POWER OF VISUAL STORYTELLING

I've always been fascinated by cinematography, particularly how color, light, and camera techniques evoke emotions or set a mood. Not too long ago, I gave a series of live and online talks exploring how color and light are used in photography and film to convey time, focus the viewer’s attention, or create atmosphere. During these talks, I explained how different color models help creators capture our attention or ignite our imagination.

But it's not just about color and light—camera angles, depth of field, lens choice, and even sound all play vital roles in immersing the audience in the story being told. Sometimes, these elements are subtle, and we're not even aware of them. Other times, the choices are very intentional, and we’re acutely aware of how the story is presented. I love dissecting films as to understand how all these elements work together to pull me in.

One of the most mind-blowing examples of this is Netflix's Breaking Bad, where the use of color in the characters’ clothing and certain set pieces or objects subtly reveals their roles and relationships. At first, it seems random, but when you look closer, the details start to click. The creators used the color wheel to position the protagonist and antagonist against opposing colors. Characters who fall between these two roles wear colors that reflect that transition. Over the course of the series, characters even shift in color as they interact with others. Once you notice how color is used, it becomes a thrilling game of predicting how it will evolve throughout the series.

Another example of brilliant color use is The Batman and The Penguin. The moody, wet, rainy scenes of Gotham City, with droplets of rain on the lens, instantly create a cold and immersive atmosphere. The lens distortion and chromatic aberration add to the gritty feeling, making every shot feel alive. One of the most unforgettable scenes for me is when Batman walks toward Penguin, silhouetted by fire on the wet street, and we see the scene from an upside-down perspective, as if the viewer is tumbling along with the Penguin in his car after a high-speed chase. The creative use of camera angles, combined with color grading and practical effects, makes this sequence an iconic moment in cinema.

Staying within the same genre, The Joker takes a different approach to color grading and set styling. The same city feels more chaotic and unsettling, matching the Joker’s macabre laughter. The painterly, worn-out look of the apartment and the half-wiped-off clown makeup emphasize the character’s internal decay and madness. These elements pull us deeper into the story, allowing us to experience the world through the eyes of the protagonist.

What I find especially fascinating is how filmmakers sometimes play with color in unexpected ways. Take, for example, the scene in The Wolf of Wall Street where Margot Robbie seduces Leonardo DiCaprio in a children's bedroom. She wears a baby pink dress, traditionally associated with innocence, but her body language tells a completely different story. It's a striking example of how color can play against our expectations to amplify the narrative.

In Dune Part I, the color palette of Arrakis is dominated by dry, sandy browns, mirroring the desert planet's harsh environment. However, Caladan, the homeworld of Paul Atreides, is portrayed with cold, dark petrol blues that reflect the planet's wet and gloomy atmosphere. In Dune Part II, when the Harkonnen warriors descend to ambush Paul and his mother, the scene still feels sandy but is bathed in a bright tangerine hue, signaling danger. Every color choice here serves to immerse us in the environment and provide vital context for what’s about to happen.

The color red in 2001: A Space Odyssey serves as a perfect example of how color can act as a visual cue. The single red eye of HAL isn’t just an aesthetic choice—it's a warning. It subtly foreshadows the monotone, cold voice of the AI and hints at the underlying menace within the spaceship.

I could go on and on about these iconic shots and stunning films. For anyone interested in learning more, I invite you to explore the Talks section of this website, where you can watch my talk on Visual Storytelling using Color and Light, done in collaboration with Wacom Europe. Click here to watch.

Additionally, I recommend checking out the incredible website Film Grab, which holds a vast, alphabetically ordered archive of shots from almost any film you can imagine. It’s a treasure trove of visual inspiration.

Interested in learning how to apply these visual storytelling techniques to your own projects? Reach out, and let’s discuss how we can collaborate on bringing your ideas to life.