moonlight cinematography analysis
In both of these films, space and framing of the characters provide a coherent visual guide to the plots impact. Without saying a lot, the film creates dramatic tension as well as a sense of intimacy that can so often get lost in the viewing process. 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 Film Analysis. In the midst of this pivotal moment of self-discovery theres a real awareness of the camera as the water is lapping against the lens. I think whats happened is that the realistic aesthetic applied to drug addiction, or lower socioeconomic classes, portrays the characters as having dark or depressive mentalities, Laxton said. 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. Laxton cites director Spike Lee and Claire Denis as inspirations as well as Wong Kar-Wais work on films like Happy Together and In the Mood For Love. The idea of judgment. From the very first shot of drug dealer Juan (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. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Road-tripping with your friends? . Laxton and Jenkins drew from varied sources to create a singular cinematic language for. Authenticity is something I think were always sort of playing with, says Laxton, when discussing their creative process. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of his life. 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. While Juan is respected by his peers, Chiron is persecuted by them. Which is a scene I think we have seen. Moonlights cinematography uses bold colors and stunning shots to create an emotional experience. above the water. From a distance, this seems like a very specific story. How you are depicting someone. They remind me that Im watching a movie. Want to spend your summer being creative and making some money on the side? Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, takes a look at a young black male growing up in Miami named Chiron. Immediately after the first scene, the camera moves to Chiron being chased by his bullies. We were lighting them with a style that was more realistic than flattering and we wanted the skin tones to feel warm and not harsh. (James Laxton Creates Poetic Look). Chirons mother being highlighted in neon pink lights her femininity despite her sour expression. Rather, there is classical music playing which allows himself to disconnect from his external reality, for the music that often plays is a direct signifying factor of his inner self. Jenkins and cinematographer James Laxton focused on drawing the audience into the inner lives of the characters and creating a consistent visual language to tell a story of fractured identity. I think we all have gazes, says Laxton about his take on photography. I knew that relationship like the back of my hand because thats where my life and Tarells overlapped, he told the Hollywood Reporter. The beginning of the film starts with establishing Chiron, the protagonist, and Juans, the mentor, place in the community. Moonlight doesn't just look and sound great. At the beginning of the film, Chiron is bullied during a soccer game. Barry Jenkins's first film, Medicine for Melancholy, has a similar theme to his second feature film. This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before, Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts. Analysis Of Cinematography In Barry Jenkins' Movie Moonlight Essay. As the second part ends and the third begins, a grown-up Chiron, now called Black, dunks himself in an ice bath yet again, as if to erase all traces of his past scared self through this ritual and be reborn again as the powerful drug lord that he has grown into. The attempt was to promote those emotions, not just to present them, but to promote them to a place where you can sense the intensity by which Chirons character is going through these things. The light in Miami is so specific, Laxton said. Backpacking across Europe? (2016) has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and sensitive coming-of-age stories on celluloid. When you walk around the city, perspiration is inherent to the experience. Lets consider the sequence where Juan teaches Little to swim. Here, we wash away the old Chiron, and introduce a new one., Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 5/25/18) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 5/25/18). How the light looks on someones face. An avid reader and a life-long lover of blue skies, I like to spend my time with obscure poetry and dissecting films. Your time is important. What it means to that character to be bullied, to have to deal with these sexual questions that hes going through in his teenaged years. Join our team and let's create something amazing together! Moonlight is an American drama film that chronicles the life of African-American male Chiron, who is being raised by a careless mother in a harsh Miami neighbourhood. 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 . The concept of prejudice is also recreated to portray the mistreatment of the coloured. . This scene contains no spoken dialect from either character, although the scene solely consists of an angry yelling sequence from mother to son. Moonlights setting in Miami was essential to the story. With shots burned by lens flares and bold camerawork viewers are a reminded that being personal in every level can help a story resonate with an audience. So we used oil. I think its that moment where the language in which Moonlight is established. Lighting is used to challenge stereotypes by juxtaposing the dark things that happen to characters with bright and beautiful lights in the background. The sights, sounds, and smells of a summer day in your hometown. Jenkins uses all the tools there are in camerawork to create a story thats personal to each and every person. Protagonist Alexs fondness for classical music imbues his character with interesting dimensions, and resonates well [], Following the publication of his most notable work, A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess commented on the function of literature in a mutable society. Your California Privacy Rights. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/analysis-of-cinematography-in-moonlight-by-barry-jenkins/. David Bornfriend/A24. Moonlight exquisitely uses light and color to enhance the immersion of the audience into Chiron's thoughts and feelings. To sign up, email glorie@theodysseyonline.com. 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.. Bold, saturated colors and soft lighting that express the emotional beats of the film lend a touch of dream-like surrealism to the story. Similarly, the choice to shoot in 35 mm anamorphic lens was borne out of a desire to tell a story with majesty and an immersive experience. Its my job to depict judgment, yet Im ultimately searching for a way to get the audience to relinquish that judgment and to just be watchful., We asked Laxton to describe his approach to shooting four of Moonlights most striking scenes, moments in the film when color and camerawork are particularly integral to the story and evocative of the place and people. The scene is about a dealer interacting with his guy on the corner, right? As the second part ends and the third begins, a grown-up, , dunks himself in an ice bath yet again, as if to erase all traces of his past scared self through this ritual and be reborn again as the powerful drug lord that he has grown into. Right afterwards, as Juan sets up a drug deal, the camera swirls around the characters, establishing the neighborhood in a highly stylized setting before following the protagonist running across a field in a long take. Every shot is rife with emotional heft and a definitive artistic composition. Cinematographer James Laxton films Ashton Sanders. Other photographers like the great Earlie Hudnall Jr. were found on Tumblr shared in dropbox folders along with the work of Dutch art photographer Viviane Sassen also had a huge influence on Laxtons choice of colors for some of the films most iconic scenes like the swimming lesson, set in it high contrast colors and crystalline blues. As Chiron finds a hiding place, the bullies insults become louder and louder. This essay has been submitted by a student. In 2017, the film Moonlight was awarded Best Motion Picture at the 74th Academy Awards. Jenkins and Laxton were aware of the fact that they were dealing with stories that had previously been depicted, and sought to, When it comes to depicting the lives of African American communities on screen, there is a precedent set by films that have come before. Get custom essays. Manage Settings Then they [], Anthony Burgesss A Clockwork Orange is a novel pervaded by a multifaceted and intrinsic musical presence. Jenkins has said that, the film being a fever dreamand that the audience is part of the dream. Jenkins and Laxton uses the way characters are lit and how neighborhoods are shot to challenge many stereotypes about black communities. Here, it symbolizes the community and tight connection between the boss, employee, and customer. But "Moonlight" is a film about faces. All rights reserved. Roy was someone that I think shaped a lot of how Barry and I sort of approached the film at the very, very beginning.. 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help you just now, Berry Jenkins intimate film Moonlight, follows the struggle of a young sensitive black man trying to find himself against his society's expectations of masculinity and identity. Its a very familiar interaction. In the color correction, we embraced the brightness and high contrast, intending to emphasize the heightened sense of extremes., We needed an image that had the aggression of our characters state of mind. Those things were calibrated for white skin. How the cameras moving through a space. I think that younger audiences are more accepting of this than older audiences. A person may deal drugs for money, but no moral baggage is ascribed to this detail; it recedes into the background, having nothing whatever to do with their value system. Moonlight is such a beautiful experience because of the way Director Jenkins uses color, camera angles, and lighting to connect the audience to the characters. The bold color palette and bold lighting choices, rife with lens flare that communicated the sweltering heat of Miami were inspired from the films of Wong Kar-Wai. makes no such commitments. But as the film ends, the final image is that of. Weve always placed powder on skin to dull the light. We didnt talk about Moonlight of course, but I think on some level those conversations about what it is to be a filmmaker, who our voices are as filmmakers. Its for grand stories and big-scope thoughts. Moonlight was directed by Barry Jenkins, adapting the unproduced play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. This scene utilized Miamis natural lighting (that would be later touched in editing) which is said to do wonderful things to ones skin and kinder due to the humidity and moisture in the air. This visual rebirth consolidates his transformation from a scared and vulnerable teenager to an angry and resolute youth, who now performs hegemonic, violent masculinity in order to reclaim some semblance of power.