Colour is often overlooked when we study fi lms. We think of colour as a natural component but it is often used deliberately to show something important. Colour is also often used as a symbol in a fi lm.
Match the colour with what it can often represent in fi lms. 1. red 2. blue
3. green 4. yellow 5. brown 6. black
A. natural elements such as soil B. optimism and happiness C. envy or jealousy
D. darkness and negativity
E. natural elements such as the sea and sky F. love and passion
When studying colour in your fi lm, ask yourself:
1. Is colour representing: ■ gender (stereotypically pink for girls and blue for boys) ■ religion (orange is associated with Buddhism) ■ politics (red is associated with Communism) ■ culture (green is associated with Ireland)
2. Are certain colours being repeated? 3. Does colour help build an atmosphere or mood?
4. Are the colours being used in harmony or do certain colours clash (not work well together)?
5. Is the fi lm deliberately shot in black and white? If so, why?
Look at this still from The Wizard of Oz and describe how you think colour is being used in the scene.
REMEMBER:
We studied symbolism in Collection 7 in relation to poetry and in Collection 9 in relation to novels.
