How has post-produced colour evolved as a narrative device in the film industry?

Oliver Andersen

EPP

2017

1 of 59 Contents

Illustrations…Pages 3 - 7

Acknowledgements…Page 8 Introduction…Page 9

Chapter 1 - More Than Light…Page 10 Chapter 2 - The Whole Picture…Pages 11 - 18

Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout The Ages (1916)…Pages 11 - 13

Greed (1924)…Page 14

Pierrot Le Fou (1965)…Pages 15 - 16

The Matrix (1999)…Pages 17 - 18 Chapter 3 - In Character…Pages 19 - 34

The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903)…Pages 19 - 21

The Phantom of the Opera (1925)…Pages 22 - 23

Vertigo (1958)…Pages 24 - 26

Hero (2002)…Pages 27 - 34 Chapter 4 - The World Around Us…Pages 35 - 45

Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903)…Pages 35 - 36

The Wizard of Oz (1939)…Pages 37 - 39

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)…Pages 40 - 42

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)…Pages 43 - 45 Conclusion…Pages 46 - 47 Appendices…Pages 48

Bibliography…Pages 49 - 52 Progress Map…Pages 53 - 58

2 of 59 Illustrations

1. Block of colour. Created myself. Page 10 2. Block of colour. Created myself. Page 10 3. Block of colour. Created myself. Page 10 4. Intolerance (1916) poster. Found: http://www.impawards.com/1916/ intolerance.html Page 11 5. Intolerance (1916) still. Captured: https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Intolerance/ 22304193 Page 12 6. Intolerance (1916) still. Captured: https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Intolerance/ 22304193 Page 12 7. Intolerance (1916) still. Captured: https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Intolerance/ 22304193 Page 12 8. Intolerance (1916) still. Captured: https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Intolerance/ 22304193 Page 12 9. Greed (1924) poster. Found: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Greed_1924_poster.jpg Page 13 10. Greed (1924) still from movie. Found: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ commons/7/75/Greed,_1924,_19_epilogo.jpg Page 13 11. Pierrot Le Fou (1965) poster. Found: http://altcitizen.com/film-files-pierrot-le-fou- and-the-pop-art-movement/ Page 15 12. Pierrot Le Fou (1965) still. Captured: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-pierrot-le- fou-1965/ Page 16 13. Pierrot Le Fou (1965) still. Captured: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-pierrot-le- fou-1965/ Page 16 14. Pierrot Le Fou (1965) still. Captured: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-pierrot-le- fou-1965/ Page 16 15. Pierrot Le Fou (1965) still. Captured: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-pierrot-le- fou-1965/ Page 16 16. The Matrix (1999) poster. Found: http://thebitplayers.net/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/08/the-matrix-movie-poster.jpg Page 17

3 of 59 17. The Matrix (1999) still. Found: http://cinevenger.com/?p=452#!prettyPhoto %5BGallery%5D/1/ Page 17 18. The Matrix (1999) still. Captured from DVD. Page 17 19. The Matrix (1999) stills. Found: http://cinevenger.com/?p=452#!prettyPhoto %5BGallery%5D/1/ Page 18 20. The Matrix (1999) stills. Found: http://cinevenger.com/?p=452#!prettyPhoto %5BGallery%5D/1/ Page 18 21. The Matrix (1999) stills. Found: http://cinevenger.com/?p=452#!prettyPhoto %5BGallery%5D/1/ Page 18 22. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) cover. Found: http://www.imdb.com/ title/tt0127962/mediaviewer/rm3685981440 Page 19 23. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 19 24. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 19 25. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 20 26. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 20 27. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 20 28. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 21 29. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) still. Captured: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_sKy1qqt4 Page 21 30. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) poster. Found: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(1925_film) Page 22 31. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) still. Captured: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vElsIYXbhMU Page 22 32. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) still. Captured: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vElsIYXbhMU Page 23 33. Vertigo (1958) poster. Found: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/ 7/75/Vertigomovie_restoration.jpg Page 24

4 of 59 34. Vertigo (1958) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/VERTIGO- Ellen/dp/B00FZS8GDU Page 25 35. Vertigo (1958) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/VERTIGO- Ellen/dp/B00FZS8GDU Page 25 36. Vertigo (1958) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/VERTIGO- Ellen/dp/B00FZS8GDU Page 26 37. Vertigo (1958) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/VERTIGO- Ellen/dp/B00FZS8GDU Page 26 38. Hero (2002) DVD cover. Found: http://s180.photobucket.com/user/nebular82/ media/hero4blogspot.jpg.html Page 27 39. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 27 40. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 27 41. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 28 42. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 29 43. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 29 44. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 29 45. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 29 46. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 30 47. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 30 48. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 31 49. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 31 50. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 32 51. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 32 52. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 33 53. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 33 54. Hero (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 34 55. Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) poster. Found: https://letterboxd.com/film/ the-kingdom-of-fairies/ Page 35 56. Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) still from movie. Captured: https:// archive.org/details/LeRoyaumeDesFes Page 35 57. Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) still from movie. Captured: https:// archive.org/details/LeRoyaumeDesFes Page 35

5 of 59 58. Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) still from movie. Captured: https:// archive.org/details/LeRoyaumeDesFes Page 36 59. Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) still from movie. Captured: https:// archive.org/details/LeRoyaumeDesFes Page 36 60. Fairytale: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) still from movie. Captured: https:// archive.org/details/LeRoyaumeDesFes Page36 61. The Wizard of Oz (1939) poster. Found: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/ Page 37 62. The Wizard of Oz (1939) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ Wizard-Oz-Jack-Haley/dp/B00ET215X6 Page 37 63. The Wizard of Oz (1939) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ Wizard-Oz-Jack-Haley/dp/B00ET215X6 Page 38 64. The Wizard of Oz (1939) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ Wizard-Oz-Jack-Haley/dp/B00ET215X6 Page 38 65. The Wizard of Oz (1939) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ Wizard-Oz-Jack-Haley/dp/B00ET215X6 Page 39 66. The Wizard of Oz (1939) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ Wizard-Oz-Jack-Haley/dp/B00ET215X6 Page 39 67. The Wizard of Oz (1939) still from movie. Captured: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ Wizard-Oz-Jack-Haley/dp/B00ET215X6 Page 39 68. A Space Odyssey: 2001 (1968) poster. Found: http://www.kennelco.com/ 2015/08/27/2001-a-space-odyssey-1968/ Page 40 69. A Space Odyssey: 2001 (1968) still from movie. Captured: https://archive.org/ details/video_20160419 Page 40 70. A Space Odyssey: 2001 (1968) still from movie. Captured: https://archive.org/ details/video_20160419 Page 41 71. A Space Odyssey: 2001 (1968) still from movie. Captured: https://archive.org/ details/video_20160419 Page 41 72. A Space Odyssey: 2001 (1968) still from movie. Captured: https://archive.org/ details/video_20160419 Page 42 73. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) poster. Found: http:// lotr.wikia.com/wiki/File:The_Two_Towers_Poster_02.jpg Page 43

6 of 59 74. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 43 75. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 44 76. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD Page 44 77. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) still from movie. Captured from DVD. Page 45 78. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) still from movie. Captured from DVD Page 45

7 of 59 Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank: Kevin Shaw C.S.I - Colorist, instructor and consultant. For agreeing to shed some light on my subject.

Adam Walton for helping me forge my question and research.

8 of 59 Introduction

As a craft editor and colourist the connection between colour and storytelling has always been very interesting to me. Throughout the course of this dissertation I intend to find out what role colour has played in storytelling since it’s introduction to cinema, through to it’s role today. Before starting this I will identify what effects colours have on the audience through online research in order to gain better understanding on the subject.

Once this knowledge of colour is established I will be able to systematically analyse films ranging from the start of cinema to present day, highlighting how colour has been used to affect the audience. I will analyse films that utilise a specific method of colouring for each chapter in order to establish a clear timeline for each. Separating each chapter by colouring application will allow me to be more concise in my analysis. Having these clear timelines allows for a conclusion to be drawn more easily from them.

In order to undertake this analysis I will not only be analysing films first-hand, but I will be undertaking as many interviews as possible with experienced colourists, as well as using online resources and books and any relevant events to broaden my knowledge. This will allow me to understand colour’s role in cinema from an expert’s perspective as well as the means of producing colour at the time, this will allow me to understand the role of each colour accurately.

Once I have three clear timelines established and I have learnt more about colour’s effects on people and it’s use in film, I will be able to use this information as well as the views expressed by my interview subjects to determine how post-produced colour has evolved as a narrative device.

9 of 59 Chapter One - More Than Light

To understand the use of colour in storytelling it is vital to understand the effect colour has on people. The effects colours have on the brain and body are easily missed. The theory in which these colours have effects on the mind is called ‘Colour Psychology’. In 2011 a study in to the effects of the colour red was published in the psychology journal Emotion, in which Andrew Elliot states “Red enhances our physical reactions because it is seen as a danger cue” (Elliot, Emotion, 2011), Elliot then goes on to say "Color affects us in many ways depending on the context,” (Elliot, Emotion, 2011), Elliot’s colleague in the study of this effect, Henk Aarts, goes on to say "Those color effects fly under our awareness radar,” (Aarts, Emotion, 2011). Although there hasn’t been much broader study in to the specific effects of colours due to variables in personality, culture, upbringing etc., the effects have been witnessed in this study and have long been utilised by filmmakers to express their stories. Here are the most widely acknowledged and utilised influences that the primary colours have:

(Figure 1) Red: Love, romance, warmth, energy, excitement, intensity, life, and danger.

(Figure 2) Yellow: Happiness, cheery, sunny, warmth, optimism, hunger, intensity, frustration, anger, and attention-grabbing

(Figure 3) Blue: Calmness, serenity, cold, uncaring, depression, wisdom, loyalty, truth, and focused.

10 of 59 Chapter Two - The Whole Picture

Intolerance (1916) Plot Summary: “Intolerance and its terrible effects are examined in four historical eras. In ancient Babylon, a mountain girl is caught up in the religious rivalry that leads to the city's downfall. In Judea, the hypocritical Pharisees condemn Jesus Christ. In 1572 Paris, unaware of the impending St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, two young Huguenots prepare for marriage. Finally, in modern America, social reformers destroy the lives of a young woman and her beloved.”

(Gregerson, IMDB, 2004) (Figure 4)

Today we see colour as a staple of realism, but when film first came about it was a different picture entirely. Due to the technology at the time films were predominantly black and white, this didn’t last long however as people who knew and understood the psychological effect colour has on us were determined to use it to tell their stories. Look at Intolerance for example. The process used in this film is called film tinting, it is essentially dipping the film into a dye which colours the entire frame in a colour.

11 of 59 In the original print each time period shown has a distinct colour tint applied to it. The “Modern” story set in 1914 A.D. has an amber tint (Figure 5), the French Story set in 1572 A.D. has a sepia tint (Figure 6), the Judaean Story set in 27 A.D. has a blue tint (Figure 7), and the Babylonian Story set in 539 B.C. has a green-gray tint (Figure 8).

(Figure 5) (Figure 6)

(Figure 7) (Figure 8)

The choice of colour for each period is interesting. The amber tint for the modern story can be described as hot and stressful, but also realistic as the tint isn’t too strong. The darker sepia tones in the French story allow us to instantly separate it from the modern story, but because the colours aren’t outlandish it doesn’t feel totally disconnected from the “present” day.

At first glance the colour choices for these two stories seem like they should be the other way around, however after seeing the use of it and the effect these colours have it can be said Griffith was right in his choice. The modern day should be in amber as it is more relevant to the viewer, meaning that more stress should be felt from it.

12 of 59 The blue tint applied to the Judaean story is very strong and totally separates the setting from the present day and France stories. The same can be said about the green-grey tint in the Babylon story.

This use of colour sends a strong message to the audience. In this film it hurtles back and forth constantly through different stories, each one with a contrasted colour and feel. Despite this massive change in time, setting, and look, the intolerance remains constant. It’s this juxtaposition between the massive change in colour and scenery, and the constance of the intolerance throughout that D.W Griffith was aiming for. This does give a strong feeling to the audience, but doesn’t signify anything more than time period in terms of story. The next film, Greed, uses colour differently.

13 of 59 Greed (1924) Plot Summary: “McTeague, a San Francisco dentist, marries Trina, a thrifty woman who has won $5,000 in a lottery. She banks this money and, by scrimping and saving, hoards most of the money her husband makes. Marcus Schouler, Trina's frustrated former suitor, discovers that McTeague does not have a license to practice dentistry and causes him to lose his business. McTeague can make only a poor living as a labourer, and he and Trina eventually drift to squalid quarters. Trina hoards money compulsively, and McTeague, (Figure 9) crazed with the knowledge of the money, kills her and escapes with the gold, fleeing into Death Valley. Marcus goes after him, and the men fight. McTeague kills Marcus but finds himself handcuffed to the dead man. Unable to find the key to free himself, McTeague dies of thirst.” (Unknown, IMDB, 2001)

Greed is another good example of strong colour in film. Although utilising the same film tinting technique as Intolerence, colour is utilised differently. In Greed the only colour used is a yellowy-gold, and this colour is only used towards the end of the film. At first the (Figure 10) yellow is seen on the coins hoarded by Trina after McTeague has killed her, and then in gold fillings, but as seen in Figure 10 in the last scene in Death Valley the entire scene is this shade of yellow. Not only does the bright yellow give off a feel of of the scorching heat of Death Valley, but the introduction of this shot after we begin to see the coins in yellow shows the audience how McTeague has become consumed by this gold, and adds to the dire feel of the death scene. This use of colour is very clever, despite being done partly due to the cost of colouring film at the time.

14 of 59 Pierrot Le Fou (1965) Plot Summary: “Ferdinand Griffon is married with his wealthy Italian wife and has been recently fired from the television station where he worked. His wife forces him to go to a party in the house of her influential father that wants to introduce Ferdinand to a potential employer. Her brother brings the babysitter Marianne Renoir to take care of their children. Ferdinand feels bored in the bourgeois party and borrows his brother-in-law's car to return home. He meets Marianne, who was his lover five years ago and insists on calling him Pierrot, and offers to take her home. However, he spends the night with her and finds that she is involved in smuggling weapons. When Marianne is chased by terrorists, (Figure 11) they decide to travel to the beach without any money, leaving Paris and his family behind in a crazy journey to nowhere.” (Eichenberg, IMDB, 2004)

Pierrot Le Fou is another example of film that uses bright frames of colour to tell story. Although this film is made during the time where the three-strip technicolor process was available, Godard still wanted to use tinting to convey his story. The amount of time the viewer sees these intense shots is similar to Greed.

15 of 59 In this film Ferdinand lives a wealthy but mundane life, and the turning point in the story is when he chooses to leave the party and meets Marianne. It is around this time where we see the only whole-frame colouring used (red, green, yellow, blue), and they’re all shown in quick succession.

(Figure 12) (Figure 13)

(Figure 14) (Figure 15)

The colours used send a strong message just like the other films. The film goes straight from regular colours to bold, bright and uncomfortable ones with no change in flow of action. We see Ferdinand dragging himself from one room to another, attempting to converse half heartedly with the people inside them. The colours show us how uncomfortable Ferdinand feels in these rooms talking to these people by making the images difficult to watch, with only short intermissions of regularly coloured shots between them. All of the brightly coloured shots aren’t just coloured, they’re coloured too intensely to be fully enjoyable. The garish colours in the party scene reflect the characters shown within them, an attempt by Godard to get the audiences to feel the headache Ferdinand does when he attends the party with these people.

This burst of colour is similar in narrative and application to that in Greed, using bright colours to signify a frame of mind and attempt to get the viewer to feel the same through intense imagery. The next film to analyse will utilise digital filming and colouring techniques and uses whole-frame colouring to an extremely different extent.

16 of 59 The Matrix (1999) Plot Summary: “In the near future, a computer hacker named Neo discovers that all life on Earth may be nothing more than an elaborate facade created by a malevolent cyber-intelligence, for the purpose of placating us while our life essence is "farmed" to fuel the Matrix's campaign of domination in the "real" world. He joins like-minded Rebel warriors Morpheus and Trinity in their struggle to overthrow the Matrix.” (Gittes, IMDB, 2001)

(Figure 16)

The use of whole-frame colouring in this film is different to the other films covered so far. In previous examples the colours used were bold and easily noticeable, both due to the context desired and the techniques available. Although not as noticeable, the use of whole-frame colouring in The Matrix is far more connected to the narrative and has a deeper, subconscious effect on the viewer.

There are two predominant colours seen throughout the film; Green and Blue. Within the matrix a green tint is applied, and in the real world a blue tint is applied. The green tint we see in the matrix is seedy and grimy, but also warm. The blue that’s seen in the real world is refreshing, but also cold and dark. This juxtaposition in the colours poses a question; Is it better to be in the warm, sickly world or the real, cold one?

(Figure 17) (Figure 18)

17 of 59 These colours play a big part in portraying Neo and his relationship to world around him, and the use of the colours in the matrix changes throughout the story. At first green is seen over the whole frame including Neo, but as Neo starts taking control of The Matrix he sheds the green hue and the viewer sees him with a more human skin tone amidst the green world, reflecting his separation from the world of The Matrix. Below are three sets of stills from the start, middle, and end (respectively) of The Matrix demonstrating this.

(Figure 19)

(Figure 20)

(Figure 21)

This technique although minimal and not outrightly eye-catching is the most complex and effective so far due to the fact that it works on so multiple levels. This feel would not have been achievable without the use of whole-frame colouring and then gradually removing the green from Neo, as one of the early film releases to utilise digital colouring techniques.

Seeing this use of colour after looking at the previous examples raises the question: Is the evolution of post-produced colour as a narrative device driven by technology or creativity? When asked about this, Kevin Shaw stated; “It is and always has been a bit of both. Technology alone cannot automatically be a narrative device, and creativity is always looking to exploit new technology” (Shaw, interview, 2017). This is something that fits with the findings of this chapter but needs further analysis. In order to use broader examples and gain more accurate findings for this, the next chapter will look at the use of colouring on characters in film.

18 of 59 Chapter Three - In Character

The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) Plot Summary: Set during the times of Jesus Christ, this silent film recalls the gospels of the Old Testament. Starting with “The Annunciation” where the Angel of the Lord appears before Mary announcing the birth of Jesus Christ, and ending with “The Crucifixion” and Jesus Christ’s ascension to heaven.

Being released only eighteen years after the first real cinema release makes the use of colour in this piece extraordinary. Utilising the Pathécolour technique, this film was both painted by hand using stencils as well as tinted. (Figure 22)

A multitude of colours can be seen on characters throughout the film. The angels, Roman soldiers, Mary, and Jesus all have colours that signify their presence.

The colour yellow is used on multiple groups of people. The first group seen are children and other followers present at the birth of Christ, but yellow is also present on roman soldiers too. The yellow used on the friendly characters in Figure 23 gives a warmer feeling than that of the soldiers in Figure 24, conveying to the viewer the the relation of these characters to Jesus Christ.

(Figure 23) (Figure 24)

19 of 59 Blue is a more consistent colour in this film. Mary’s robes are a bright blue. Although blue can have negative connotations this particular shade is calming, combine this with the fact that blue is often perceived to represent loyalty and wisdom and this colour is the perfect shade for Mary. It is also more specific to her (Figure 25) disposition than the yellow is for the characters looked at previously.

The Angels depicted in this film wear an array of colours. Although the angels don’t have specific colours their colour scheme is bright and calming. The colours seen are green, pink, yellow and blue. Green is a relevant colour to angels, perceived to represent nature and harmony. Pink is relevant too, being perceived as innocent and calming. The (Figure 26) yellow presence is another example of warmth and happiness. The final colour seen is the same blue as seen on Mary, and is only on one of the angels. This colour has the same effect as it does when seen on Mary, but this similarity between characters also connects them, elevating Mary to the same status as the angels.

As a child Jesus Christ is seen in a bright white, reflecting his innocence and purity. As an adult Jesus is mostly seen in a salmony-pink shade, aside from the scene during “The Transfiguration” (Figure 30) where he is once again draped in white. (Figure 27)

20 of 59 The understated use of colour for Jesus is fitting because he is being portrayed as a modest and humble person. The only time Jesus becomes bright and vibrant is during “The Transfiguration”, signified by the white.

(Figure 28) (Figure 29)

Although this piece was heralded as a joy to watch because of it’s amazing visuals at the time, the colours hold no meaning beyond their initial impact on the viewer. The colours do hold basic meanings that can be associated to the characters but beyond this there is no connection to the narrative. This is similar to the colour seen in The Phantom of the Opera.

21 of 59 The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Plot Summary: “Christine is a young talented singer who could become world famous. She captures the attention and the heart of The Phantom, but he is really a disfigured musical genius who has hidden away to avoid the stares of strangers. With the Phantom's help, Christine becomes the venue's leading lady, but tragedy awaits as the young soprano has fallen for the charms of handsome noble Viscount Raoul De Chagny, not realizing her Angel of Music is deeply in love with her. Insane with jealousy and unable to see the object of his affection, and ultimately is obsession, in the arms of (Figure 30) another man, The Phantom kidnaps Christine - unaware of the lengths Raoul is prepared to go to get her back.” (Sandys, moviemistakes, 2007)

Made before the invention of the three-strip technicolour process, The Phantom of the Opera uses the Handschiegl colour process to apply colour to specific areas of the film (a different type of dye to that used in film tinting), as well as Technicolour inserts for certain shots as the cost of making a feature length film in Technicolor was too high at the time.

The majority of this film is monochromatic. It’s not until Christine attends the Bal Masque de l’Opera to meet the Viscount, betraying the promise she made to The Phantom that she would never see him again, that a shot with multiple colours is seen. Although multiple colours are seen there is an obviously predominant colour present; Red. (Figure 31)

22 of 59 The choice to not simply colour the frame as has been done thus far is an effective one. When entering the scene the viewer is aware of the danger because of the plot, this danger is also signified by the predominant red of the characters within it. The reds used are also relevant to The Bal Masque de l’Opera itself, reflecting the love and passion of the event. Seeing the non-threatening characters in red dancing and having a good time shows the viewer this side of the event despite the looming threat to Christine.

It is only when The Phantom appears with his garish red that the viewer really sees the sense of danger that red portrays. The choice of red for The Phantom makes use of the positive and negative connotations the colour red represents; The Phantom is a dangerous character driven to insanity by love. It is because of this mix of emotions that the colour (Figure 32) red is relevant for The Phantom, and why they felt it necessary to spend more time and money to achieve this look.

The Phantom is the only character in the entire film to appear consistently in his colour. Without the red coat and mask the Phantom appears in the same monochrome colours as everyone else but when he becomes The Phantom he gains power and control. This stark difference between The Phantom’s red and everyone else’s colour, including his own without this outfit, further highlights The Phantom’s role in this film.

Although building on the example seen in The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ, The Phantom of the Opera still doesn’t utilise colour to fully reflect the narrative of the film, again being used as a signifier of a certain character throughout.

23 of 59 Vertigo (1958) Plot Summary: “San Francisco police detective Scottie Fergusson (James Stewart) develops a fear of heights and is forced to retire when a colleague falls to his death during a chase. An old college friend, Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) hires Scottie to watch his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak) who has reportedly become possessed by her ancestor's spirit named Carlotta. Scottie follows her around San Francisco and is drawn to Madeleine and her obsession with death. He unwittingly becomes a figure in a complex plot when Madeleine kills herself by jumping off a bell tower. (Figure 33) Later Scottie discovers a woman named Judy Barton who has a striking resemblence to Madeleine. Still in love with Madeleine, Scottie starts to transform Judy into Madeleine by dying her hair blonde and changing her clothes and what not. They later go to the bell tower, the same place where Madeleine died, where Scottie is determined to discover the truth behind everything.” (Sandys, movie mistakes, 1996)

The use of colour in Vertigo is complex for it’s time. The colours are produced using the three-strip technicolour process, as well as taking additional dyes with the film to add additional colour at key points.

In Vertigo, the usual connotations associated with colours don’t apply. Hitchcock has used colours to his own effect and their meaning is often related to the plot as opposed to generic conventions. For the purpose of clarity Madeleine/Judy will be named depending on who Scottie knows her as at that time in the story.

24 of 59 In the restaurant scene where Scottie first sees Madeleine she is wearing a vivid green dress. This instantly associates Madeleine with green to both the viewer and Scottie. This link is then strengthened by the fact that Madeleine drives a green car.

(Figure 34)

The viewer doesn’t see Madeleine/Judy in green again until towards the end of the film when she is known as Judy. After Madeleine’s death Scottie sees Judy in the street and she is wearing a green outfit, the same shade as Madeleine’s dress.

When Scottie sees Judy he becomes entranced. This use of colour represents Scottie’s attraction to Madeleine specifically. When Scottie sees Judy in green he doesn’t see Judy, he sees Madeleine.

(Figure 35)

Scottie introduces himself to Judy and they spend a few days together. During this time Scottie takes her clothes shopping to find a similar suit to Madeleine’s, and then insists she dyes her hair to further their likeness. Judy reluctantly agrees and agrees to meet Scottie at her hotel room after.

25 of 59 In this scene Scottie’s eyes are hazed over with green and Judy is covered in an unnatural green glow.

(Figure 36)

(Figure 37)

This use of green represents how both Scottie and Judy are now completely consumed by Scottie’s obsession with Madeleine. Scottie’s image of Madeleine is now complete.

The use of the colour green in Vertigo is subtle for the most part, but this combined with the burst of unrealistic green in Figure 37 & 38 is an effective way to show the audience how distanced from reality Scottie’s obsession is, the same effect would not have been possible without this use of colour.

This use of colour in Vertigo is more complex than that seen in The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ and The Phantom of the Opera. It is the first example in this chapter where a colour has done more than signify a character’s presence, instead signifying the attitude towards one due to the narrative of the film. Hero takes this even further

26 of 59 Hero (2002) Plot Summary: In a time of war between all provinces of China a man, Nameless, arrives before King Qin of the western-most province. Nameless presents the weapons of Qin’s three most feared assassins: ‘Sky’, ‘Flying Snow’, and ‘Broken Sword’ as proof of their defeat. The defeat of these assassins has granted Nameless the honour of drinking within 10 paces of Qin. Curious as to how one man could fell the three assassins his armies had failed to, Qin asks nameless to recall the events. After hearing these stories Qin arrives at the conclusion that (Figure 38) they are false and tells his own version of how the events unfurled for the purpose of his assassination. Nameless admits to this. Helpless, Qin is at the mercy of Nameless. Due to words between himself and Broken Sword Nameless spares Qin and proceeds to leave the palace. Qin has Nameless killed by his guards.

Hero is full of colour. Every story told in this film has it’s own unique colour scheme and each scheme reflects the state of mind of the people involved. The first scene is Nameless’ approach to the castle. At the start the audiences are told that a hero has slain the king’s enemies and that he is being rewarded with a meeting, however all of the people here are draped in a deep black. This dark tone gives the audience the feeling that the visit isn’t a positive one despite being told that Nameless is here to be rewarded.

(Figure 39) (Figure 40)

27 of 59 The next scene is Nameless’ recollection of Sky’s defeat. This story is the shortest of all. Nameless approaches and the two fight, ending in victory for Nameless. Sky wears a dark, earthy yellow-golden robe that isn’t bright or bold. It’s important to note that colours can have different connotations depending on culture, and China is one such example. In Chinese culture dark earthy yellow is known to represent a state of clarity and being grounded, as it represents the earthy yellow soil found deep underground in China. This is a good colour to use for Sky as he’s known to be clever and composed.

(Figure 41)

After this story has been told the audience finds out that Sky and the others lose deliberately to allow Nameless to approach the emperor. This makes the use of this understated yellow even more appropriate.

In the next scene the audience is taken to Nameless’ tale of how he proceeded to the calligraphy school in Zhao province Broken Sword and Flying Snow are hiding at. The use of the colour red is heavily apparent in this scene. Everything from the walls of the school to every single student, the master, Nameless, and the two assassins are a vibrant red.

28 of 59 In this story Nameless speaks to the pair of how he defeated Sky. Flying Snow had an affair with Sky and still harboured feelings towards him and was visibly upset. Upon hearing the news from Nameless, Broken Sword found out about this affair and was upset with Flying Snow. Broken Sword then sleeps with his student in order for Flying Snow to witness it as revenge. Out of rage Flying Snow kills Broken Sword and leaves the school. (Figure 42)

The scene cuts to Flying Snow outside of the city amidst some malting trees. Flying Snow is confronted by Broken Sword’s pupil, with the fight ending in the pupil’s death. As the pupil dies the bright yellow leaves turn to the same shade of red as Flying Snow, she becomes consumed by this colour.

(Figure 43) (Figure 44)

The scene cuts to Nameless and Flying snow surrounded by soldiers. Flying Snow wears an orange robe. Delirious from the loss of her lover and a student she is unable to defeat Nameless and (Figure 45) dies.

In China red is seen as the colour of blood and life. It is also considered to represent love, joy, and luck. Orange is seen as a colour of change and spontaneity. The many meanings of red all come in to play in this story. The red represents the love between Broken Sword and Flying Snow, the revenge taken out by Flying Snow, and the luck of one target taking out another leaving only one to fight as Nameless intended. The final fight in orange is also fitting as Flying Snow’s spontaneous killing of her lover left her defenceless.

29 of 59 After hearing this story Qin tells Nameless it’s a lie. Qin doesn’t believe that Flying Snow or Broken Arrow are petty enough to do what they did to each other in the story. Qin says they all let themselves be defeated in order to give Nameless the opportunity to assassinate him. Qin tells his version of how it happened.

In Qin’s story Sky has let himself be defeated but the audience doesn't see this. When Nameless approaches Broken Sword and Flying Snow they recognise his sacrifice was in order to get Nameless closer to Qin and agree to do the same.

(Figure 46)

In this story Nameless (right) wears a dark blue robe. Flying Snow (centre) wears a bright blue robe, and Broken Sword (left) wears a shade of blue between the two.

Broken Sword and Flying Snow deliberate on who should die, as only one of them is needed to die in order to get Nameless within 10 paces of Qin. They are unable to reach a decision and set out to (Figure 47) meet Nameless. On the way Broken Sword goes to reach for his sword in order to incapacitate Flying Snow so he can go to die but he is too slow and Flying Snow strikes first. Flying Snow goes to die at the hands of Nameless in front of the soldiers.

30 of 59 After Flying Snow’s death the scene cuts to Broken Sword grieving over Flying Snow on a lake. Nameless approaches Broken Sword and the two fight on the lake out of mourning for Flying Snow. Water splashes from Broken Sword’s blade and a drop lands on Flying Snow’s body. Broken Sword rushes over to tend to it and leaves himself open to Nameless. Nameless refuses to strike from behind and leaves. The blue of the lake is enhanced to match Broken Sword’s robes.

(Figure 48)

(Figure 49)

The scene then cuts to Nameless heading to see Qin. Before he is able to leave he is met by Broken Sword’s pupil who presents Nameless with his sword. Broken Sword has killed himself out of grief.

In China blue is seen as a colour of calmness. This is fitting because Nameless comes for the purpose of asking for their lives and they calmly accept through their resolve to kill Qin. This is also shown in the shades of their clothing. Nameless comes for the purpose of death so he is the darkest shade. Flying Snow’s calm resolve to die for the cause is represented by the brightest blue, and Broken Sword’s overwhelming feeling of grief is represented by his darker shade which sees him blend in to the environments.

31 of 59 Once Qin’s story concludes Nameless admits to Qin that they did conspire to kill him, although the story is different. Nameless reveals to Qin that he is able to strike with pinpoint accuracy within 10 paces, so much so that he is able to heavily wound someone without killing them. Nameless proceeds to tell the real story.

In the next scene the audience is taken back to Nameless demonstrating his ability to Broken Sword and Flying Snow after telling them of his plan. They are all wearing bright white robes. They (Figure 50) understand that Sky must have trusted Nameless’ skill in order to let him strike him. Flying Snow agrees to help but Broken Sword does not, saying that as long he lived he would keep Nameless from killing Qin. Because of this Flying Snow begins to fight with Broken Sword, and with help from Nameless, incapacitates him. Flying Snow also reveals that her and Broken Sword had attacked Qin before, but Broken Sword backed out.

The next day Flying Snow and Nameless fight in front of the soldiers. Nameless strikes Flying Snow so she appears dead. Nameless then goes to find Broken Sword to hear why, as a man of opposing province, he doesn’t want Qin to die. Upon being confronted by Nameless, Broken Sword tells the story of how he and Flying Snow first made an attempt on Qin’s life.

Flying Snow and Broken Sword charge through the palace courtyard with a small army. They both wear green robes. Broken Sword breaches Qin’s palace and goes in to challenge him while Flying Snow holds the soldiers off at the entrance. Qin and Broken Sword fight leading to Broken Sword disarming and almost killing him. Broken Sword then decides spares Qin. (Figure 51)

32 of 59 Broken Sword explains to Nameless how through meditation and calligraphy he learned that killing isn’t the way to achieve peace. Broken Sword says that king Qin is the best chance for peace for China. This is (Figure 52) where the relevance of the colour green in Broken Sword’s story becomes apparent. In China green is believed to represent growth, harmony, sensitivity, and patience. This scene shows Broken Sword’s turning point. In that moment when he almost killed Qin he realised the error of his ways and became a different person, growing out of the rage and killing that had driven him before. Represented strongly by the green.

After hearing Broken Sword’s story Nameless sets out to Qin’s palace with the three blades. Flying Snow’s assistant trails in order to report the outcome. The scene cuts back to present day with Qin at the mercy of Nameless. Nameless spares Qin. Nameless leaves the palace and walks down the courtyard surrounded by soldiers in black, all screaming for his death for conspiring to kill Qin. Qin, moved by the words of Broken Sword and Nameless’ mercy, hesitates before giving the order for him to die.

(Figure 53) In Chinese culture black signifies disaster, suffering, and sadness. It is also known to represent power and will. All of these meanings are relevant to Nameless here as through his will for peace he is willing to suffer pain and sacrifice himself.

33 of 59 Flying Snow’s assistant reports back that the mission has failed much to Flying Snow’s dismay. Flying Snow and Broken Sword still wear the white robes. Angry at Broken Sword for stopping Nameless from killing Qin she lashes out and fights him. Broken Sword defends at first but stops fighting at the last minute. Flying Snow notices too late and kills Broken Sword. Heartbroken, Flying Snow kills herself with the same sword. The audience is then told how Qin united the provinces and brought peace to China.

(Figure 54)

It is only after the death of Flying Snow and Broken Sword that the relevance of their white robes is fully apparent. In China the colour white is symbolises many things. White represents mourning and death, but also purity and righteousness. Broken Sword is on the righteous path to peace, while Flying Snow’s lapse in judgement brings mourning and death.

The use of colour in Hero is extensive. Not only do the colours carry cultural meanings but the enhancement of the colours through post production allow them to keep the audience in the right state of mind. When the reds are seen the viewer is exhilarated while watching a story about anger love. While looking at the blues in Qi’s story they all contribute to a calming but sombre effect. The green refreshes the viewer and shows Broken Sword in a different light. The whites encourage optimism. The colours of the characters in this film are heavily driven by the narrative happening at the time and work to accentuate it, far beyond the examples seen previously in this chapter. This innovative use of character colouring combined with the colour of the environment influences the viewer on a more subconscious level and highlights another key application of colour. In order to further broaden the scope of research the next chapter will look at the colouring of the environment.

34 of 59 Chapter Four - The World Around Us

Fairyland: Kingdom of Fairies (1903) Plot summary: “The announcement of the betrothal of Princess Azurine and Prince Bel-Azor, is interrupted by a witch, who curses the Princess and later, with her minions, carries her away on a chariot of fire. With the aid of the Fairy Godmother Aurora, the prince gives chase, and after a shipwreck, is helped by Neptune to locate the witch’s castle. The Princess is rescued, the castle destroyed and the witch thrown over a cliff in a barrel.” (Walters, amazingmovieshow, 2009) (Figure 55)

Making use of hand painting and tinting, Georges Méliès’ Kingdom of Fairies is one of the most colourful films of it’s time. The film is full of colourful environments and they all reflect what kind of place the viewer is in.

The first area the viewer sees is the royal palace of Bel-Azor. There are two colours present; yellow and white. The yellow represents gold, showing the wealth and regality of Prince Bel-Azor. The white isn’t added in but is left how it is to show the colour of the stone

(Figure 56)

The theme of yellow-gold is consistent whenever the viewer is at Prince Bel-Azor’s palace or at Aurora’s underwater kingdom to the same effect.

(Figure 57)

35 of 59 When the Prince’s ship sets sail to save Azurine it is caught in a storm. Méliès used an orangey-yellow, which then passes in to a dark sky, and then flashes with the orangey-yellow as the ship is struck. This use of colour is in part due to the processes available at the time. The only yellow that could have been applied here would be the same bright yellow as seen previously. This wouldn’t fit as it would be too bright and too golden and not show what time of day it was, so red was added to make the sure the scene remained dark.

(Figure 58) (Figure 59)

After Bel-Azor is taken back to the surface they siege the castle where Azurine is being held, causing the castle to catch on fire. Bel-Azor rushes in to save Azurine and can be seen carrying her through the chaos. Méliès had smoke produced on set and coloured the whole environment in a dark (Figure 60) orange-red. This more effective than just colouring the smoke because it shows the audience how scorching hot the air in the castle is at this point, and how Bel-Azor is surrounded by it. They also undertook effort to not colour Bel-Azor and Azurine in this shot. It is only in the next shot that the whole image is covered, to signify the growing level of heat and smoke in the castle. The use of colour in this film is the same as the early examples seen in other chapters and holds no deep connection to the narrative of the story.

36 of 59 The Wizard of Oz (1939) Plot Summary: “Dorothy Gale is swept away from a farm in Kansas to a magical land of Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the Wizard who can help her return home in Kansas and help her friends as well.” (Reeves, IMDB, 2005)

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous coloured films ever released. The use of colour was one of the first of it’s kind and enthralled viewers world wide with the then-groundbreaking coloured landscapes and visuals. The Wizard of Oz used the three-strip technicolor process to (Figure 61) apply realistic colour to the film, and then more dyes were applied to further enhance certain areas throughout the film.

Whenever Dorothy is in Kansas the whole frame is coloured in a sepia tint. This has a big effect on how the audience views Oz, furthering the contrast between the two worlds.

(Figure 62)

Although things like the yellow brick road are a part of the original book and therefore the choice itself can’t be attributed to post-production, steps were taken in post-production to further enhance these colours beyond their original look for greater effect on the viewer.

37 of 59 An integral part of the world of Oz is the yellow brick road. Dorothy is told that in order to find the wizard, and therefore her way home, she must follow this road. The use of yellow is very appropriate for this as yellow is a bright and happy colour, representing the optimism of her journey and the happiness that awaits her at the (Figure 63) end. The enhancement in post production by increasing the saturation of the yellow adds to this effect.

After Dorothy has met Scarecrow, Tinman, and the Lion, the Wicked Witch comes up with a plan to use the scent of poison flowers to incapacitate her and take the shoes back. The colour of these flowers is bright but also slightly hued with a dark purple. Purple is a good choice for the poison flowers as it compliments the pink- red already present, adding a dark ominous shade to the meadow while keeping the beauty of the flowers. Purple is also a colour that isn’t commonly present in nature, leading it to be associated with either unnatural or inedible things. Although Dorothy isn’t going to eat the flowers this symbolism is fitting due to the poison in the plants.

(Figure 64)

38 of 59 With help from the Good Witch, Dorothy and her friends make their way to the Emerald City. The green that’s shown from a distance is brighter than the green seen when Dorothy and her friends actually arrive. The green is accentuated in these long shots in order to make the Emerald City more enticing to the audience, putting the viewer on the (Figure 65) same level as Dorothy as she is enticed by the thought of reaching the wizard and Kansas.

The Wizard of Oz tells Dorothy and her friends they must kill the Wicked Witch for his help, so they go the haunted woods. The haunted woods is the purple background seen. It is effective to bring out the colour here as the ominous purple tells the audience that the forest is dangerous.

Dorothy and Toto get captured and (Figure 66) taken to the Wicked Witch’s castle. There are fire lamps present throughout the castle but the lighting in the background is a cold blue. This use of blue in the background reflects the cold darkness of the castle.

The colours of the environments in The Wizard (Figure 67) of Oz do reflect the kinds of places that Dorothy is in but they still don’t truly reflect the narrative of the story. This film is widely acclaimed for it’s visuals and they are impressive, but the connection of these visuals to the plot is minimal. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

39 of 59 Plot Summary: “A few million years ago, in Africa's Olduvai Gorge, our ancestors were starving, defenseless prey to predators, and on the verge of extinction. An advanced civilization from the stars (never shown) spots our potential and gives our brains a boost by means of a monolith. (Symbolic dimensions 1x4x9 -- the squares of 1, 2 and 3) In 2001 a monolith is found buried on the moon. When sunlight hits it, it sends a radio message to a Jupiter monolith-relay, telling the aliens that we have arrived. A space craft is sent to Jupiter on a secret mission to check it out. One member of the crew is HAL -- a sentient, self- aware computer. Unfortunately HAL has been instructed to lie -- something contrary (Figure 68) to his very nature. This drives him to desperate measures.” (Sandys, moviesmistakes, 1997)

2001: A Space Odyssey has a long run time. Despite the run time the dialogue is minimal, relying on well constructed shots that tell the story in a way that has earned this film the title of being one of the best ever made. One of the attributes to this was Kubrick’s use of colour. Kubrick is known for utilising red in his films and does so here too.

The audience is introduced to Hal at the start of the Jupiter mission. Hal’s distinct bright red eye is important as it makes the audience associate red with Hal.

(Figure 69)

40 of 59 The viewer sees the ominous red at various points throughout the film showing the viewer Hal is everywhere. The first time red is used to obviously signify the danger of Hal is after Dave goes to retrieve Frank’s dead body from space and asks Hal to open the air lock. This is where Hal tells Dave that it was aware of their plan to shut it down, confirming that Hal is responsible for Frank’s death, and that it won’t let him in. This is where the reds used become an obvious sign of danger.

(Figure 70)

Dave resorts to using the emergency entrance. Upon using the pod’s arm to open the door the red of the interior is revealed. There is no music, and barely any sound. The red shows the audience that Dave is entering Hal’s world and that there’s evil inside. When Dave makes it in to the corridor it’s a vivid red, furthering the imagery of Dave’s descent in to Hal’s world.

(Figure 71)

41 of 59 Dave passes through the corridor in to the main part of the ship as Hal pleas with him to not shut him down. Dave makes it to Hal’s core, and we see Hal’s ominous red surround him.

(Figure 72) Dave proceeds to shut Hal down and that is the last the audience hears or sees of Hal or it’s ominous red. This use of red is extremely effective at instilling fear in the viewer. A Space Odyssey is very minimal in terms of dialogue and music and the shots are long and drawn out. Combine all this together and the moments Kubrick creates from the entering of the ship, to Hal’s core, are extremely tense to watch.

Although there aren’t many locations in this film, the red surroundings are introduced perfectly to correlate with the story. From the start the viewer sees red at various moments but it’s ordinary. It’s only once Dave is aware of Hal’s intent that the audience is shown whole areas filled with red that surround and consume Dave.

The use of red represents Hal’s true nature, as well as what kind of situation Dave is in on his way to shut Hal down. This is the most complex form of colour narrative seen so far in this chapter and was executed very well. While indicative of what kind of situation Dave is in it is still being used as a signifier of Hal rather than narrative.

42 of 59 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) Plot Summary: Rejoining the fellowship after their separation, Pippin and Merry are captives of the Orcs before being saved by Gandalf. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli track them and encounter Gandalf too before setting out to Rohan to begin preparations to fight Saruman. Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor being led by Gollum. The Elves prepare to fight in the last war of Middle Earth.

(Figure 73) The colour grading process of The Two Towers is more narrative driven than the examples shown so far in this chapter. It is one of the earliest examples of this scale of colouring first utilised by Peter Doyle, who is cited by Kevin Shaw as “the first to bring software grading in cinema to our attention” (Shaw, interview, 2017) in this very film series. It is a strong last example as it encompasses all of the applications of colour seen in this dissertation. This film sets a darker tone to that of The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and the colouring reflects this throughout.

In The Fellowship of the Ring there are vibrant colours throughout as well as a general warmer tone. This is due to the fact that the film’s narrative is introducing the audience to the wonders of Middle Earth in a more friendly tone as Frodo sets out on his journey. Figure 74 is an example of this; This shot is taken towards the start of the The Fellowship of the Ring and gives Frodo’s journey a wondrous feel.

(Figure 74)

43 of 59 At the end of the The Fellowship of the Ring the narrative takes a dark turn as the realities of the evil power of the ring become apparent. When the audience rejoins the story in The Two Towers this gritty and down to earth mood is reflected in every scene through colour grading.

As the fellowship journeys to their separate goals the audience is taken across a multitude of landscapes. None of these, apart from the burning magma of Mordor, really stand out with vivid colours like those seen in The Fellowship, and everything from characters to landscapes lose their warmth. Below is a still from The Fellowship of the Ring (Figure 75) and The Two Towers (Figure 76)

(Figure 75)

(Figure 76)

This kind of colouring affects the way the viewer sees both the landscape and the characters. Instead of two friends journeying through a magical world it reflects the journey of a frightened hobbit dealing with the evil power he has to bear, travelling through a world full of creatures out to get him while he grows distant from his friend. This theme is consistent throughout.

44 of 59 Below are more stills from The Fellowship of the Ring (Figure 77) and The Two Towers (Figure 78) demonstrating this.

(Figure 77)

(Figure 78)

The lighting and colouring of the environment tells a clear story when compared side by side, and shows how the use of colour has evolved from the use of one colour seen in previous examples to an entire colour scheme. The most popular colour scheme seen in films today is the blue/teal combination which sees the shadows being accentuated with cold blue hues and highlights being accentuated with warm oranges. This consistency of colour through The Two Towers is driven entirely by narrative; it would be more visually pleasing to use the same colour scheme as in The Fellowship of the Ring but that wouldn’t reflect the narrative adequately.

When comparing The Two Towers to A Kingdom of Fairies, as well as the examples of the other chapters, it is obvious that the attitudes towards colour have changed considerably. When asked about this, Kevin Shaw stated “In my honest opinion the biggest difference is that everything was new and had a shock value then. There was no real color language it was pure art. There was a fear even going back to Edison that an audience would not watch B/W. Nowadays we have color coded genres, and iconic looks that bring meaning to an audience outside of the psychological response” (Shaw, interview, 2017) This response fits with the findings present and leads to a solid conclusion.

45 of 59 Conclusion

Throughout the course of this dissertation there has been a distinct correlation between the time of release of a film and the connection of the colour to the narrative across every chapter. Although some applications of colour from the early 20th century were amazing for their time there was no real depth in terms of colour story. Colours were made to look fitting for the situation and was accentuated at times to add to the emotional response viewers experience (calmness from blue, danger/love from red etc.) but that was as far as it went.

Griffith’s Intolerance and the Wachowski’s The Matrix are a prime example, even Pierrot Le Fou; The use of colour in Intolerance does alter our feeling towards the image and represent a different time period but there’s no alteration from those colours for the entire film regardless of narrative. In The Matrix the subtle colours gradually change as Neo evolves in the Matrix, signifying to the viewer on a subconscious level that he is taking control of the world around him. This subconscious effect on the viewer is what colour storytelling is about today; adding to the impact of the story without the viewer noticing it’s doing so.

The colours in Hero and The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ make a similar case. The use of blue on Mary is something that’s consistent throughout and tells the viewer they’re looking at Mary. In Hero however, the colour blue represents the emotions of the characters in the story and pushes the viewer’s emotions in that direction. Vertigo in 1958 is a clear example of the correlation here. In Vertigo green represents Madeleine, similar to Mary’s blue in Passion. However, when Judy makes herself look like Madeleine towards the end of the film the green shows the viewer the state of mind of Scottie by consuming Judy in that green. This use of green is more complex than films before it, but is also still a way off from what is seen in Hero/The Matrix/The Two Towers.

46 of 59 The last examples from each chapter have a few things in common; The time of release and the way the colour is used. In these films there is more than just a selection of shots to talk about with a few specific colours. Every shot of these films utilises colour schemes comprised of various colours and intensities to affect the viewer in a much more complex way than the examples seen before them.

Through looking at the timeline formed in this dissertation, as well as the opinions gathered from the research and interviews undertaken, the conclusion is clear. Colour has stopped being about using using bright, eye catching colours to represent a single element in a film. Thanks to the introduction of new technology and the creative minds that have used it colour has gradually evolved in to an intrinsic element in a film’s narrative, utilising entire colour schemes to enhance both the realism and the narrative of films in a way that the viewer barely notices.

47 of 59 Appendices

Appendix 1 Interview with Kevin Shaw C.S.I [KS] through email, questions in bold: What do you think the key moments in post-produced colour storytelling have been? Which is the most important?

[KS] - grading by timecode and saving lists - instead of a live grade - down stream color correction (used to be in the telecine) - more powerful grading tools including layers, shapes and mattes - grading from tape - allowed grading on episodic tv - software(Figure made 81) it possible to work on cinema projects (resolution limitation before) - Move away from film - made grading more necessary - DCI and the removal of the need to match a film stock with digital projection - HDR

In your opinion are there any people in particular who have pioneered the use of post-produced colour?

[KS] Peter Doyle comes to mind he was the first to bring software grading in cinema to our attention (Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and he has also done all the Harry Potter films including a recent remaster to HDR (Figure 82) Technological differences aside, what are the differences between post-produced colour storytelling now and say around 1903 when people like Georges Méliès were having their films hand painted and tinted?

[KS] In my honest opinion the biggest difference is that everything was new and had a shock value then. There was no real color language it was pure art. There was a fear even going back to Edison that an audience would not watch B/W. Nowadays we have color coded genres, and iconic looks that bring meaning to an audience outside of the psychological response

Do you believe that the evolution of post-produced colour as a narrative device is driven by technology or creativity?

[KS] it is and always has been a bit of both. Technology alone cannot automatically be a narrative device, and creativity is always looking to exploit new technology. Some films that come to mind in this respect are Pleasantville: What Dreams may come: Hero: Sin City. Schindlers list; Raging Bull

Are colours viewed differently now than at the start of cinema?

[KS] yes most definitely

48 of 59 Bibliography

- Articles/Newspaper articles in electronic format

Brands, Christopher M. (2014) Colour Grading - On Set and In Post [Online] Rochester: Rochester Institute of Technology. Available: https://cias.rit.edu/media/ uploads/gallery-projects/543/documents/18/color-correction-tools.pdf (Accessed 18/01/2017)

- Blogs

Howard, Ed (2008) ‘Only the Cinema’ Pierrot Le Fou 28/05/2008 [Online] Available: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/528-pierrot-le-fou.html (Accessed 25/02/2017)

Kantor, Benjamin (2012) ‘Cinevenger’ The Cinematography of The Matrix 06/03/2012 [Online] Available: http://cinevenger.com/?p=452 (Accessed 25/02/17)

Oleson, Jacob (2001) ‘Color Symbolism in Chinese Culture: What do Traditional Chinese Colors Mean?’ Color-Meanings 28/07/2001 [Online] Available: http:// www.color-meanings.com/color-symbolism-in-chinese-culture-what-do-traditional- chinese-colors-mean/ (Accessed 01/03/2017)

Swithen, Benjamin (2013) ‘La Vie et la Passion de Jesus Christ (1903)’ The Penciltonian 05/01/2013 [Online] Available: http://benswithen.blogspot.co.uk/ 2013/01/la-vie-et-la-passion-de-jesus-christ.html (Accessed 25/02/2017)

Walters, Gareth (2009) ‘The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903)’ amazingmovieshow 02/06/2009 [Online] Available: http://amazingmovieshow.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/ kingdom-of-fairies-1903_02.html (Accessed 20/02/2017)

Zambian, Kavon (2016) ‘6 Iconic Uses of Color in Pre-Digital Films’ Rocketstock 25/06/2016 [Online] Available; https://www.rocketstock.com/blog/use-of-color-in- pre-digital-films/ (Accessed 05/12/2016)

- Books

Coates, Paul (2010) Cinema and Color: The Saturated Image Britain: British Film Insititute

Gladwell, Malcolm (2000) Tipping Point United States: Little, Brown, and Company

Gunning, Tom, Fassati, Giovanna, Yumibe, Joshua, Rosen, Jonathon (2015) Fantasia of Color in Early Cinema (Framing Film) Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press

Van Hurkman, Alexis (2010) Colour Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Camera United States: Peachpit Press

49 of 59 - Electronic Databases

Eichenberg, Stephan ’Pierrot le Fou (1965) Plot Summary’ IMDB [Online] Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059592/plotsummary (Accessed 25/02/2017)

Gittes, Jake ‘The Matrix (1999) Plot Summary’ IMDB [Online] Available: http:// www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ql_stry_2 (Accessed 26/02/2017)

Gregerson, Erik ‘Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916) Plot Summary’ IMDB [Online] Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0006864/ plotsummary (Accessed 11/02/2017)

Johnson, David ‘Color Psychology’, Infoplease [Online] Available: http:// www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html (Accessed 20/02/2017)

Unknown Author ’Greed (1924) Plot Summary’ IMDB [Online] Available: http:// www.imdb.com/title/tt0015881/synopsis?ref_=ttpl_pl_syn (Accessed 12/02/2017)

- Electronic Journals

Aarts, Henk & Elliot, Andrew J (2011) ‘Perception of the color red enhances the force and velocity of motor output’, Emotion, [Online] Issue 2. Available: http:// psycnet.apa.org/journals/emo/11/2/445/ (Accessed 25/12/2017)

Ryan, Roderick T (2015), ‘Color in the Motion Picture Industry’, SMPTE [Online] Issue 7. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7241092/ (Accessed 13/01/2017)

- Films

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Directed by Stanley Kubrick [Film] United Kingdom: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Greed (1924) Directed by Erich von Stroheim [Film] United States: The Goldwyn Company–Metro-Goldwyn

Hero (2002) Directed by Zhang Yimou [Film] China: Sil-Metropole Organisation, CFCC, Elite Group Enterprises, Zhang Yimou Studio, Beijing New Picture Film

Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916) Directed by David Wark Griffith [Film] United States: Triangle Distributing Corporation

Pierrot Le Fou (1965) Directed by Jean-Luc Godard [Film} France: Films Georges de Beauregard

The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903) Directed by Georges Méliès [Film] France: Star Film Company

50 of 59 The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903) Directed by Lucien Nonquet & Ferdinand Zecca [Film] France: Pathé

The Matrix (1999) Directed by Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski [Film] United States: Village Roadshow Pictures, Groucho II Film Partnership & Silver Pictures

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Directed by Peter Jackson [Film] United States: WingNut Films, The Zaul Zaentz Company

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2001) Directed by Peter Jackson [Film] United States: WingNut Films, The Zaul Zaentz Company

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Directed by Rupert Julian, Edward Sedgwick, Lon Chaney, Sr., & Ernst Laemmle [Film] United States: Jewel Productions

The Wizard of Oz (1939) Directed by Victor Fleming [Film] United States: Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer

Vertigo (1958) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock [Film] United States: Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions

- Internet Documents

Hagen, Susan (2011) “Color red increases the speed and strength of reactions” [Online] Rochester: University of Rochester. Available: http:// www.rochester.edu/news/show.php?id=3856 (Accessed 20/02/2017)

- Interviews

Shaw, Kevin (2017) Colourist. Interview with Oliver Andersen through email, 14th March 2017. Kevin Shaw is an experienced colourist, consultant, and instructor who has been practicing the craft of colour for 30 years.

- Online Videos

Lewis Bond (2015) Colour In Storytelling [Youtube], 29th July. Available: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXgFcNUWqX0 (Accessed 18/01/2017)

Society of Geeks (2016) Vertigo - A Look at Colour in Film [Youtube] 3rd March. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scmHVYYZZ3w (Accessed 27/02/2017)

51 of 59 - Online Articles

Dirks, Tim 'Intolerance', Filmsite, [Online] Available: http://www.filmsite.org/into.html (Accessed 03/02/2017)

Gray, Simon (2002) ’Andrew Lesnie, ACS and director Peter Jackson take on The Two Towers, the second installment of New Line's epic Lord of the Rings trilogy’ American Society of Cinematographers [Online] Available: https://www.theasc.com/ magazine/dec02/two/ (Accessed 10/01/2017)

Green, Phil (Unknown Date) ‘Technicolor 3 Strip’ Digital-Intermediates [Online] Available: http://www.digital-intermediate.co.uk/examples/3strip/technicolor.htm (Accessed 30/11/2016)

LaFrance, Adrienne (2015) 'How Technicolor Changed Storytelling', The Atlantic, 2nd February [Online] Available: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/ 2015/02/technicolor-at-100/385039/ (Accessed 18/01/2017) Shaw, Kevin (2012) ‘History of Color Correction’ International Colorist Academy 26th January [Online] Available: http://icolorist.com/library/history-of-color-correction/ (Accessed 10/12/2016)

Sandys, Jon (2007) ‘The Phantom of the Opera (2004) Plot Summary’ MovieMistakes 15th March [Online] Available: http://www.moviemistakes.com/ film4658/plot (Accessed 28/02/2017)

Sandys, Jon (1996) ‘Vertigo (1958) Plot Summary’ MovieMistakes 20th September [Online] Available: http://www.moviemistakes.com/film1369/plot (Accessed 28/02/2017)

Sandys, Jon (1997) ‘2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Plot Summary’ 26th June [Online] Available: http://www.moviemistakes.com/film8/plot (Accesed 03/03/2017)

Wright, Angela (2010) ‘Psychological Properties of Colour’ Colour Affects 3rd March [Online] Available: http://www.colour-affects.co.uk/psychological-properties-of- colours (Accessed 21/01/2017)

Yumibe, Joshua (2015) ‘The Phantasmagoria of the First Hand-Painted Films’ Nautilu 16th July [Online] Available: http://nautil.us/issue/26/color/the- phantasmagoria-of-the-first-hand_painted-films (Accessed 12/12/2016)

Unknown Author (2014) ‘’Her’: Grading the Spike Jonze film’, Post Magazine, 21st March [Online] Available: http://www.postmagazine.com/Publications/Post- Magazine/2014/March-1-2014/Her-Grading-the-Spike-Jonze-film.aspx (Accessed 28/12/2016)

Unknown Author (1999) ‘Symbolism of Colors, Asscociations of The Five Elements in Chinese Beliefs and Feng Shui’ NationsOnline 3rd January [Online] Available:

52 of 59 http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/colours.htm (Accessed 01/03/2017)

53 of 59 Progress Map

12/12/2016 Researching old dissertation topic Can I undertake thorough research on this subject? Is this question too subjective?

19/12/2016 Continuing research on old topic. Looking for alternate question related to storytelling

I work at a Colour Grading facility, can I make my question colour Maybe talk about colour related? in storytelling

30/12/2016 Scrap old research subject, moving on to researching colour in storytelling How can I structure my dissertation and research around colour and Begin researching the storytelling? evolution of different techniques of colouring Look in to the initial examples of colour in film Question idea! “How has colour evolved as a narrative device in the film industry?” Begin new bibliography

54 of 59 12/01/2017 Inform dissertation tutor about question change

Look in to the initial Loads of different things examples of colour in film to talk about - how can I structure my chapters to allow for the best Can I use each chapter research? to talk about different techniques of colouring? Painting, tinting etc. Who can I interview to get some good answers for my research?

19/01/2017 Dissertation session, continuing refining idea with tutor My dissertation tutor suggests Simone Grattarola from Time Based Arts as an interview subject The subject and intended chapters are too broad, I should try limiting the scope of the dissertation to colour in post- production. Re-think Arrive at lead question: phrasing of question. “How has post-produced colour evolved as a narrative device in the film industry?” After advice from my tutor, I have changed my chapter structure. Instead of talking about the physical techniques of colouring, I will talk about the different ways it’s applied (On the entire image, character, Continue trying to look for environment). sources of primary research

55 of 59 26/01/2017 Dissertation session, get the go-ahead for my question and chapter structure

Continue looking for films to use for each chapter. Use examples from the early years of film through to present day to establish a timeline. Structure first chapter for Formative review Potential sources of primary research: Simone Grattarola, Kevin Shaw, screening events at BFI, maybe the Writer’s Cafe I Chapters: 1 - Whole found earlier. frame colouring, 2 - Character colouring, 3 - Environment colouring, 4 - Item colouring? 02/02/2017 Dissertation session, continue discussing ideas for research and requirements for formative Discuss with my tutor how many topics I should include in each chapter, and how many chapters I Continue writing first can do. chapter for formative

Contact Simone Grattarola

Finish Chapter One Realise an additional chapter is needed before my current first Chapter

56 of 59 09/02/2017 Formative Hand-In

Contact Kevin Shaw from my workplace Additional chapter must talk about the effects of colour on people, begin research If agreeable to him, interview Simone Grattarola Finish reading ‘Color in the Motion Inudstry' Find a copy of ‘Fantasia of Colour’ Read ‘History of Motion Picture Colour Technology’ Contact London Writer’s Cafe

Watch films: A prolific magic egg (1903), Kingdom of Fairies (1903), Haxan (1922), The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Vertigo (1958) A Space Odyssey: 2001 (1968), Hero (2002), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), Traffic (2000), Greed (1924), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003), We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011), The Dreamers (2003), Eyes Wide Shut (1999).

57 of 59 16/02/2017 Reading week, no lectures

Write new Chapter One

Attend the BFI ‘Future’ Film Festival Attend the London Writer’s Cafe if possible Visit the London Film Museum in Covent Garden Find & read ‘Colour Finish Chapter One - Consciousness’ More Than Light

23/02/2017 Dissertation session Start working primary research into pre-existing Dissertation material Start Chapter Three - In Character (Previously Chapter Two before addition) Finish writing about Vertigo Additional research in to cultural connotations of colour undertaken online 02/03/2017 Dissertation session

Finish reading books

Finish Chapter Three Put any relevant information from books in to dissertation Start final Chapter

58 of 59 09/03/2017 Last dissertation session

Finish final Chapter

Interview Kevin Use interview Shaw content in dissertation where applicable Write Conclusion

Write Introduction

Refine dissertation

17/03/2017 Summative Deadline

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