Sassens work possesses a wonderful blend of color and the saturation of natural textures and hues of skin that, While the story is told in three distinct parts that correspond to different parts of, , these are united by the expressionistic use of color and certain motifs. Some of Moonlight 's most impactful moments are when characters look directly into the lens, confronting the audience in emotional moments. This essay has been submitted by a student. While the plot proves for a strong base, the cinematography is what really makes the film stand out, winning an Oscar for Best Picture. Another scene where the camera circles around the characters is when Chirons bullies are forcing his friend to hit him for being different. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The color blue and water are the most prominent throughout. So she took some and ate it; she also gave some to her husband and he ate it. Sensitive topics such as race and sexuality, staged against the backdrop of the hood are automatically assumed to follow the convention of realism. Moonlight is a fever dream of emotionality, . Juans calm conversation with his employee is followed by loud insults from Chirons bullies. This time, we hear her say, "Don't look at me!" We cut to Chiron, now a full-grown man, waking up from this, a bad dream. It's an intentional move away from the aloof style and perfection of most big budget. The second chapter of the film uses German film stock which is known for adding cyan to its shots, which alludes to the films name. This tint was not done for pure aesthetic necessarily, but to speak to the emotional state that Chiron was experiencing. I first did not understand the scene, analytically as well the cinematographic choices, but the more I look into it, the deeper I realize it is. Laxton creates pure poetry on celluloid that is perfectly equipped to conjure a story of self-discovery and acceptance. But presenting it in maybe a way thats providing a larger lens to look through.. Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) Review: A Spirited Adventure, 18 Best Horror Movies On Netflix (April 2023), 30 Best Family Movies On Netflix (April 2023), The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Cinematography, How Jordan Peele Uses Cinematography To Reveal Subtext in Nope, Without saying a lot, the film creates dramatic tension. Unlike the ugliness that was showcased with the green walls with Chiron, the blue light emphasizes this cold feeling that represents that moment in his life emotionally. Color is one of the first things I notice about the sequence. How the cameras moving through a space. Barry Jenkinss first film, Medicine for Melancholy, has a similar theme to his second feature film. Its sort of the delicate balance of providing images that allow an audience to feel like theyre watching a real experience. Juan, a confident drug dealer, emerges from the car and crosses the street to greet Terrence. Home Essay Samples Entertainment Moonlight Analysis of Cinematography in Moonlight by Barry Jenkins. Chiron is changed forever in the preceding scene. Instead, the camera simply allows the audience to see them at their most humane moments with their flaws and hopes laid bare. Growing up in his early days, Chiron does not have a male or fatherly figure in his life. Then when Kevin enters the scene, the camera stands in front of the doorway and now it looks gigantic. to swim. We will occasionally send you account related emails. Laxton and Jenkins shared lots of photography including the work of Earlie Hudnall, Jr. Another photographic inspiration was the work of Dutch artist Viviane Sassen. "Moonlight" Exclusive Image Courtesy of Color Collective and A24 Testing the Limits of Contrast To capture Miami, Laxton knew he'd want the actors' skin to have a big shine, so the audience could. The non-linear storytelling is enhanced by the visual choices of the film. How the light looks on someones face. Within its ambition to portray a higher, complicated understanding of black queerness and violence upon black bodies, it also acknowledges the ties of hegemonic masculinity in African American communities. When describing the look of the characters within the location Jenkins told TIME last month, Cinema is a little over 100 years old, and a lot of what we do is built around film emulsion. In an interview regarding his choices of shots Laxton explained that the light flickering scene caused a pit of trouble for, our gaffer had to add a flicker box to the light because we had such a hard time finding a frame rate and shutter angle that would get the right kind of flicker and the right amount of flicker that we were looking for.. Near the end of the film, Chiron is standing in a doorway but the camera has skewed the perspective by not standing directly in front of the doorway, making Chiron look small and confined. Everything that should feel familiar and gritty is photographed in the bright mid daylight and blown out whites. This also brings the film to a symbolic full circle, ending with the nascent stages of Chirons story. This film was the first with an all African-American cast and LGBTQ-based storyline to win an award of this prestige. Join our team and let's create something amazing together! The scene in which Chiron comes face to face with his largest enemy (himself) through a clean glass mirror serves as an interesting shot for cinematographers and audiences. Tell us about your travels! Sassens work possesses a wonderful blend of color and the saturation of natural textures and hues of skin that Moonlight employs as well, to define a new idiom of beauty for black bodies in cinema. Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote the play on which the movie is based, both grew up there in the same part of Liberty City, Miami. Look no further! Its something that allows an audience to really sink into a story.. Moonlight is a masterclass in expressive camera and sound. Laxton recalls his experience, carrying a 200 pound underwater housing with the camera inside and wrestling the tide trying to make sure [they] were at the right height to see the performances above water to be difficult. The immersion in water is reminiscent of a baptism, and this motif is repeated throughout the film. It allows the audience to almost be disarmed in the first three minutes of this opening shot, says Laxton. It becomes clear that Terrence is an employee of Juan's who deals . Its sort of a fake-out, the films director of photography, James Laxton, said recently. In this aspect, blue becomes the motif of rebirth and a fragmented identity. 100% Customized to Your Need with Expert Writers focus on telling a well-realized story is evident in its camera movements as well. For all of the modern marvels of special effects, 3-D glasses, even shaking seats and simulated experience, what these films lack is the capacity to engage our imaginations. The director and cowriter, Barry Jenkins, won praise for his empathetic depiction of complex characters. Juan has burst into Chirons sanctuary, literally and metaphorically, and offers him food as a source of comfort. has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. Light was placed within a tree by Laxton to cast speckled obscurities on the main character as he strode underneath, generating exclusively new photographic attentiveness from the . It allows us to make choices later on in the film, that if we dont set up our language that way at the beginning, could possibly feel like not as organic.. Unlike other films, Moonlight does not use a realistic aesthetic that other films that deal with drug addiction and lower socioeconomic classes. Let us write you an essay from scratch, Order a custom essay from our writers and get it on time, Structural Analysis Of The Movie Moonlight Essay, Analysis Of Cinematography In Barry Jenkins Movie Moonlight Essay, The Main Message Of The Film Moonlight Essay, Comparing Barry Jenkins And Richard Linklater's Works Essay, A Comparison Between the American Psycho and a Clockwork Orange Essay, A Study of the Character Alex in a Clockwork Orange Essay, The Role of Music in Bringing Out the Theme in a Clockwork Orange Essay, Free Will vs Morality in a Clockwork Orange Essay, The theme of morality and ethics in A Clockwork Orange Essay. This also brings the film to a symbolic full circle, ending with the nascent stages of. During one of the film's many memorable dialogue exchanges (written by . The camera becomes shaky, evoking panic as it chases after Chiron. When Juan breaks down the boards to the house, lights fill the room. Although all are heavily influenced by the beliefs [], We provide you with original essay samples, perfect formatting and styling. September 5, 2020 by The Editors Leave a Comment. Moonlight is shot in anamorphic format, which made it when the characters stare into the camera that much more dramatic. The film has a retroactive effect. In Moonlight we follow Shyrone in three chapters of his life, following three phases of his life that stands out for its form and execution. According to Laxton, this was an idea that took shape in pre-production. Moonlight Cinematography James Laxton Featured on LensCulture The Photographic Inspirations Behind Moonlight, 2016's Best Picture Moonlight Cinematography A conversation with Moonlight's cinematographer reveals the surprising but formative influence that still photography had on this Oscar-winning film. So much is happening behind their eyes. This notion of being bathed in a primarily pink environment as she screeches away at Chiron was very much a necessity for it reveals a different side to her and insight to a different aspect of her life. On set it rounded out this character in this moment that is very dark and very intense. Image Source: lensculture.com ( Earlie Hudnall, Jr., Viviane Sassen, courtesy of PDNB Gallery). Although this put a damper in the intended shot and imposed several challenged on a technical level, you can gradually see the sky become progressively more gray and cloudy which unintentionally supported what exactly was occurring emotionally with the characters. The effect is such that we are not watching them swimming; instead, we are right there next to them. Plot is not so much the concern as an intensive character study is. But the next cut is to a child running through tall grass, and handheld, somewhat frenetic camera movement. Realism was avoided, with an understanding that when a setting is visually pathologized, so too are the human beings in it. The camera goes to a low-angle shot as Chirons glare becomes harder and the sound of his harsh breathing becomes louder. But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. THE IMAGES THAT INSPIRED JAMES LAXTON | BY PAUL MOAKLEY. Moonlight Film Analysis The director of this film clearly presents an idea of masculinity and how it especially is pertinent in context to the african american men in the film. Moonlight was filmed in Liberty City, Miami, where the neighborhood houses are pastel-colored and trees a tropical green. So we used oil. The film opens with a very stylized, swirling shot of a drug dealer, Juan, played by the magnificent Mahershala Ali. Moonlight was loosely adapted from an unpublished [], Moonlight was directed by Barry Jenkins, adapting the unproduced play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Bold, saturated colors and soft lighting that express the emotional beats of the film lend a touch of dream-like surrealism to the story. Moonlight was directed by . The last sequence particularly stands out; upon breaking down in Kevins arms, Chiron sees himself as Little, standing in front of the sea and looking right back at the viewer, awash in moonlight and hinting at self-acceptance. The contrasting sound design in both scenes also shows each characters place in their community. Roy was someone that I think shaped a lot of how Barry and I sort of approached the film at the very, very beginning.. Netflix can claim responsibility for six wins best international feature, cinematography, original score and production design for its German-language film All Quiet on the Western Front; best . I think the color pink can have a lot of associations but I think one of them can be beauty. It is important to remember that this scene was after Kevin touched Chiron both physically and emotionally. Similarly, the photographic realism of Hudnall Jr. results in the framing of the characters with a quiet dignity. Back at school, after Kevin was forced to beat up Chiron by his bullies, Chiron sits in an office and tunes the principals voice out. We walk through the film's structure, cinematography, sound and symbolism to show you . These frames provide a sense of loneliness that hes still struggling with as an adult and still permeate the visual language that we were using in story three., Thinking back to his own childhood Laxton says, I remember wearing out VHS tapes of my favorite movies as a kid and having the tracking being a mess and trying to watch movies that were faded. From the very first shot of drug dealer, (played by Mahershala Ali) arriving to meet with his subordinates, we are greeted with a bright color palette that is infused with rich blues, bright yellows and tropical reds. The camera is sped up and closing in on Chiron and his friend, trapping them even further. Two faces, two connected souls. . Moonlight was directed by Barry Jenkins, adapting the unproduced play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. When you walk around the city, perspiration is inherent to the experience. Which is a scene I think we have seen. Your California Privacy Rights.