Lighting blog tasks

 Lighting blog tasks

You'll need to use the Film Language Powerpoint to work through the Lighting tasks. 

1) Still image analysis

Look at the still images on slides 33-37 of the Film Language Powerpoint linked above. Copy the images into your blog and answer the following questions for each image:

1. Identify examples of high and low-key lighting.
2. Say which depict top, back or under lighting.
3. What effects are created by the lighting in each image?     

   

1. Low-key lighting: showcases the power of the character in the still image and emphasises the key light that influences the strength og the woman in the frame (could be crime genre)
2. You can see back lighting, which is lighting up the smoke coming out of the cigarette to emphasise her being covered or hidden and shrouded in mystery pretending to possibly be someone she is not (enigma code)
3. This creates the effect of femme fatale being shown by the woman and her power as a possible antagonist holding a cigarette and smoking (there are also subverted traditional stereotypes of women)

1. There is low key lighting, which creates a strong shadow 
2. There is top lighting which shows a sense of safety in the darkness being shone upon the woman's face
3. The effect of the key light that is brightly shone of the woman's face brings focus to the subject and her face, which is pretty and again connotes femme fatal as her being the possible antagonist just dedicates her role in the narrative.

1. There is again low key lighting which shows a cloudy visual of the background as well as a black and white image of a man
2. The key light is coming from the top and creates a strong contrast in light and dark as his eyes are being hidden by the dark lighting
3. There is more than one light source, emphasising his hidden eyes and him and his facial expressions having furrowed brows, looking tense could mean he is in doubt and confused and is therefore hiding his thoughts

1. There is low key lighting and a key light that frames the characters power in the scene
2. The key light is a top light which shines down on the characters presenting his powerful presence and could showcase him as a hero or protagonist since there's only one character in the frame
3. The effect of the lighting could suggest the film to be an action film as the character is shone in light and his body language shows him as ready and prepared to fight or do something dangerous

1. This image has high key lighting as there is one light coming from the front that creates a shadow from the back
2. The filler light is there to form a shadow of the woman behind her and could possibly be natural sunlight in a black and white format
3. the effect of the lighting shows that the woman is the protagonist and damsel in distress as she is dressed in what a woman would typically wear in the olden days, reinforcing such stereotypes

1. This image contains low key lighting as the main source of light in the sunlight shining upon the characters in their powerful moment
2. The key light is back lighting coming from behind the woman and through the blinds of the window within the dark atmosphere
3. The effect of dark lighting interrupted by a key light creates the effect of an intimate mood for an intimate scene between two characters

1. This image contains high key lighting and is seen with characters and their shadow interrupting the filler light
2. The filler light is top lighting shining onto the heads of the 4 characters in the scene 
3. The effect of the lighting in this scene shows an ensemble cast and suggests an action adventure genre with a team of four ready to face some challenges

1. This image contains low key lighting which brings a very mystic feel due to the binary opposition of black and white and also the intense dark background
2. The key light is under lighting, which is expressing the features of the woman's face and her facial expressions can be seen as shocked and scared
3. The effect of this lighting is that it created many enigma codes relating to the binary opposition of the lighting and the facial expressions on the woman's face which can set the mood and tone of the scene

1. This image portrays high key lighting and as it is a black and white image it can be seen as some sort of professional tone
2. The image does has top lighting as the filler light which fills the whole frame of the scene being shown
3. The effect of this lighting suggests a setting in nature surrounded by natural lighting because it is filling up the whole frame and focuses the audience's attention on the character as well as the background

1. This image also shows high key lighting as it is extremely dark and the filler light isn't being interrupted by any other lights
2. the filler light is back lighting and it is blue and black
3. the effect of the lighting makes it really hard to see the characters in the scene, creating a mystery tone and enigma code as to why the producers may not want the audience to see something connoting a hidden agenda

1. This image portrays low key lighting with a key light shining upon the characters while they are dancing and holding each other
2. The key light is top lighting on the characters and it just allows them to signify their love for each other while they are embraced in one another's arms
3. the effect of the lighting sets the scene and hints at a romance genre for the film due to the character's intimacy in the image shown

Note: if the images don't display correctly in your blog then simply use the number of each image and answer the three questions for each.

2) Film noir research 

Research film noir - focusing on the genre’s distinctive lighting style. Make notes on the genre and particularly the use of lighting - bullet points are fine. 

Genre Characteristics

• Protagonist:
  
• Often a male anti-hero: cynical, weary, morally compromised (e.g., private detective, ex-cop, or criminal).
• Driven by greed, lust, or revenge rather than noble ideals.
• Frequently narrates the story through voice-over – adding subjectivity and fatalism.
• Femme Fatale:
  
• A central female archetype: seductive, manipulative, and dangerous.
• Uses allure to entrap or destroy men.
• Symbol of male anxiety toward changing gender roles post-WWII.
• Setting:
  
• Urban environments – often at night, in rain-soaked streets, smoky bars, and cheap hotels.
• Reflects the gritty realism of modern life and hidden corruption beneath the surface.
• Claustrophobic interiors emphasise entrapment and tension.
• Narrative Style:
  
• Non-linear storytelling; flashbacks and fragmented timelines.
• First-person narration or inner monologue.
• Plots centred on crime, investigation, or moral downfall.
• Unresolved endings – pessimistic, ambiguous outcomes.

Lighting and Cinematography in Film Noir

• Overall Visual Style:
  
• Rooted in German Expressionist cinematography – exaggerated contrasts and symbolic use of shadow.
• Typically black-and-white, with emphasis on high-contrast lighting (chiaroscuro).
• Visuals create a sense of unease, tension, and moral ambiguity.
• Key Lighting Techniques:
  
• Low-key lighting:
  
• Minimal fill light; strong key light produces deep shadows and stark contrasts.
• Enhances mystery and psychological intensity.
• Chiaroscuro:
  
• Dramatic contrast between light and dark areas of the frame.
• Symbolises the blurred line between good and evil.
• Hard lighting:
  
• Creates sharp edges and textures, giving the image a harsh, gritty look.
• Venetian blinds and slatted shadows:
  
• Iconic motif – light filtering through blinds creates striped patterns.
• Symbolises entrapment and imprisonment.
• Backlighting and silhouettes:
  
• Characters often partially obscured, emphasising secrecy and moral ambiguity.
• Oblique angles and canted frames:
  
• Convey unease, instability, and psychological tension.
• Smoke, mirrors, and reflections:
  
• Enhance visual complexity and thematic depth (illusion, duality, deception).
• Function of Lighting in Film Noir:
  
• Psychological: Reveals inner turmoil, paranoia, and fear.
• Moral: Shadows represent corruption, deceit, or the unknown.
• Atmospheric: Creates suspense, tension, and emotional darkness.
• Symbolic: Light and dark often stand for truth vs. lies, innocence vs. guilt.

3) Film noir YouTube clip analysis 

Finally, find a YouTube clip that fits the film noir genre and embed it under your research (the clip can be classic noir from the 1950s or something more recent - neo-noir). How does the clip's lighting fit the film noir genre? 

EMBEDED CLIP:

https://youtu.be/nZUaGkr2dwk

This clip's lighting fits the cilm noir genre as it has very low key lighting that brings out dark shadows such as when he is lighting up the cigarette to smoke. It also has hard lighting that creates harsh tones to the scene like when he is actually smoking the cigarette and his silhouette is shown. There is the chiaroscuro seen with the dramatic contrast in lighting when he puts out the smoke and looks at the picture of the girl who is symbolised as good and him getting rid of the cigarette establishes his blurred line of good and evil becoming clear when he sees the girl's photo.