What happend to the color in movies.

[Mark L.]

Does anyone notice that the color in movies is starting to fade away?
I'm told it is the artistic intent but whatever happend to the use of lighting to achieve this. It seem too bad that with all the high quality the new high def sets have to offer only to see it washed out by what new movies are being released today.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Mark L.

Does anyone notice that the color in movies is starting to fade away?
I'm told it is the artistic intent but whatever happend to the use of lighting to achieve this. It seem too bad that with all the high quality the new high def sets have to offer only to see it washed out by what new movies are being released today.

Hummm, there are many new releases with fantastic, vivid colors. Have you watched Star Trek 2009, Transformers ROTF, or Angels vs Demons?

[volcomsocal]

This is the weirdest post I've ever seen.

[KingBing]

Please let us know which movies you are referring to.

[Dotpattern]

I think the OP is referring to color grading, or color correction. But even then he's generalizing.

[kevinbr100]

i saw a segment on science of the movies this week that technicolor (the company) has indeed come up with a new technique that adds a certain desaturated, less colorful look to film through the use of some new chemical process which they claim cannot be replicated digitally. They said a lot of newer films are opting for this new "style" so the op could indeed be correct in his perception of some films.

[Blu Warrior]

I have to agree with the OP. I'm especially tired of the blue tint that so many movies have nowadays. The last two Harry Potter films are a good example of this I think. Minority Report is another. I know everyone will say that it enhances the "mood" of the film or sets the "tone" but I always thought you could enhance the mood with better dialogue and alot better music than we get today.

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by Blu Warrior

I have to agree with the OP. I'm especially tired of the blue tint that so many movies have nowadays. The last two Harry Potter films are a good example of this I think. Minority Report is another. I know everyone will say that it enhances the "mood" of the film or sets the "tone" but I always thought you could enhance the mood with better dialogue and alot better music than we get today.

Well, the saying 'A picture says more than a thousand words' is very appropriate.
I think it's odd that we want to see the director's intent as long as it suits us. Use a different color scheme than we're used to and we suddenly hate the fact that our televisions aren't used optimally. The same with audio. It's nice that sound can be crystal clear, but does that mean that every sound track should be that way? I don't think so. Director's often do something like that deliberately to create a certain effect, and you shouldn't condemn that or anything.

[Afrobean]

Originally Posted by Blu Warrior

I have to agree with the OP. I'm especially tired of the blue tint that so many movies have nowadays. The last two Harry Potter films are a good example of this I think. Minority Report is another. I know everyone will say that it enhances the "mood" of the film or sets the "tone" but I always thought you could enhance the mood with better dialogue and alot better music than we get today.

Then you don't understand visual cues as having emotional weight. You mention Minority Report, and the color design in that picture is VERY important to conveying the sort of world they are in. It's sterile and just not right. You also mention Harry Potter. The dark and drab color design there is indicative of the darkness looming over the entire wizarding world, and even as the Harry's sixth year happens, the muggle world as well.

I honestly don't understand how someone could be clueless as to the use of color as a visual storytelling device. Have you seen Kung Fu Panda? I know they make VERY strong use of color design as a storytelling aid in that feature. Go back and see if the colors bother you there, because its the same exact thing.

[tiger roach]

I suspect most filmmakers are very concerned with this, and consider their choice of color "temperature" for their films, and how to achieve it, to be very crucial to the story they are trying to convey.

Schindler's List anyone?

So I guess what I'm getting at is that I don't think this is anything new, even though there are new tools available these days to achieve different effects with the color.

[surfdude12]

2 words: THE FALL

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by Afrobean

Then you don't understand visual cues as having emotional weight. You mention Minority Report, and the color design in that picture is VERY important to conveying the sort of world they are in. It's sterile and just not right. You also mention Harry Potter. The dark and drab color design there is indicative of the darkness looming over the entire wizarding world, and even as the Harry's sixth year happens, the muggle world as well.

I honestly don't understand how someone could be clueless as to the use of color as a visual storytelling device. Have you seen Kung Fu Panda? I know they make VERY strong use of color design as a storytelling aid in that feature. Go back and see if the colors bother you there, because its the same exact thing.

I guess it just depends if you think it's overkill or done right. I think it's rather lazy to have Harry Potter all dark and drab to nail home the idea that a cloud hangs over the proceedings. We all know that. How 'bout bring that idea home without resorting to visual cues all the time. I understand it can be effective, but i think the OP is just pointing out that it can be overdone.

How 'bout a movie like the Shining? The bright open spaces of almost every shot in the movie doesn't seem to conflict with the macabre, tense, dark, claustrophobic vibe oozing from every frame. As a matter of fact, that contrast seems to heighten the mood of eminent doom.

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

I guess it just depends if you think it's overkill or done right. I think it's rather lazy to have Harry Potter all dark and drab to nail home the idea that a cloud hangs over the proceedings. We all know that. How 'bout bring that idea home without resorting to visual cues all the time. I understand it can be effective, but i think the OP is just pointing out that it can be overdone.

We're talking about motion pictures here, visual cues are a pretty big part of that.
And you might think it's lazy to do that, but since people are complaining about it, it's still not picked up by most people.

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

How 'bout a movie like the Shining? The bright open spaces of almost every shot in the movie doesn't seem to conflict with the macabre, tense, dark, claustrophobic vibe oozing from every frame. As a matter of fact, that contrast seems to heighten the mood of eminent doom.

What the cinematography in the Shining is trying to do is a very even looking lighting, so that every hallway and room looks the same to convey the sense of claustrophobia.
But talking about Kubrick, he used a very 'simple' color pallet on Eyes Wide Shut, in which the colors red, blue and yellow stand out. It's amazing what he makes of that, and I wouldn't call that lazy at all.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

We're talking about motion pictures here, visual cues are a pretty big part of that.
And you might think it's lazy to do that, but since people are complaining about it, it's still not picked up by most people.



What the cinematography in the Shining is trying to do is a very even looking lighting, so that every hallway and room looks the same to convey the sense of claustrophobia.
But talking about Kubrick, he used a very 'simple' color pallet on Eyes Wide Shut, in which the colors red, blue and yellow stand out. It's amazing what he makes of that, and I wouldn't call that lazy at all.

Eyes Wide Shut may have a simple color pallet, but it's not muted. I think the OP is referring to muted color pallets.

[Sponge-worthy]

Originally Posted by Blu Warrior

I have to agree with the OP. I'm especially tired of the blue tint that so many movies have nowadays. The last two Harry Potter films are a good example of this I think. Minority Report is another. I know everyone will say that it enhances the "mood" of the film or sets the "tone" but I always thought you could enhance the mood with better dialogue and alot better music than we get today.

Reminds me of something Sam Raimi said in the Army of Darkness commentary. Bruce Campbell noted that Raimi had employed some 'shaky-cam' during a certain scene. Raimi's response: "I was trying to achieve a level of intensity that I wasn't getting from the performance."

I wouldn't say that there's a right or wrong way to present a film as far as color use goes. But I agree that filmmakers often use it as a shortcut to reinforce a certain mood with little or no subtlety. As with the latest Harry Potter offering, the lack of color--or even light--seems like an attempt to fake a film noir presentation. In that respect, the drained color and lack of light seems more of a stunt than an actual enhancement of the storytelling. Sort of like putting a black cowboy hat on an actor so the audience knows he's the bad guy, here the filmmaker bathes everything in black so the audience knows that something spooky is going on.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Director's often do something like that deliberately to create a certain effect, and you shouldn't condemn that or anything.

I think you can when it gets to the point where it's being overused and repeatedly copy catted.

[john_1958]

Originally Posted by Mark L.

Does anyone notice that the color in movies is starting to fade away?
I'm told it is the artistic intent but whatever happend to the use of lighting to achieve this. It seem too bad that with all the high quality the new high def sets have to offer only to see it washed out by what new movies are being released today.

well harry potter half-blood prince wasn't what i would call colorful

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

I think you can when it gets to the point where it's being overused and repeatedly copy catted.

Well, when is the boundary reached between using something effective and overusing it?

I do not care so much for shaky cams personally. That means that if I would direct a movie, I wouldn't use it. Does that mean I should be complaining about the shaky cam used in movies? No. I understand why they're used, and they're effective.

[john_1958]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Well, when is the boundary reached between using something effective and overusing it?

I do not care so much for shaky cams personally. That means that if I would direct a movie, I wouldn't use it. Does that mean I should be complaining about the shaky cam used in movies? No. I understand why they're used, and they're effective.

yeah if you want motion sickness while watching a movie use shaky cams

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by john_1958

yeah if you want motion sickness while watching a movie use shaky cams

I don't think that's true at all. I watched Bourne Ultimatum on the big screen and it didn't get me sick at all. It didn't even disturb me in the slightest bit.