#visual components series

The Most Complex Visual Component

4 Types of Space:

Flat Space - Low Intensity

Limited Space - Medium Intensity

Deep Space - High Intensity

Ambiguous Space - INSANE Intensity

Depth Cues

- Perspective  The adding of vanishing points

1 point perspective - As if you’re looking down a street.

2 point perspective - As if you are looking into the corner of a room.

3 point perspective - As if you are looking up at a skyscraper.

(The more the vanishing point is in the frame, the more it creates! Especially for Animators! (As to film these perspectives would be harder.))

- Size Difference Size denotes distance especially in unison with parallax

- Textual Diffusion An object has more textual detail the closer it is to us.

- Ariel Diffusion (Haze) Causes a loss of detail, texture and tonal contrast at longer distances

- Shape Change Shapes change due to depth (e.g. Your head shape)

- Tonal Separation

Bright objects appear closer than darker ones. Warmer objects appear closer than colder ones.

- Up/Down Position

Lower objects appear closer, higher objects further away.

- Over-lap When one object overlaps another, illusory depth is created.

- Focus As depth goes out of focus, they lose their ability to denote illusory depth.

Flat Space

Frontal Plane

Eliminating vanishing points

Size Constancy

Constant textual detail

Shallow depth of field

Limited Space

Frontal Plane

Eliminated vanishing points

Size Sifference

Deep space without converging lines.

Deep Space

At least 1 vanishing point

Size Difference

Over-lap

Textual Diffusion

Focus

Longitudinal Movement

Ambiguous Space

Mirrors/Reflections

Camouflage

Disorientating Camera Angles

Removal of other visual components.

*Occurs when viewer is unable to fully determine size and shape of relationships

Lens Test

A comparison of lens capturing the same size shots. LS / MS / MCU / CU

Hue - The Wavelength of Light.

Saturation - The Purity of the Hue

Brightness - The Adding of White/Black to the Hue

To make a colour stand out, use it’s complementary colour (it’s opposite (e.g. Green and Magenta, Blue and Red)

Case Study: 

The Matrix

Monochromatic 

The use of one colour.

The fake world - Green.

Traffic

Split Complimentary 

Using two complimentary colours:

Blue - Cold Washington

Orange - Warm Mexico

Moonrise Kingdom

Analogous

Colours (3) right next to each other on the colour wheel

Norman Rockwell

-The Hollywood Look-

Teal and Orange

Links to Split Complimentary

Used to make their posters/actors pop

Colours are Associative 

Red - Romance, Lust, Passion, Power, Violence, Danger, Caution, Anger, Exotic, Brave, Heat, Obsessive

Pink - Sweet, Feminine, Innocence, Playful, Beauty, Empathy, Romance, Love, Purity

Orange - Warmth, Energy, Adventure, Nostalgia, Calmness, Sociability, Friendly, Happiness, Crimes/Criminals, Law, Justice

Yellow - Happiness, Excitement, Warmth, Royal,  Power, Caution, Fear, Madness, Sickness, Obsessive, Insecurity, Naïve

Green - Toxic, Evil, Adventure, Growth, Corruption, Peacefulness, Life, Nature, Freedom, Motivation, Jealousy, Disgust

Blue - Conflict, Confidence, Freedom, Mystery, Isolation, Peace, Depression, Sadness, Lost, Brave, Death, Royalty, Emptiness, Silent, Cold

Purple - Loyalty, Mystery, Wealth, Royalty, Intensity, Undead, Lustful, Exotic, Sadness, Fantasy, Illusory, Ominous, Worry, Fear, Anxiety

However, these emotions can vary depending on the cultural influences and contexts. Such as, within The Godfather, the director completely reworks the colour orange (a safe colour) to have the meaning of death.

Transitional - the progression of a character and plot shown through the colour wheel

“The Adding of Black or White to an Image”

Affinity - Lack of (or softer) shadows

Contrast - Harsh shadow, emphasising on light.

(Adjusting exposure and saturation can also effect tone)

Coincidental - Where the back ground is dark whilst whatever’s in front is bright.

Non-Coincidental - Unlike Coincidental, this is often used for silhouettes, as the background is brighter than what’s in front.

Hybrid - Where both whatever’s in front and background have the same amount of brightness.

Whilst using tone in film, consider:

Where do you want the audience to look? They will usually look at the brightest part of the frame.

Don’t confuse colour for tone! When in doubt, turn the colour off your monitor/Viewfinder.

Hide or reveal parts of your frame using tone. Non/Coincidental/Hybrid tone.