What role does colour have in a visual effect shot? 

 
 

Key words: Colour correction, Colour grading, Visual Effects, Post production, mise en scene  

 
 

Why do some shots make me feel something? Is there an effect behind it? For my investigate study essay I chose to investigate and compare separate visual styles, when they first appear, different techniques and how it is been used today. My research question will be: what impact does colour have in a visual shot? I have chosen this topic because I find it interesting how colours can affect a clip, create an atmosphere, tell a story, and make the shot look more appealing. I also want to find out if there are any new techniques being used in the industry. Then I will do my own research to find out what and why colours do with a shot, what each atmosphere it will make, feels it will create and build a mise en scene.  

Colours have been seen as art to form creativity that allows the artist to express an imagination, a creative skill, vision, and passion into one complete piece. Today, we have technology-based tools to change colours in films. We can use for example colour grading and colour correction, which has some familiarizes. Like colour correction is a technical method that fixes the colour issues and makes the shot look more true-to-life. This method is mostly used in the constructive phase in post-production. The goal is to create colours that create an atmosphere and match different elements in the shot that will fit each other. In other words, a shot we want to see with our own human eyes. On the other hand, colour grading is also technical, but it is more on the creative side, and most been used in grading the whole film. What colour grading does is to create emotion and atmosphere in a shot by colouring it in a new way and often an extraordinary way. But what do colours do with a shot and why do we change it?  

Colours can give a visual expression of emotion or mood. Like strong contrasts and intense colours makes action and drama. On the other side we have gentle colours and soft contrast, who gives peaceful scenes. Therefor colours can cause a certain emotion in viewers and utilize their emotion. Colours has also a physiological effect, they can stimulate or trigger someone's emotions. With digital colour manipulation, the artist got a level of colour creativity that was not possible before. Therefor it is essential to mention the story behind colour, what techniques artists use to achieve their goals.  

To my research part, I am going to see if colours can create moods, atmosphere and lead the eye. To do this, I will make some shots, colour grades, and correct them in software After Effects, to see if it will affect a shot. I will try some methods and see if they have a different effect from one another. I want to tell the audience a story with the same clip and manipulate the colours to see if I could create a genre and make the audience feel something; for example, love, horror, or comfort.  

Further I will find out what colours technique are being used in the industry. Then I will also find material in the industry and see what kind of methods they are using today. One article I found talks about the art of the grade, like if there is an art behind colour grading. The article talks about five people and their experience in the industry of working with colours, how to work, succeed and advantages. 

 

 

The psychology of colour 

  

Colour is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. But even though colours are essential to life and art, it is yet so deserved that they have hardly ever been studied in all the elements and aspects. Every single colour as a psychological meaning which we sense, learned about by assassination. Most of our relation to assorted colours is related to natural phenomena. For example, since from the antics and to today, yellow has often attached to the heat, warmth, and the sun and blue as cold, sky and icy colour. We can ask ourselves, are colours just a visual stimulus, a flash of light, a material substance to be arrayed? What does the language of colour tell us? Where did it start and when will it end? John Gage considers these aspects and analysis of colour in Western culture, all back to the ancient Greeks until today. 

The ancient Greeks find pigments from earth itself. The mineral they used to create yellow, and red was chalk and ochre. For black, the artist mostly used charcoal. So, the most common colours who were used back then were what nature had to offer: yellow, red, black, and white. Democritus talked about the four simple colours. White which was a function of smoothness. Black was a function of roughness, red related to heat and yellow/green, a function of solid and void (Gage, 1994). This might be a start for the primary hue we are using today in our colour wheel. The primary hues are red, yellow, and blue, although black and white are also needed to make a complete range of colours. In the colour wheel, cool and warm colours are words used to describe two opposing qualities of hue. An important aspect of the colour wheel is that it demonstrates that colour had a temperature: hot or cold, warm, or cold, or something in between (Eiseman, 2017). But why is red associated with warmth and blue with cold? Is it because of ancient and universal associations? Well, yes, it is. For as far histories goes even back in ancient Greeks, they associated red and orange as heat, like fire and sun. While blue, green, and purple as cool, which are related to sky, sea, and outer space.  

Even though colour gives us assortations of different things it is essential in creating movies today, a certain colour palette is needed to generate an overarching mood or theme. Heckmann (2020) describes the director Stanley Kubrick has a unique way of seeing colour and having a particular way of presenting what they see in the forms of artifacts. Kubrick's method is to create one single colour to take control of the visual mood of a scene. For example, in The Shining one of his scenes he uses the colour red to create spite and hight tension aura. He also uses the colour green in two ways; to link us to the natural world and to create a tension between life and death.

 

 

 

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Figure 1: A shot from The Shining 1980 

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Figure 2: A shot from The Shining 1980 

    

Simply put, with manipulation of colours in film, we can affect the audiences' emotions and mood, without them even knowing. Colour in film can create harmony, but also tension within a scene, or draw focus to significant details. When an artist wants to tell a story with the use of colours it will also help them to set the tone of the movie, represent a character or even show changes or arc in the story. The relationship between cinema and colour is to create a scheme or colour palette to design that specific mise en scene. 

Director Eiseman (2017) explains what effect colours create on the psychology of colours. There are three factors in determining colours: Hue is the colour itself. Saturation is the intensity of colour. Brightness is how light and dark the colour is. And that is how you can create a complex colour scheme. Some movies like to choose an affinity of hue. Risk (2020) talks about distinct colour schemes that are being used in movies. Like utilizing a monochromatic colour scheme. In other words, it is a movie who use mostly one colour. For example, in The Matrix 1999 is a classic example of a movie that mostly uses one colour. As you already know, it is green. But why exactly green? Well, the movie takes place inside of a digital matrix and some of us associate green with code and with science fiction. We can also find monochromatic use in The Grand Budapest Hotel 2014, with the colour pink.  

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Figure 3:  A shot from The Matrix 1999 

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Figure 4: A shot from The Greate Budapest hotel 2014  

 

Other schemes Risk (2020) describe are the use of neighbouring colors on a colour wheel, also known as analogous colour. For example, yellow and lime green or red and violet. The colours do not have the any contrast or tension, instead they make an overall harmonious and shooting viewing experience. Analogous colours are easy to take advantage of, for example in landscapes, and are often found in nature. We can also take it further in terms of how object, character is arranged in a scene. One colour will be the dominate, the second to support and a third to emphasize (Eisman, 2017).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5: Screenshot from The Complete Color Harmony, p.7

 

Most movies like to use contrast, which is a popular scheme in movies. With contrast creates drama, like warm vs. cool. Complementary colours live opposite from each other on the colour wheel. Like, blue and orange are complementary colours that are used in many blockbuster films. No matter the colour you pic, a complementary colour will always be an upside colour in the colours wheel, so warm and cold colour. This effect will create a lively tension in the film (Risk, 2020). An example is Brave 2012 from Disney Pixar. You can clearly see the character, Marida; her orange hair and dark green dress are complementary colours. In this way, Pixar showed Merida’s character as important and stands out in this movie. Some movies even like to use all the primary colours in the same scene. Another colour scheme Risk (2020) mention is the triads, which are three colours arranged evenly spaced around the colour wheel. In movies usually one colour is the dominant and the others supports. Triadic is one of the least commonly used colour schemes in movies, but it can be noticeable and vibrant even when the hues are unsaturated. Triads are mostly used in cartoon movies like Superman 1978.

 

 

 

 

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Figure 6: Cover from Brave 2012  

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Figure 7: A shot from Superman 1978 

 

Saturation is the intensity of colour and decides the amount of grey in the hue. It is also when you can pop the colours or make it dull (Eiseman, 2017). Some movies use a post-production prosses called, bleach bypass. Witch is an effect that drains out the image and has a deep denaturation effect. It gives the world of the movie a cold, gritty, rude sort of appearance (Risk, 2020). An example is the Netflix series, 13. Reasons Why 2017. When we see back in time, we see a richer colour palette, to remind the audience of a happier time or a good memory which gives the audience a nostalgia feeling. In the future, the look changes and the colours become colder and drained. It can also become reminiscent of faded photographs or newspaper. The black-and-white newsreels of the period itself take us back in time. A good example is in the newspaper in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 2010 where we clearly see another time in the story line.  

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Figure 8: Two shots from Netflix 13 reasons Why 2017 

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Figure 9: A shot from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 2010   

 

Brightness refers to the level of light in colours. Brightness can be used to find the film's overall tone, but brightness can affect individual colours (Einsman, 2017). Sometimes a movie uses entirely bright colour. Like movies from the technicolour era, especially in the classic movie Wizard of Oz 1939. Back then, vibrant colours were caused to see the movies alone. On the other hand, during the darker scenes in Netflix series Peaky Blinders 2013, you can nearly forget that some scenes were shot in colours. But why does colour play a lesser role here. Well, the story took place in a gangster environment in the 1900s and with that take us back in time.  

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Figure 10: A shot from Wizard of Oz 1939 

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Figure 11: A shot from Netflix series Peaky Blinders 2013 

 

But some movies do both. The colour script of Pixar Up 2009 we also see a change from light colour to a more desaturated colour. The production designer Ricky Nierva describes the colour palette as heavily saturated when Ellie is alive. In other words, Ellie is what gives Carl life and Carl happy. When she is gone, the palette changes to a more de-saturated colour, like grey. Thought the movie we clearly see a story telling with use of colours. Carl's life after Ellie is clearly de-saturated and we do not see any colours before Carl blows up the balloons from his roof and started to fly away and begin his journey. At that moment Nierva tells that we can see a hint how memory of Ellie though those saturated and colourful colours. Future he describes that any time that want to bring a shot to life, they use colour saturation. But in sadder and triadic scene, they lean more to the black and white. 

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Figure 12: Two shots from Disney UP 2009 

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Figure 13: A shot from Disney UP 2009 

  

Colours can also be used to create symbolism in a film. With the use of distinct colour schemes, attention will be refocused to a specific character, detail, or moment that stands out from the rest of the film (Risk, 2020). For example, in the NRK Christmas series from Norway, Snøfall 2016. The warm colour red represents the main character, Selma, who wears warm colours all the time, in contrast to the cold environment she lives in, which makes her pop on the screen.  

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Figure 14: a shot from NRK Snøfall 2016 

 

Also, colour cannot just be used in a single scene, but also as storytelling. When a specific character, object or place has a specific colour scheme or been associated with a colour, it becomes a symbol. That is what most iconic films and blockbusters used to create their films. In Christpher Nolans films, like Dark Knight 2008, contrasting with batman has a look that is dark black and grey, and on the other hand, Joker has purple and green. We might think that these colours operate from each side of the brightness of the scale and give a tension between these two characters' personalities. Some will say that they are totally upside of each other. Batman has a more simple and darker tones compeer to Joker chaos and more fun and mismatched colour palette (Risk, 2020).     

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Figure 15: Two shots from Dark knight 2008 

 

Colours can also transform through the film, it represents a change in the story's character, story itself, or themes. For example, from George Lucas films, like Luke’s character from Star Wars 1977 and Return of the Jedi 1983. In the first film he wears white clothes which can represent purity and innocence. In the last film he wears black, which is a strong colour. He is more skilled since he stared as a Jedi and has become more mature. The change from white to black can represent his change of character (Risk, 2020). 

 

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Figure 16: A shot from Star Wars: A New Hope 1977 

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Figure 17: A shot from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 1983 

 

  

In conclusion, the psychology of colour, by utilizing hue, saturation, and brightness, you can precisely identify the right colours to create a certain feeling for your audience. Bright images often seem vibrant and exciting. Darker images often seem dramatic and on it goes. But also, the rules were made to be broken. Everybody can decide what the colours mean to them. If you have the power to create whatever you want, you can create the world of your imagination.  
 

 

Practical part  

For my practical part, I am going to find out if colours can create different moods, atmosphere and lead the eye. By adjusting the colour, contrast, and exposure of film footage so that it appears natural and unprocessed – as the human eye would experience in real life or as realism as possible. I will also tweak things like exposure, contrast and white balance and play with the hues, saturation, and brightness. 

As mentioned earlier, colour correction is a technical process that is been used in the postproduction phase and colour grading is to create an overall appearance. The aim of colour correction varies by the project. For my research and project, I am going to create individual looks by using the same shot and see if I can manipulate the colours. I also would like to see if I could create different genres by just adjusting the colours. The genres I am going for is drama, horror, sci-fi, feel good and sorrowful.   

The pipeline began with finding research material and reference. I want to recreate or make the same atmosphere as some of the shot I have mention earlier in this essay. Like creating something that will pop more on the screen and become a symbolism in the storytelling. I also would drain some colours and see if it would make the shot different.  

First, I started to film multiply shots. With multiply shots I had a big range of shot I could use and be able to pick the best once. The goal was to create some good-looking shot that I would colour correct and colour grade in different moods and atmosphere. Next step was to choose a shot that I would like to use. Even though I used iPhone 12 camera the quality was not perfect in some shots. So, I used some time to make some good shots. Of course, I could always find a better shot online, but I would like to have more experience by filming and do something more with the practical part. If I had a better camera the colour changes would have been more advanced. Even though if I had a more advance camera, no camera will not be able to capture colours as accurately as the human eyes does.   

I started to film some shots in the Christmas holiday in Norway on daytime with snow. Another location I filmed was in a park on dusk time in London. It was important for me to have good shots with the good lighting. I choose two clips I would like to change colours and to create some looks. Those where one with my dog Luna in the snow and another with my friend Rakel walking up some stairs into a building. In After Effects the first thing I did was to do some adjustments and editing an environment that feels natural. Sometimes when shooting you can get unlucky with the shot and the colour might express a green or some funky colours. The first thing I did was to balance the white and black by using the levels and I also played with the temperature tool for a natural look.  

First, I chose the clip with my friend Rakel in it and tried to create three different appearances with the same shot. The first look I went for was to create a dramatic look. The look is to get so close as possible to a realistic look, like it would look through a human eye. To create a dramatic look, we need contrast and intense colours. Since the scene was blue, I used curve tool to drag the blue a little down to and make the colours more balanced. I played with the hue/saturation tool and put the master Saturation to –16. The second look I went for was to create an action/Sci-fi or a matrix look. To create a matrix look I really had to push the colour green. I used Tint tool to map black to a dark green colour and map white to a light-yellow colour. Then I used vibrance tool to 37 to create an extreme appearance. Then I tweaked the greens in the highlights with the lumetri tool. The third was to create a horror look. Like drama horror need to balance the whites and black to create a realism glance. I used levels and put black to 3 and white to 227. I want a blue and contrasted impression, so I used curves and created a S curve in the blues, and I also put the green a little down. For fun I used a Photo filter tool to create an overall look for the shot and I also wanted it bluer. Since horror movies are scary and cold, I went with a cold look. I ended up with Cooling Filter (80) to 25%, because I find it a great style for horror. Then the blue become the dominant colour. So, I tried to push the other colours by using curves in Lumetri colour tool, I also played around with the tint tool. Then I want an overall filter, so I activated sl clean kodak b in lumetri colour tool and sat the intensity to 12. Next step was the shot with the dog in the snow. This shot will have two different looks, the story telling is going to be something like you will find in Disney Pixar. One playful and happy look and another sad and sorrowful look, like a nostalgia feeling. 

The second clip with Luna, was to create a gentler colour and soft contrast that gives a peaceful scene. For this shot I used lumetri colour and played around with the temperature and saturation. I sat the temperature to 17 and saturation to 121 for a warmer look. I also played around with the levels tool. Since this was going to be a softer look, I put the black down to –5,1. In contrast I create a desaturated appearance and pouched the contrast to make a drained look. I played with the levels and pushed the input black to 15 and white to 275,4. I also used CC Colour offset and change the red phase to –9,0°, to take away some of the red colours and made the scene a colder look. I used vibrance tool and pushed it down to –37. Then I used a Unsharp Mask tool to amount 79, to pop the contrast even more. The last thing I did was to go through all the shots and tweaks some of the creative setting. Some of the shots I added a lumetri Colour panel on an adjustment layer to create a unique feature. Then I created another adjustment layer and added vignette and motion tile for a cinematic style.  

During this project I had fun with filming and colour grading. With this new knowledge, it will become useful for my future and for my path of creating visual effects. We can ask ourselves on how colours are been used in diverse ways for VFX. With colour manipulation there opens many possibilities for VFX artists. Like I did in my practical part, it gives possibilities for styling and create a look. It can also fix a shot who has some issues such as wrong white balance or even match shots in a sequence. Most importantly in makes it easier for VFX artist to integrating element like matte painting or CGI to match with live-action footage.  

In the industry there are no specific or right way of colour corrects and grade a shot. An article of Televisual interviews five colourist talked about their experience and advice they would give to futurist colourists. As long it looks good, will some colourists say. But there is still something everybody must have in mind. Like Ross Baker mention that it is easy to fall into a trap of making things overly bright or push with the contrast. He also says that we must be mindful of what impact the bright elements have and how it will act the viewers experience. Baker says that good grading is acknowledge a show’s complete consistency, clean shaping, and manipulation of an image. In other words, by new experience and learning it will be a lot easier to get that good grade you are looking for. There is no big right answer in the right way to colour correct a shot. Colour grading and correction are subjective and there is so many mays to approach the same thing and make the same goal. But as soon as you start to do it and learning it, you can accomplish remarkable results (Televisual, 2019).         

 

 

Conclusion 

Taking everything to account, colours have a significant impact in creating visual shots. Not only to create a good-looking shot, but also fix issues like black and white balance. It also makes it beneficial to match shots in a sequence and element that is going to interact in the scene. By studying the history behind colours, we got a better understanding in how colours are depending to our emotions as well as our mind. Also, every colour has a psychological meaning and association with us. 

To create colours in film it is important to look at distinct colour theories, the colour wheel: like hue, saturation, and brightness. By utilizing hue, saturation, and brightness we can change the viewing experience. For example, upside colours complement each other and change how object and character is organized in a scene. To create a certain feeling for the audience it is essential to have an assorted colour scheme. Like the director Stanley Kubrick’s method, by using one single colour to create an optical emotion in a scene.  

As the research has demonstrated, different schemes and colours has an impact in creating diverse atmosphere. Like making a sci-fi, sad, playful, or dramatic style. Did the individual shot make a difference from each other? Yes, it did. Even though it is the same shot it gives a distinct feeling and mood. But if colours are enough to create a story in a film? Probably not, because colours itself make a substantial difference in a shot but for storytelling it is not enough. One thing we must think of is the shadows and lighting. With a strong shadow in the scene can make the shot look more dramatic and with right lighting you can make the audience look on a specific point on the screen. Also, to make a good story telling, a combination between music, composition and performance could make an even bigger difference.  

Further we can look at what technique that are been used in the industry. Some will say that it is too diverse and broad to have only on answer. The saltation might be a pair of good eyes or learning by just doing it. There are not a wrong and right answer to colour correct and grade, as long the scene looks close to realism or as the human would see in it, the audience will get a nostalgic desire from it.