When Juan breaks down the boards to the house, lights fill the room. This circular shot encapsulates the Chirons teenage bully Tell as he initiates a game of knockout as he directs Kevin to punch Chiron. The assumption is that the story will be told in a tonality that prioritizes the gritty and bleak real-ism of their world. Although this put a damper in the intended shot and imposed several challenged on a technical level, you can gradually see the sky become progressively more gray and cloudy which unintentionally supported what exactly was occurring emotionally with the characters. Tell us about your travels! If you fit this description, you can use our free essay samples to generate ideas, get inspired and figure out a title or outline for your paper. Best of all, you can do it all from the comfort of your own home or wherever you happen to be spending your summer. Moonlight | Movie, Plot, Cast, Awards, & Facts | Britannica Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/analysis-of-cinematography-in-moonlight-by-barry-jenkins/. Moonlight Cinematography Analysis | James Laxton - Flickside Moonlight was directed by Barry Jenkins, adapting the unproduced play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. An avid reader and a life-long lover of blue skies, I like to spend my time with obscure poetry and dissecting films. Back at school, after Kevin was forced to beat up Chiron by his bullies, Chiron sits in an office and tunes the principals voice out. Later in the film when Juan teaches Chiron how to swim, the camera is level to the water so that the audience feels like they are swimming with the characters. Maybe subconsciously we chose it for Moonlight in an effort to depict this community in a brand new light.. Moonlight Cinematography James Laxton Featured on LensCulture The Photographic Inspirations Behind Moonlight, 2016's Best Picture Moonlight Cinematography A conversation with Moonlight's cinematographer reveals the surprising but formative influence that still photography had on this Oscar-winning film. . Unlike the ugliness that was showcased with the green walls with Chiron, the blue light emphasizes this cold feeling that represents that moment in his life emotionally. From the very first shot of drug dealer, (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 tint was not done for pure aesthetic necessarily, but to speak to the emotional state that Chiron was experiencing. It makes the audience absorbed into the scene and sees the intensity of what the character is feeling. The low immersive camera is combined with this authentic fluid motion that gives the audience the sensation that we are immersed within this endless horizon of water, much like Little, thus enabling the audience to experience Chiron's baptism as he does himself. We used it as the opposite of that, to show the character alone within this vast frame, to emphasize the isolation. Laxton added, Its a format, a kind of lens, that is associated with large blockbuster movies: the Star Treks, the Star Wars. The film is separated into three chapters, Little as his youth, Chiron as his adolescence, and Black as his early adult life. ultimate self-acceptance at the end of the film are relayed to us in silent gazes. 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. To do this we went for some soft, overhead dramatic lighting with accents of color, one of those being the pink light in the background behind the character Paula. It becomes clear that Terrence is an employee of Juan's who deals . Above: Roys work from his book from Out Of The Blue. The film, which was critically acclaimed for its fresh take on race, African-American queer sexuality, and nuanced understandings of masculinity was told through bold colors and realism in the mode of cinematography. Moonlight, which is up for six Golden Globes and is likely to earn as many Oscar nominations, leaves a lasting impression on your mind and eye, and its impact is not limited to your present field. 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. Your time is important. 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. Moonlight was filmed in Liberty City, Miami, where the neighborhood houses are pastel-colored and trees a tropical green. The way each character talks are also contrasting, Juan speaks relaxed and caring while Chiron does not speak. Many circular shots are filmed with the intention of creating this facade of being accepted or with the in-group. Barry Jenkins' Moonlight (2016) has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and sensitive coming-of-age stories on celluloid. At the end of the second part, Chiron has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Laxton explained: In that moment, when shes very angry at her son, the pink light tips the audience to a different aspect of her, a different side to her., Laxton went to film school with Jenkins in the early aughts, at the Florida State Film School in Tallahassee, where for a time the two were roommates. How the light looks on someones face. Jenkins, 37, was raised by a single mother who became addicted to crack. But Moonlight is more Wong Kar Wai than The Wire. In moonlight black boys look blue. From this point, two contrasting scenes are paired as the camera quickly begins to move and swirl around Jauns conversation until a boy whos being chased by a pack of angry boys calling him a faggot interrupts him. The sights, sounds, and smells of a summer day in your hometown. 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. Moonlights camera work and mise-en-scene, specifically the lightning, is one of the films most important parts of its cinematography. Thats an idea that kind of came out of our process on the set. 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. Natural light is also used during the diner scene. Another strategy in accentuating the films unique feeling is using a single Arri Alexa XT camera through the whole shoot. How high-angle is something? From a distance, this seems like a very specific story. Both films use color to reflect the mood of the scene and what the characters are thinking. 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. 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. We transition from handheld to dolly, from dolly to steady cam. "I think for all of us around there, and especially for Barry because this is so personal to him, that just . The non-linear storytelling is enhanced by the visual choices of the film. To communicate this in a visual manner, the camera frames the subjects such that they fill up the majority of the screen, thus drawing us into their emotional landscapes. Light was placed within a tree by Laxton to cast speckled obscurities on the main character as he strode underneath, generating exclusively new photographic attentiveness from the . Within its ambition to portray a higher, complicated understanding of black queerness and violence upon black bodies, it also acknowledges the ties of hegemonic masculinity in African American communities. Its merely a feature of the landscape, where air is humid, birds chirp, people disappear, and small bills flow in a circle. In Moonlight we follow Shyrone in three chapters of his life, following three phases of his life that stands out for its form and execution. We all have a way in which were viewing the story that were telling and I think who we are dictates so much of how we see the world. In Moonlight, its the process of keeping the audience aware of the makers hand and of the actors playing. Maybe you think you know whats about to come in the next hour and a half., You dont, and thats the point. I think that younger audiences are more accepting of this than older audiences. 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. Its sort of a fake-out. Your work will be featured on our homepage and in our weekly Overheard on Odyssey newsletter. I just feel satisfied that we got what we set out to get. The director and cowriter, Barry Jenkins, won praise for his empathetic depiction of complex characters. Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. Gradesfixer , Analysis of Cinematography in Moonlight by Barry Jenkins., Analysis of Cinematography in Moonlight by Barry Jenkins [Internet]. The use of natural and ambient light throughout the film mixed with small warm fill lights and touches of color play on the films dream-like sense of reality. 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.. How 'Moonlight' Uses Cinematography to Wreck Us Emotionally 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. Moonlight Explained: Symbols, Camera & More - YouTube Growing up in his early days, Chiron does not have a male or fatherly figure in his life. Moonlight's cinematography hubs on the contrast between Littles's place and Juan's in this world (Aguirre, Abby). Its something that as a cinematographer you are constantly aware of. 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. In another shot, Littles mom, Paula, played by the brilliant Naomie Harris, is bathed in pink light as she fumes at her son. We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. As Chiron finds a hiding place, the bullies insults become louder and louder. Moonlight movie review & film summary (2016) | Roger Ebert The Photographic Inspirations Behind Moonlight, 2016's Best Picture Moonlight, American dramatic film, released in 2016, that unexpectedly won the Academy Award for best picture. Its a historically black community where the majority of residents live below the poverty line. Moonlight: A Masterpiece of Cinematography - Cinematography with Chloe There is a greater meaning to all the seemingly unimportant saturation of colors and camera angles. So was McCraney, 36. In an interview regarding his choices of shots Laxton explained that the light flickering scene caused a pit of trouble for, our gaffer had to add a flicker box to the light because we had such a hard time finding a frame rate and shutter angle that would get the right kind of flicker and the right amount of flicker that we were looking for.. We follow him as he grows up in Liberty City, Miami with no father and a mother struggling with a crack addiction, plus all the pressure of being a Black boy. Movie Analysis Essay on Moonlight - proessays.net There is at least one unifying element, though: the films insistence that the humanity of every character be brought to the fore. 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. The film has a retroactive effect. He. Which for us meant anamorphic lenses that express this heightened sense of existence that I think audience members sometimes associate with bigger tent pole films, but were presenting this sort of nuanced subtle story but with that same heightened value.. Moonlight makes no such commitments. But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. Moonlight doesn't just look and sound great. Moonlight - Narrative First I knew that relationship like the back of my hand because thats where my life and Tarells overlapped, he told the Hollywood Reporter. makes no such commitments. When looking at the cinematography section at the Oscars, Laxton says, Its amazing to be on that list. Through three acts, the film Moonlight (2016) explores three periods of the life of the lonely and sensitive Chiron, who faces the difficult intersectionality of growing up poor, black and gay in late 1980s Miami. Laxton creates pure poetry on celluloid that is perfectly equipped to conjure a story of self-discovery and acceptance. 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. The result is an immersive sequence that allows the camera to capture each splash and stroke of the water, which was achieved by filming partly underwater. . No words are spoken and the two characters are just staring at one another. The film, set in three acts, follows Chirons life, and opens with a drug deal using some familiar tropes of an archetypical dealer named Juan, played by Mahershala Ali, as he pulls into the frame in a flashy car to check in on one of his minions. The concept of prejudice is also recreated to portray the mistreatment of the coloured. While its a tender coming-of-age film, it never shies away from the harsh world of gangs and drug use that it is set in. Theres a few reasons I think why that pink light doesnt sort of ring false for people, says Laxton. Barry Jenkinss first film, Medicine for Melancholy, has a similar theme to his second feature film. The natural light gives the characters a soft glow and presents the characters in a way that does not feel fabricated. The film is driven by the internal conflicts of the characters, instead of a plot. Weve always placed powder on skin to dull the light. This scene contains no spoken dialect from either character, although the scene solely consists of an angry yelling sequence from mother to son. Color is one of the first things I notice about the sequence. , barefoot on the beach, soaked in blue moonlight, these motifs merge to create one final image of healing. 2023 gradesfixer.com. When Chirons mother begins to leave, she continues to stare at Chiron and walk into the door where the pink lighting was coming from. Similarly, the gaze of the film is such that the person behind the lens does not lend any moral judgement to the kind of life the characters find themselves in. Lets deep dive into some of the elements and cinematography techniques used in the film. On the phone Laxton is modest about his work and credits the films success to his close friendship with Jenkins. We see him immerse his face in an ice bath, framed by flickering lights. Blue serves as a source of solace and peace for. The movie begins with Chiron as a neglected 9-year-old where he is exposed to. The Main Message of The Film Moonlight - GradesFixer Many critics view Laxtons cinematography as visual poetry, through his use of techniques to further tell a sophisticated story. The camera, said Laxton, is playing with our associations by saying, in effect, Heres something youve seen before. The green hues and flicker of the florescent lighting enhance the slow motion and camera movement to give us the feeling of a heart broken with violence. 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. Need some creative inspiration? Our idea was to present them visually with that same amount of intensity. Road-tripping with your friends?