moonlight cinematography analysis

What it means to that character to be bullied, to have to deal with these sexual questions that hes going through in his teenaged years. It makes the audience absorbed into the scene and sees the intensity of what the character is feeling. . Dollars from the household of a dealer may end up in Chirons pocket and later in the hands of Chirons mother, who doubtless will return them to a dealer. The angle of the shot exaggerates Chirons gaze and makes it look more heartbroken than if it was an eye-level shot. (2016) has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and sensitive coming-of-age stories on celluloid. The camera, said Laxton, is playing with our associations by saying, in effect, Heres something youve seen before. Near the end of the film, Chiron is standing in a doorway but the camera has skewed the perspective by not standing directly in front of the doorway, making Chiron look small and confined. But blue is also the color of identity, or rather, the symbol of the formation of an identity. The idea of the opening sequence to have these two highly disparate shots welded together is the essence of the film. makes no such commitments. Here, we wash away the old Chiron, and introduce a new one., Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 5/25/18) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 5/25/18). This shot of Tyrell is menacing, adding a dizzy effect due to the erratic spinning of the camera which is the direct result of the audience feeling a sense of uncertainty; uneasy about how this situation will play out. Barry Jenkins narrates a swimming sequence from "Moonlight" featuring Alex Hibbert and Mahershala Ali. So did Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote the play on which the movie is based, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Above: Roys work from his book from Out Of The Blue. From this belief emerged many responses, including absurdism and existentialism. Jenkins and Laxton were aware of the fact that they were dealing with stories that had previously been depicted, and sought to destabilize the tropes associated with several elements of the narrative. You blue, thats what Im gon call you.. The story of Moonlight invites the audience to follow the life of a character whos young, black, queer and who feels so alienated from the world around him that he cant see himself as he is. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Cinematographer James Laxton and director Barry Jenkins on location in Miami. Jaws Cinematography Analysis 709 Words | 3 Pages. 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. Juans calm conversation with his employee is followed by loud insults from Chirons bullies. Plot is not so much the concern as an intensive character study is. While Juan is respected by his peers, Chiron is persecuted by them. Laxton was also heavily inspired by photography. In this aspect, blue becomes the motif of rebirth and a fragmented identity. Moonlights cinematography is the most important in establishing not only the characters and the environment but the relation between the two and their importance to the main theme of the film. Their filmmaking style developed after they met in college at Florida State University. This was not the only challenge that Laxton faced while filming this scene. Moonlight (2016) - Difference, Power, and Discrimination in Film and Both mother and son are partially broken. The use of color in the film to provide context for emotional moments, and eye-catching lighting in an expressionistic mode can also be seen in films like Chungking Express (1994), and In the Mood for Love (2000). Barry Jenkins' Moonlight is a movie about Chiron, the protagonist, through three significant periods of his life. Moonlight - Narrative First has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. With rich hues that provide vital cues and swift camera movement, the film cautiously walks the line between realistic storytelling and a process of expressionist imagery. I think its that moment where the language in which Moonlight is established. Where because movies are costing so much money these days that theres so much at stake and therefore everyone, every sort of person involved with the film chimes in with their of personal feelings. Notes of Wais work can be felt in some of the most dramatic moments where Chirons mother, Paula, played by Naomie Harris, stands over her son scolding him while a pink light glows from her bedroom. But as the film ends, the final image is that of Little, barefoot on the beach, soaked in blue moonlight, these motifs merge to create one final image of healing. Jenkins and Laxton were aware of the fact that they were dealing with stories that had previously been depicted, and sought to, When it comes to depicting the lives of African American communities on screen, there is a precedent set by films that have come before. When in the first act, Littles mom, Paula, is saturated with pink light whist she yells at her son. This is where the association with water is relevant. 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. This lighting gives the character depth and not just a negative stereotype of an abusive mother. For all of the modern marvels of special effects, 3-D glasses, even shaking seats and simulated experience, what these films lack is the capacity to engage our imaginations. How the cameras moving through a space. That it should feel so radicalfor a kid from the projects to be portrayedwith a complete, three-dimensional portraitstirs up a heightened, devastating awareness of how rare a thing this is. At the end of the second part, Chiron has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. Instead, the camera simply allows the audience to see them at their most humane moments with their flaws and hopes laid bare. Little is taught how to swim by his new father-figure, he is compelled to float on the water, Let go, dont fight the water, Juan says as he cradles his head through this revelatory moment. The camera slowly goes toward Chiron until he turns his head to look behind him. Bullied at an early age and seemingly outcast, Chiron knows he doesn't fit in because of his sexuality. The Film Moonlight Film Analysis - 1279 Words | Bartleby The composition of this notable scene juxtaposes the ingrained idea of Juan being a gang affiliated drug dealer as he takes on the role of father of the protagonist. The film is driven by the internal conflicts of the characters, instead of a plot. focus on telling a well-realized story is evident in its camera movements as well. Moonlights camera work and mise-en-scene, specifically the lightning, is one of the films most important parts of its cinematography. 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. Moonlight is a film of few words. The waves distort the lens to accentuate the feeling of being present at such an intimate moment. 2023 Oscars Analysis: Academy, 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Win When Juan beckons Chiron to teach him how to swim, it is a long shot as Chiron decides what to do. Students who find writing to be a difficult task. This is where the association with water is relevant. 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. 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. Movie Analysis Essay on Moonlight - proessays.net 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. 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. Moonlight gives us three Acts of Chiron's journey: Little, Chiron, and Black. According to Laxton, We wanted to make sure our black-skinned actors would look natural and interesting skin tone. Its something that as a cinematographer you are constantly aware of. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of his life. Cinematographer James Laxton shot every scene in Moonlight with clear purpose; to capture and express Chiron's inner world from moment to moment. One shot is taken as Chiron and the other as Black (playing into teenager vs adult) . The location of teenage Chiron provided the audience with this darkness and grotesque feel due to the green tone of his bathroom. 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.. Barry Jenkins' Moonlight (2016) has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and sensitive coming-of-age stories on celluloid. Analysis of Cinematography in Moonlight by Barry Jenkins Essay. Laxton was also heavily inspired by photography. All rights reserved. There is a greater meaning to all the seemingly unimportant saturation of colors and camera angles. The life of Chiron is delicately revealed by cinematographer James Laxton who portrays him within a distinct pallet of blown out color photographs that set his life in a faded part of Miami where screenwriter and director Barry Jenkins was raised. In the following, indispensable video essay from Screen Prism, the structure, cinematography (by James Laxton), sound . We walk through the film's structure, cinematography, sound and symbolism to show you . Where do you want us to send this sample? 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. In contrast from other movies about poverty that mostly is accompanied by jarring noises and severity, Moonlights soundtrack consists of beautiful melodies that are created with a number of violins, cellos, violas, and basses that are constantly being filtered through Chirons perspective. I think one of them, Its a way in which we provide a three dimensional value to a character like Paula, Chirons mother., In the complex scene Paula is obviously aware and frustrated by her sons burgeoning sexuality and shes simultaneously dealing with her own struggles with addiction, motherhood and sexuality. Laxton and Jenkins have cited the work of directors Wong Kar Wai, Spike Lee, and Claire Denis as sources of inspiration for Moonlight. Here are some of the topics wed love to hear about: Whether you're an experienced writer or just starting out, we welcome anyone with a passion for writing and a desire to share their perspective. We walk through the film's structure, cinematography, sound and symbolism to show you what you might have missed about this immersive. Its a very familiar interaction. At the end of the second part. Breaking the fourth wall. Ad Choices. 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. Juan, a confident drug dealer, emerges from the car and crosses the street to greet Terrence. Some of the most impactful moments are relayed through stares. Then they [], Anthony Burgesss A Clockwork Orange is a novel pervaded by a multifaceted and intrinsic musical presence. A man teaching a boy how to swim turns into a powerful moment of . We never had two cameras actually. Whether its one of the many tracking shots following Chirons back through his world or watching his reaction, one can sense a precision in every shot. Jenkins uses all the tools there are in camerawork to create a story thats personal to each and every person. . But a community can also be a cage. Its something that allows an audience to really sink into a story.. Among these boys is Kevin the only one who looks at Chiron like a person and in Chirons point of view he looks at Kevins bruise instead of him staring back like the other boys. How the light looks on someones face. Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote the play on which the movie is based, both grew up there in the same part of Liberty City, Miami. There is a greater meaning to all the seemingly unimportant saturation of colors and camera angles. Another scene where the camera circles around the characters is when Chirons bullies are forcing his friend to hit him for being different. We balance between sensuality and violence, and in this moment, violence triumphs. To sign up, email glorie@theodysseyonline.com. The Main Message of The Film Moonlight - GradesFixer The light inside the building came from the lamps and it gave a natural and realistic feel to the diner. 2 Analysis of cinematography in A Better Life and Moonlight Director Barry Jenkins uses cinematography in the film "Moonlight." From the beginning of the scene, lighting is at play as Chiron approaches the diner. When it comes to depicting the lives of African American communities on screen, there is a precedent set by films that have come before Moonlight. Jenkins and Laxton were of the opinion that since the widescreen ratio is automatically associated with franchise blockbusters, telling an intimate story of sexuality and belonging with the same dimensions would serve to create an atmosphere of total artistic unity. The film is driven by the internal conflicts of the characters, instead of a plot. Moonlight | Movie, Plot, Cast, Awards, & Facts | Britannica Moonlights setting in Miami was essential to the story. The cinematography also plays center stage in this film. 30 Best Italian Movies Of All Time, Ranked. Ad Choices. Since one of the concepts of our visual language had to do with being immersive, it was a must to put the camera in the water, within the tides and waves of the ocean, to experience the swimming lesson as the characters do. When describing the look of the characters within the location Jenkins told TIME last month, Cinema is a little over 100 years old, and a lot of what we do is built around film emulsion. As a writer for Odyssey, youll have the opportunity to share your voice with our community of readers from all over the world. The film follows the life of Chiron; a child residing in a predominantly black neighborhood. David Bornfriend/A24. Jenkins has said that, the film being a fever dreamand that the audience is part of the dream. Jenkins and Laxton uses the way characters are lit and how neighborhoods are shot to challenge many stereotypes about black communities. Both Jenkins and Linklater [], The controversy surrounding Brett Easton Ellis's American Psycho and Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange relates primarily to the central themes that are explored in both books. The Atlantic Ocean is a bright blue while the scene challenges what black fathers are supposed to be. The director and cowriter, Barry Jenkins, won praise for his empathetic depiction of complex characters. This scene is much more than the light fixture, however, but also the engrossed colors that illuminated the shots. Lets consider the sequence where Juan teaches Little to swim. 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. We open on the curb of a street in Liberty City, a tough neighborhood in Miami, as a souped-up classic car, its dashboard decorated with a miniature crown, pulls up and parks. 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help you just now, Berry Jenkins intimate film Moonlight, follows the struggle of a young sensitive black man trying to find himself against his society's expectations of masculinity and identity. That pink light behind her in that scene and within the film generally helps to express another side of her, says Laxton. Cinematography.docx - 1 Analysis of cinematography in A But the film is an absolute triumph on both counts for its vibrant storytelling. The attempt was to promote those emotions, not just to present them, but to promote them to a place where you can sense the intensity by which Chirons character is going through these things. The close-up of Chiron after Juans offer clearly shows his anxiety. Image Source: lensculture.com ( Earlie Hudnall, Jr., Viviane Sassen, courtesy of PDNB Gallery). 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. While it doesnt have the most bold, visual, stylistic stuff happening, theres a real precision to choices we were making that Im very interested in. But the drug economy in which the characters live does not define them as human beings. 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. But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. The frame is set up in such a way that the viewer only experiences the calm waters of the Atlantic and the rush of the waves as Juan holds Little above the water. 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 what our job is: To depict a judgment. There is an inherent tension, then, between his role and the effect he is hoping to elicit. The reason for using the flicker box was here applied to a fluorescent light, instead of its usual occupation which produces lighting effects. Bold, saturated colors and soft lighting that express the emotional beats of the film lend a touch of dream-like surrealism to the story. 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The bold color palette and bold lighting choices, rife with lens flare that communicated the sweltering heat of Miami were inspired from the films of Wong Kar-Wai. And they allow my mind to sort of relax and just let a story be presented to me., This idea of being really personal and unique with the way in which you tell your story. In Moonlight, it's the process of keeping the audience aware of the maker's hand and of the actors playing. Were currently seeking writers to join our summer writing program. They remind me that Im having an experience that is really personal. The beginning of the film starts with establishing Chiron, the protagonist, and Juans, the mentor, place in the community. Get custom essays. Well known for its groundbreaking lighting of black actors, Moonlight embraces the tension of the location in what Jenkins calls "a beautiful nightmare" (Jenkins). Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Moonlight exquisitely uses light and color to enhance the immersion of the audience into Chiron's thoughts and feelings. So much is happening behind their eyes. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of his life. The immersion in water is reminiscent of a baptism, and this motif is repeated throughout the film. I think we all have gazes, says Laxton about his take on photography. In the next scene, the child, Little (Chirons nickname when he is young), played by Alex Hibbert, interacts with the dealer we have already met, Juan, in a way I will characterize only as unexpected. sexual intimacy and the resulting violence, as well as. They also used anamorphic lenses, which normally allowmultiple characters to play out a scene in the same wide-screen frame. Analysis Of Cinematography In Barry Jenkins' Movie Moonlight Essay Moonlight was directed by Barry Jenkins, adapting the unproduced play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. I think whats happened is that the realistic aesthetic applied to drug addiction, or lower socioeconomic classes, portrays the characters as having dark or depressive mentalities, Laxton said. 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. 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. 22 Must Watch Films For Great Cinematography. Your work will be featured on our homepage and in our weekly Overheard on Odyssey newsletter. Through his association with the color blue, is introduced as a guardian, and a much-needed father- figure that has been missing from. So was McCraney, 36. Its an intentional move away from the aloof style and perfection of most big budget films today that attempt at realism.

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