In terms of lighting, we all know that low contrast = happy; high contrast = more serious. Are there any other rules of thumb along these lines? Or is this all an oversimplification?
I’ve always been told that comedy is supposed to be lit brightly, but low contrast will kill a dark comedy faster than anything else. I think there’s room for flexibility in these rules. At a gut level these traditions work well, but one can take them to more sophisticated levels.
LIGHTING STRATEGIES: Exploiting a Single Light Source
One sequence that comes to mind is the white void sequences in THX-1138. They are anything but pleasant and happy, and feel a bit more ominous for their minimalism. The same setting feels a lot less creepy in this Progressive Car Insurance commercial. Context is everything.
I love seeing more and more filmmakers turn these traditions on their heads. Creepy white limbo and funny dark and moody buck the stereotypes and also mess with the gut reactions that we should be feeling innately in response to those settings.
Every Frame a Painting has created a wonderful montage of Edgar Wright comedy techniques. None of these sequences are particularly bright and cheery, and I think they are funnier for it.
“Rules” exist for a reason: they work, at least some of the time. But… once you learn the rules it is often more powerful to break them if it works for the story.
Hard lights are great for textures, but soft lights are great for defining spaces
Art Adams | Director of Photography
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