what is on

the screen.

Naturalistic LightingArtificial lighting that simulates what audiences would expect to see in the real world and constructs a sense of realism in a text.

This natural lighting can also be suggestive in itself and used as a contrast. If it’s not naturalistic, it’s expressive!

Expressive Lighting:

Construction of lighting design intended to deliberately and non naturalistically emphasis or draw attention to mood, character, location, ideas or themesThe Matrix = Green (filters)The Real World = Blue (filters)

Soft Lighting:Soft lighting creates a ‘glow’ over characters. Soft lighting is usually diffused through a filter or bounced or reflected off the actors. Soft light flows over the objects, creating soft, warm feeling.

Harsh Lighting

Hard light hits the actor directly from the source.

Soft Lighting

Harsh light consists of bright ‘whites’ and dark blacks and sometimes creates a harsh and cold feeling. Harsh Lighting

High/Low Key LightingHigh Key Lighting: refers to a bright and evenly lit scene with few shadows. This lighting is common in TV texts with domestic themes such as romantic comedies/sitcoms

Low Key Lighting: is used expressively and is designed to create contrast within the frame, emphasising shadow and darkness

High Key Lighting:

Low Key Lighting:

Describe how lighting is used to communicate ideas in the opening of one of the text you have studied (VCAA Media

exam 2012) 4 marks

Describe how one of the production elements listed below (lighting) functions to communicate ideas in one of the texts that you have

studied this year. (3 marks)

Discuss how lighting is used to communicate ideas within American Beauty

Naturalistic high key lighting is used in the beginning of the cheerleading sequence within American Beauty. Used in a wide shot of the stadium this makes audiences think that Lester is just attending a regularly cheerleading routine by his daughter and he wants to leave.

However, as soon as Lester notices and fixates his attention on Angela, lighting becomes expressive to communicate to the audience the sexual desire Lester is experiencing. Here, spotlighting is used amongst low key lighting to single out Angela. The lighting is harsh allowing the audience to absorb Lester’s point of view as his gaze travels over her body while she dances seductively however this is not meant to be a romantic encounter. Although he lusts after her, the harsh lighting on Angela is designed to make us feel uncomfortable about this unnatural attraction.

Spotlighting is also used on Lester, we see a wide shot of him sitting in the stadium while he watches, now all alone. He is harshly lit with the bright spotlight suggesting to audiences that, in his daydream, she too is only performing for him and the performance is meant to be uncomfortable for audiences.