I looked at various films such as Leon, Casablanca, Bladerunner as well as various film noir films which depend on the use of light and shade to tell a story. Chris and I looked at many films which focused on the hitman. These films included Collateral and Leon. Not only were we interested in the story, but we were also interested in the use of lighting which created a moody atmosphere as well informing the viewer on a specific character. Leon focuses on a lonely hitman who is essentially very naive. Leon himself is caught up in a life of crime and corruption and we sense that he loathes his current lifestyle. However, killing is the only thing he knows and finds himself in a downward spiral. His life suddenly changes when he meets a girl named Matilda and ultimately becomes a sort of father figure after her family is brutally murdered.
The lighting within the film is very interesting as it often conveys the mood of the characters and the mood of the film. Leon's apartment is very dark and is only partially illuminated from the outside. The visual appearance of the apartment itself is no coincidence. Theatrical lighting is completely different from natural light. Often directors and cinematographers will use light purely as a story telling device. Leon's apartment tells you something about his character and the loneliness his line of work entails.
The apartment itself is poorly decorated and we get the idea that the Leon moves from place to place, so there is really no need to spend time on its appearance. It is interesting that the only light within the room is partially off frame and that there is a heavy shadow where the lamp shade should be. Again this is theatrical and symbolizes his dark state of mind as he begins to realize that Matilda is a threat to him.
Another Classic film Chris and I looked at was Bladerunner. The film itself is beautifully shot and the lighting used within the film is second to none in my opinion. The film is a classic film noir piece that deals with one man's struggle against seemingly overwhelming odds. What is amazing about this film is that it combines the old and the new and has a very unique feel to it although it is set in the future. Again the story focuses on a troubled soul who is clearly missing something in his life. Deckard feels trapped and alone in what seems an uphill struggle. This is essentially echoed in the appearance of his apartment as well as the lighting used which illuminates specific areas. Again the use of lighting has a huge impact on the mood of the film as well as its characters. There is a strong use of neutral colours like blues and grays in conjunction with overwhelmingly dark shadows. Venetian blinds are used extensively in the film particularly in Deckard's apartment which creates bands of light and shadow which symbolizes the characters current mental state and the fact that he is trapped in a scenario from which he finds it hard to escape. This is what we want to replicate in our short film which will hopefully add a new dimension to the story as well as the character.
I also looked at various black and white film noir films such as Casablanca, Kiss Me Deadly and M which use light to their advantage. The contrast between light and dark areas produces some very interesting but sinister compositions which drive the action taking place on screen. For example in Casablanca their is a sequence where the characters are partially obscured by shadows cast from objects off screen. This not only gives the illusion that their is a lot more going on on set but also conveys the fact the characters are trapped by forces out of their control. In Kiss Me Deadly for example the characters are often seen through angular shapes and shadows. There are some scenes in which the characters are lit from below which causes a certain amount unease as well as an ominous atmosphere.
While writing my dissertation I obtained some very interesting techniques and theories about lighting and its use in film. Light itself is very important, however, there are some cinematographers that believe that shadow and silhouettes are equally important when lighting a scene. For example Vilmos states that he prefers to shoot films in black and white because of the contrast created by the light and dark areas which make for more dramatic filmaking. He also says that he paints with shadow and silhouette. This is something to consider when lighting the interior scene by using light as a storytelling device. Anyone can place a light in a space, but positioning the light and the objects within the space to acquire a more dynamic and appealing image is the real challenge.
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