Film Studies Micro Element
Lighting This week’s lesson will focus on lighting techniques and the way in which these are used to create various effects in film. 1) LOW KEY LIGHTING This technique is often used for reasons of restricted budget as well as for the atmosphere qualities it brings to bear on films. For example, the thirties gangster film (e.g. Angels With Dirty Faces) and the forties/fifties film noir (The Third Man) make extensive use of this technique, often combined with deepfocus photography, in order to conceal the limitations of cheap sets as well as having the potential effect of adding an air of mystery, gloom and claustrophobia to the impact of the film. It tends to appear to be more naturalistic than high key lighting, although it is, o f course, equally artificial. Low-key lighting is achieved by only partially lighting the set, hence the possibilities of concealment of a shabby and small set as well as atmospheric. Screening: The Third Man 2) HIGH KEY LIGHTING This is a technique that is often used in high budget pictures and has an impact of brightness, artificiality and lack of shadow. It is very evident in films like musicals, in which saturated colour predominates and a generally opulent atmosphere created. High key lighting has tendency to highlight the set, occasionally overwhelming the action, whereas low-key lighting tends to operate on a background level Screening: The Red Shoes (1948) Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Questions 1. How important do you think lighting is to the overall impact of the film? 2. Would it be possible to achieve the visual effects of a big budget film like The Red Shoes using low key lighting?