VISUAL DESIGN
COLOR VS. BLACK AND WHITE
Some feel that black and white keeps
audiences focused on the character and story
 The background does not become prominent in
black and white
 Shooting color was thought to be the artistic
 Eventually audience demand forced many
filmmakers to use color

FILM STOCK
Two types: smooth-grain and rough-grain
 Smooth-grain film stock produces image that is
smooth or slick, wide range of subtle
differences between light and dark


Rough-grain film stock produces grainy-textured
image with harsh contrasts between black and
whites and almost no subtle contrasts
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Production designers first make elaborate and
detailed sketches and plans for the set and
then supervises, down to the last detail, the
construction, painting, furnishings, and
decoration until he or she achieves the exact
look intended
 Consults 3 people in making decisions:
director, cinematographer, costumer

SETTING AND ITS EFFECTS

Setting has an impact on nearly every aspect of
the film, specifically in four ways:
 Temporal
factors- time period of the film
 Geographical factors
 Social structures and economic factors
 Customs, moral attitudes, and codes of behavior

Setting can also be a significant force or even a
dominant controlling force in shaping a
character

Setting can be a reflection of character
Setting can create a semblance of reality that
gives the viewer a sense of a real time and a
real place and a feeling of being there
 This can be true for a film about a real event
(Titanic) or a film about a world that is outside
the audience’s experience (Star Wars)


Setting can be used for its sheer visual impact

Emotional atmosphere can be created and
enhanced with setting

Setting can be used a symbol
Setting can be used as a microcosm of the
world
 In this case, the setting comes to represent
“the world in little”

LIGHTING

By controlling the intensity, direction, and
diffusion of the light, a director is able to create
the impression of spatial depth, delineate and
mold the contours and planes of the subject,
convey emotional mood and atmosphere, and
create a special dramatic effects
LOW–KEY LIGHTING

Puts most of the set in shadow, just few
highlights define the subject, heightens
suspense and creates a somber mood
HIGH-KEY LIGHTING

Results in more light areas than shadows, far
less contrast, suitable for comic and light
moods