To continue our recap on the ‘M’ of M.I.G.R.A.I.N.E, we learned about editing and lighting. Firstly, we watched a video that explained different editing techniques, such as cuts and transitions, but because that was quite long and detailed, so I’ll be going over the key information and definitions we focused on afterwards.
Cross-cutting: Cutting from one shot to the next, which is often used to build tension.
Pace: The timing of the transitions can be used to create a certain mood or effect. A long take can create tension or an uncomfortable feeling and a fast pace can create a montage effect.
Cuts/dissolves/fades: These connote the passing of time and allow one shot to transition to the next.
Continuity: A cause & effect rule with which there is no timeline changes and enforces a sense of realism.
Shot reverse shot: Very commonly used in the industry, shot reverse shot is a technique that allows the audience to understand what is happening by showing it in the natural order. E.g. a POV shot and then a reaction shot of the characters, or two characters talking with a series of OSS shots back and forth.
Montage: A series of quick cuts that are perfect for showing a stories progression over a period of time that is usually too long to include in full.
In order to have examples to refer back to when analysing editing, we also looked at slides featuring some of the different types of cuts there are in film & tv, along with examples shown in screenshots.
Our editing task involved applying all of the information we learned above to analyse a clip from a film, tv, show, etc. I personally find editing and cinematography hardest to analyse out of everything in media language, so I wanted to find a good video to look at, which was difficult. I ended up deciding on one of the recommended options, which is the introduction to the film Baby Driver.
Before we see anything, we hear tense music, and then the scene starts from a fade from black. This combination tells the audience that there is some source of danger, creating suspense before any characters are even shown. There is a basic cut from the tires of the car to the music player, and then to the character. This bottom-to-the-top order could hint that this character started from the bottom and rose to his current position. This could be socially, or in terms of his career. We then get a series of cross-cutting between all of the characters in the car, building up the suspense along with the music, as if we are waiting in expectation for the action to start. This is then satisfied when three of the characters suddenly exit the car, causing the pace to slightly speed up to reflect the increase in action. As the three characters get something from the trunk, we get another cut back to the driver, highlighting his importance and showing that he is clearly noticing what the other three are doing. As they start to walk, the pacing continues to increase steadily to show that more is happening, and we get an invisible cut via a passing man, which just looks like a shadow on the screen. It is used to move from their feet to a point further back to show them walking away from the car, to give the audience more information (setting, full view of the car etc.) but also to build tension, because the shadow is quite ominous, and even if it is for a second, the darkness covers all the characters. It makes us think that they are either villains or are in danger. We cut to them walking forwards, this time as if it is towards the audience, and this is repeated again after they walked past and put their masks on, which draws our attention to the way they move, with identical strides, serious expressions and a sense of purpose that is intimidating. So far, without any dialogue, the editing has given us an impression of what kind of people these three, along with maybe the driver, are. They look suspicious but cool as if they are on an important mission and are prepared to face danger at any moment. Finally, this is confirmed when at 00:50, we cut to a back shot of the characters, and their location comes into view. A bank. Immediately, the audience comes to the conclusion that they are robbers and are about to commit a crime, drawn together from the previous clues – their behaviour and clothing. The next most interesting part in the clip is at 2:40, after the robbery when the driver enters a high-speed car chase in order to escape the police. The pace increases extremely, with fast cuts and shot-reverse-shot between the multiple perspectives of the driver, the three robbers and the exterior perspectives of their car and the police cars. Cutting quickly from each of these adds to the tension of the situation and is reinforced thanks to the matching increasing beat of the music. We also have a lot of cutting on action, often when the characters turn their heads from the back to the front or vice versa, or when they look at the driver. This is done to make the audience understand the feeling of restlessness and anxiety in the car since the characters can’t be completely sure if they’ll get away, and keep checking behind them to see the situation. Either way, they have to put their trust in the boy driving the car, and the urgency with this is expressed through this back and forth and quick snapping of their heads. Our attention is similarly divided between the different perspectives, and again, the fast cuts show how high the pressure and stakes are.
Next, we looked at lighting, which is absolutely fundamental to a film. It creates a visual mood, atmosphere and sense of meaning for the audience, which in turn allows them to feel more a part of the story. Lighting is quite versatile; one of the things it is used for is to tell the audience where to look, at times even guiding their eyes to a specific actor, prop or part of a scene. It can also reflect the mood of a scene, and the psychology or emotions of the characters through the amount, size, colour and harshness. Furthermore, its importance in establishing and supporting the genre of a film makes it an essential tool to creating a successful or even decent film. A genre that is particularly recognised is Film Noir, which has a distinct style thanks to lighting: the stark contrast between light and dark, dramatic shadows and unique framing and composition choices.
That being said, there are many different types of lighting, a good portion of which we went over. I will be adding in the definitions for all of them, and for five specific techniques, I will also include an example and analysis.
Natural lighting: This is the lighting that looks normal and can be any time of day.
High key lighting: A reduced lighting ratio in the scene (light to dark) that can be used to create an optimistic or hopeful tone.
3 Point lighting set-up: A standard method used in visual media where cinematographers illuminate a subject in any way they want using three separate positions and controlling the shadows produced by the direct lighting.
Key lighting: The key light is the primary light source of a scene. It generally illuminates the form of a subject or actor and is the most intense and direct source of light.
Fill lighting: It is used to cancel out the shadows created by the key light, so it is usually opposite it and not as powerful.
Practical light: This is done using light sources within the filming location such as lamps, candles, tv sets etc. It’s good for wide shots and long takes as it helps create ambience and give depth of field to a scene.
Bounce lighting: Light can be bounced from the sun, lamps or any film lighting kit, to indirectly highlight a subject within the frame. It creates a larger area of evenly spread light and can create soft light, fill light, top, side or backlighting.
Motivated lighting: This type of lighting imitates natural light sources and acts as a stand-in for the sun, moon, streetlights, car lights and more. It is often specifically altered to look natural.
Ambient light: There will always be some type of lighting that needs to be accounted for, especially when shooting for a long time, such as when the time of day changes. This also refers to light that is already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added.
The ones that I didn’t include are the following –
Low Key Lighting
It isn’t surprising that my example is from a Film Noir movie, which is a style signature for its shadowy scenes. Overall, this shot feels ominous and daunting because of the harsh contrast between the light and the dark, which is the first thing that I noticed about it. I think the choice of low key lighting for this scene was perfect since it complements the architecture and subjects very well. Our eyes are drawn to the brightly lit area since its white colour stands out amongst the black, where we notice first the strong silhouette of the man. To me, it seems as if he is walking away, but it could also be argued that he is walking towards the second man in the frame, which is why the darkness works so well. He is literally shrouded in mystery if we interpret the shadow as that but also because we don’t know his direction or purpose. We cannot see his face and his posture doesn’t tell us much other than he is quite calm and collected, which creates a tense mood. The wooden slats and overall repeating structure fades out because of the moonlight, creating an echoing effect that almost frames the ominous man, which adds to his mystery and makes him intimidating, as if he has an entourage behind him, or the building welcomes him in. This idea is enhanced by the random dots of light in the scene, the lanterns and what could be their reflections, which look like eyes peering out of the gloom, watching the man who is closest to us. It creates a very eerie atmosphere, similar to that of a horror film. It could imply that the man’s every move is being watched, and he is in danger.
Our eyes naturally follow along from the silhouette to him because of the sharp shadows on the ground which all point in his direction. Perhaps this is confirmation that the man in shadow is indeed walking towards him, that he is his target and our eyes are just following a foreshadowing of future events (he will reach him). It can also be noted, that the man who is walking has a shadow which can be seen half peeking from the darkness. It suggests that he has a darker side to himself that hasn’t fully been revealed yet, and his evil twin is waiting in the darkness but is already coming out. It also spells trouble for the other man, because it is like he is against two people, and not one.
Backlighting
This next image is a perfect example of why I chose to do backlighting as one of my examples. This epic shot of King Kong portrays his magnitude and story thanks to the props but also the lighting. His position facing the helicopters with the sun behind him can be interpreted in many different ways, the most obvious of which is that he is a God since the circle of light behind him is reminiscent of the halos used to depict God and Jesus in religious artwork. It implies that he is far more mighty than humanity, and has the immense power to give and take lives. It makes us question the people in the helicopters, who seem to be making a grave mistake in challenging him. You could also argue, however, that he is like a God but will never be one because he is a beast, which is reinforced because his head is not actually in the halo of light, but slightly outside of it. Not only does it make him look less like a true God, but it also gives us the impression that he will never fit in with humanities ideals, and that because of his size and appearance, no matter what he does, he won’t be accepted.
Another idea is that the sun makes Kong look more imposing and powerful because he has the light behind him, a.k.a the ‘good’ which always triumphs over ‘evil’. It is hopeful and beautiful, enhanced by the golden colour which creates heavenly or magnificent associations. Once again, however, his misplacement in relation to the position of the sun opposes this idea, suggesting instead that he is not completely good, but also has some evil inside him, which is probably his natural, animalistic savage side, which is what humans see. It’s quite ironic since we are also a mix of good and bad, and can be just as destructive as a fierce giant ape, but because of his gargantuan size and uncontrollable nature, the ‘bad’ is the only thing that is seen. Following on from this, since we are facing Kong like the helicopters, we are clearly on the side/perspective of the humans, and can infer that they do not see this as a beautiful sight, but rather a dangerous one. King Kong, a wild giant, is standing in front of the sun, blocking its light and effectively blocking the goodness. His black shadow, highlighted by the golden rays is terrifying and he is not backed by the sun but is rather its enemy, therefore our enemy. The position of the sun is also important. I assume that this is a sunset, and is like the last light before the approaching darkness, perhaps reflecting Kong’s internal state – the calm before the storm, his last peaceful moment before the destruction, or perhaps even his last stand before death. Either way, every aspect of the lighting in this scene is intentional, from the massive glowing ball of fire which can be seen as both majestic and deadly, like the creature in front of it, to the golden outline which lights up his silhouette, making him stand out against everything around him, heightening his importance.
Hard Lighting
Hard lighting involves using harsh light to create shadows and definitive lines. It works perfectly for this shot, taken from a scene in one of Marvel’s Avengers movies. Our attention is drawn to the two heroes in the middle of the frame, Captain America and Black Widow, who seem to be having a serious conversation judging from their expressions and body language. The strong light and shadows add to the seriousness of the scene, making the audience think of black and white, and their similar defined contrast, and therefore good vs evil, which is one of the main themes in the Avengers franchise and superhero genre in general. Everything else in the scene is almost blurred out because of the plain light and soft shadows, but the two characters are strikingly clear, highlighting their importance as individuals and as a team in our world because they are the ones who fight off evil. Because of the dark background, and well-lit area where they are standing, this idea is enforced because we think of how they are the light in the darkness, our saviours, a befitting image for heroes. On the other hand, however, the way that the shadows hug their outfits and faces creates negative connotations, making us believe that they also have some darkness inside them. This can be interpreted metaphorically because they also struggle with relationships, emotions and past experiences, just like any other human being. However, because of their status as heroes and constant call to fight ‘evil’, we can also interpret their internal darkness as literal; an evil that has taken root in their minds and is slowly taking control. It makes the audience concerned and scared since their best fighters might be enslaved, and turning to the wrong side – the side that could kill them. Overall, the hard light is effective in bringing out their stature and power, and at a glance, would make anyone realise how important and powerful the two are.
Soft Lighting
Soft lighting is difficult to find in films since it isn’t an actual technique, but more of an aesthetic choice that can be made. It is when most, if not all shadows are eliminated from a scene and subtle shades of light are recreated from exterior sources, such as this shot of Frodo in the Shire. It could be argued that this is an example of natural light since the subject is outside and illuminated in a way to suggest sunny, normal weather. I think that it is natural lighting created using soft lighting, because of the absence of shadows except for where they would realistically be, such as in the folds of the clothes. We can also see that there are no harsh lines across his face and that he looks very relaxed and comfortable, reflecting the peaceful countryside in the background and the lighting which isn’t extraordinary or bizarre in any way. We can infer that the situation the character is in is a normal one, probably something he does daily and is used to. His casual clothing and one possession show that he is home, where he doesn’t need to travel far to get back to all his belongings and the even lighting maintains this idea, brightening him and his book equally. Overall, this soft atmosphere that is made from the lighting brings ideas of contentment, relaxation and happiness to mind and is appealing to the eyes of the audience. Linking this to the location and character, we get the impression that they are both good and peaceful; the Shire being a place of sanctuary away from danger, and Frodo being one of its happy inhabitants or perhaps on the ones protecting the peace.
Side Lighting / Chiaroscuro Lighting
My final chosen example is side lighting, which enters the frame from one side to highlight a person/object and often relies on strong contrast and low-key lighting to accentuate the contours of a subject. It is also known as Chiaroscuro lighting, which is a film lighting style that emphasizes shadow and light and first emerged during the Renaissance in paintings. When I saw this lighting type, I immediately thought of the scene in Matrix, where Neo has to choose the red pill or the blue pill and learns the truth about his reality. It is a very intense scene, and as can be seen above, both characters are only half-lit throughout their entire conversation. The obvious concept here is that of good and evil, shown through the light and dark, which is a theme in the Matrix movies that is portrayed through the machines and humans. It implies that both Neo and Morpheus have goodness and evil within them, and it is up to them to choose which side to listen to.
Alternatively, we can interpret the light side as being the truth, namely a way to escape the Matrix, and the dark side as being a lie, back to the comfort and falsity of the system. We know that Neo was always meant to choose the way out of the system, but the darkness on half of his face suggests that there was some part of him that wanted to stay, because the truth is harder to face, and it would be so easy to step back into a daily routine and continue living the lie that the machines created. In order to free himself, he would have to be incredibly courageous, and his good side would have to be stronger, which is shown through the shadowy part of his face being smaller than the bright part. The same can be said for Morpheus, an individual who already overpowered his instinct to stay trapped in comfort and escaped with his strength of will.
Another possible interpretation of the side lighting is that the two characters are a reflection of each other. Of course, Neo’s opposite and negative has always been and will always be the notorious Agent Smith, but we cannot help but question if Morpheus chose him because he saw a part of himself in Neo: that same struggle against reality, and that same spark that leads him to break free. Perhaps Morpheus recognises Neo’s shadows because they are the same as his, and underneath his cool facade, a deep deep part of him wishes that he had stayed in the Matrix, that he had chosen the blue pill. As we know from the plot and lighting, he chose to face the truth and is here to guide Neo to do the same, to battle his demons and listen to the light, but the shadowed part of his face could also suggest some innate curiosity to see what would happen if Neo chose to stay. If he made the decision that Morpheus couldn’t, he might watch with fascination and almost live the life he could have had through Neo. Aside from these implicit possible meanings, however, the Chiaroscuro style also helps highlight how much weight this part of the movie holds, where everything important unfolds. The dramatic contrast between light and dark communicates how much pressure Neo is feeling and his grave realisation of how consequential his decision could really be. It is a brutal wake-up call and we understand that he could already sense this, even before swallowing the pill.
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From this recap, I have been reminded that lighting and editing are the unseen heroes of film and tv. So often, we watch something and completely miss the signs that are being shown to us through the pacing, transitions, colours and types of lighting, instead too engrossed in the characters and story, which in a way, means that these two aspects of mise en scene serve their purpose well. Sometimes, we even pick up on the clues subconsciously, like when the lighting changes colour and shifts the entire mood of the scene, something we notice but almost never links to something as menial as the lights, which really shows the hidden power that these two things have over an audience. I find this fascinating, especially when I truly focus and get a chance to analyse them from a scene or shot and realise just how many messages are added in and thought about, all influencing us usually without our knowledge and adding to the experience.