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. What thats done over the last, say, 30 years is it has made the audience assume that of these communities. This scene utilized Miamis natural lighting (that would be later touched in editing) which is said to do wonderful things to ones skin and kinder due to the humidity and moisture in the air. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. He. Moonlight Explained: Symbols, Camera & More - YouTube . While I think audiences are actually chomping at the bit for really personal unique visions of things. As Chiron finds a hiding place, the bullies insults become louder and louder. As the second part ends and the third begins, a grown-up, , dunks himself in an ice bath yet again, as if to erase all traces of his past scared self through this ritual and be reborn again as the powerful drug lord that he has grown into. first introduction and their subsequent meeting are framed in the vivid blue of his car, and his apartment. And thats still true today.. 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 see him immerse his face in an ice bath, framed by flickering lights. 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. How you are depicting someone. Now, it represents his world, one of anxiety and persecution. Its funny how much license you can get with some choices like that pink light, says Laxton. Cinematographer James Laxton and director Barry Jenkins on location in Miami. 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. Well known for its groundbreaking lighting of black actors, Moonlight embraces the tension of the location in what Jenkins calls "a beautiful nightmare" (Jenkins). The assumption is that the story will be told in a tonality that prioritizes the gritty and bleak real-ism of their world. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Plot is not so much the concern as an intensive character study is. GradesFixer. Color is one of the first things I notice about the sequence. September 5, 2020 by The Editors Leave a Comment. To sign up, email glorie@theodysseyonline.com. is a film of few words. understand that identity is often shaped by ones circumstances, and people only see the person shaped by their lot in life, not who they truly are. Although all are heavily influenced by the beliefs [], We provide you with original essay samples, perfect formatting and styling. . Many critics view Laxtons cinematography as visual poetry, through his use of techniques to further tell a sophisticated story. Analysis Of The Film Moonlight - 794 Words | Bartleby story. Those things were calibrated for white skin. From a distance, this seems like a very specific story. We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Want to spend your summer being creative and making some money on the side? Moonlight is a story about seemingly contradictory things. The color blue and water are the most prominent throughout. 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. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of [], What I believe the film Moonlight is attempting to communicate to us watching is not simply the acknowledgment of homosexuality inside African American neighborhoods, yet additionally grasping young men who exist outside of that [], The semi-autobiographical bildungsroman films Moonlight and Boyhood, directed by Barry Jenkins and Richard Linklater, explore comparable themes through the use of cinematic and narrative techniques. Laxton had to maneuver a 200-pound camera in an underwater housing for the scene. Natural light was used during this scene and the humidity in the air made the actors skin a softer glow. to swim as a transcendental moment. Let us write you an essay from scratch, Order a custom essay from our writers and get it on time, Structural Analysis Of The Movie Moonlight Essay, Analysis Of Cinematography In Barry Jenkins Movie Moonlight Essay, The Main Message Of The Film Moonlight Essay, Comparing Barry Jenkins And Richard Linklater's Works Essay, A Comparison Between the American Psycho and a Clockwork Orange Essay, A Study of the Character Alex in a Clockwork Orange Essay, The Role of Music in Bringing Out the Theme in a Clockwork Orange Essay, Free Will vs Morality in a Clockwork Orange Essay, The theme of morality and ethics in A Clockwork Orange Essay. 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. The duo also shares a lot of photography. Laxton and Jenkins have cited the work of directors Wong Kar Wai, Spike Lee, and Claire Denis as sources of inspiration for Moonlight. This circular shot encapsulates the Chirons teenage bully Tell as he initiates a game of knockout as he directs Kevin to punch Chiron. The natural light gives the characters a soft glow and presents the characters in a way that does not feel fabricated. Its sort of funny that this moment is happening at a time when those two things could not be further apart from one another., Moonlight moves away from the coldness on anything impersonal and uses a well-worn authenticity along with a small handful of the films recognized by the Academy this year. Everything we did was in real locations, which was important for us to create that authentic sensibility that Moonlight is supported by. 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. At the end of the second part, Chiron has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. Its for grand stories and big-scope thoughts. When we tell stories about characters in this context, the go-to style is often a bleak realism. 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. 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. In Moonlight, it's the process of keeping the audience aware of the maker's hand and of the actors playing. I think we all have gazes, says Laxton about his take on photography. We swirl around and around and around, and land on close-ups of Chiron and the other character, Kevin. Its an intentional move away from the aloof style and perfection of most big budget films today that attempt at realism. Through his association with the color blue, Juan is introduced as a guardian, and a much-needed father- figure that has been missing from Chirons life. How 'Moonlight' Is A Masterclass in Filmmaking - Film School Rejects Your California Privacy Rights. 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. 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. Moonlight makes no such commitments. We walk through the film's structure, cinematography, sound and symbolism to show you what you might have missed about this immersive. Cinematography.docx - 1 Analysis of cinematography in A They remind me that Im watching a movie. Laxton was also heavily inspired by photography. 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. 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. Moonlight Cinematography Analysis | James Laxton - Flickside Light bulbs were changed from green to blue during a diner scene later in the film. 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. As Juan walks over to say hello to the young men, the camera slithers behind him. Laxton creates pure poetry on celluloid that is perfectly equipped to conjure a story of self-discovery and acceptance. Moonlight (Film) Summary and Analysis of "Black" (Part One) Summary At the start of this chapter, we see the same image of Paula yelling at Little in the pink light of her room. Another strategy in accentuating the films unique feeling is using a single Arri Alexa XT camera through the whole shoot. PDF Moonlight Analysis Thompson Melanie And all those things, oddly enough, I think what they do in a way is they disarm me. Maybe you think you know whats about to come in the next hour and a half., You dont, and thats the point. It just wakes my mind up., Photographers like Henry Roy inspired Laxton. Actors Andr Holland and Trevante Rhodes from Moonlight. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 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. The camera gives Chirons point of view so that when the other boys stare at Chiron, they are looking at the audience. Moonlight Cinematography: Bold Color, Rich Skin Tone, High Contrast But the film is an absolute triumph on both counts for its vibrant storytelling. This is done substantively, with the emotional terrain of the characters, and its done visually, with angles and light. I think its really funny that the business generally is sort of moving towards a directing by committee approach. Moonlight Movie Review & Film Summary - PapersOwl.com Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of his life. Moonlights camera work and mise-en-scene, specifically the lightning, is one of the films most important parts of its cinematography. The light in Miami is so specific, Laxton said. 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.. Still from In The Mood For Love by Wong Kar-wai. Moonlight is a masterclass in expressive camera and sound. Shes yelling at her son. We will occasionally send you account related emails. I knew that relationship like the back of my hand because thats where my life and Tarells overlapped, he told the Hollywood Reporter. Their filmmaking style developed after they met in college at Florida State University. 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. After the bullies leave, Chiron wanders around and finds a syringe, foreshadowing his profession in the third part of the film. Ad Choices. Cinematographer James Laxton shot every scene in Moonlight with clear purpose; to capture and express Chirons inner world from moment to moment. Similar themes are present in both films, but Jenkinss sophomore film shows how much the filmmaker has improved. When Kevin and Chiron wrestle, the camera becomes shaky and cuts to shots of their arms and legs. to swim. The camera stops and Chiron looks to the audience as if beckoning to join him. The light inside the building came from the lamps and it gave a natural and realistic feel to the diner. But it allowed us to understand that shes a whole character as well., When asked about his favorite scene in the film Laxton immediately turns to the third act where the shift in style in subtle and more nuanced. 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 effect is such that we are not watching them swimming; instead, we are right there next to them. This also brings the film to a symbolic full circle, ending with the nascent stages of Chirons story. As the cinematographer, Laxton explained that in order to strengthen the emotional value of this performance he was required to, create some soft, overhead dramatic lighting with accents of color, one of those being the pink light in the background behind the character Paula.. The idea of the opening sequence to have these two highly disparate shots welded together is the essence of the film. Moonlights setting in Miami was essential to the story. Later in the film when Chiron enters the diner scene, it is a long shot to present the setting and feel of the diner. 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 . 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. , as he is bullied serves to subvert audiences expectations and sets the right tone. My morning routine is I make a cup of coffee and Ill just like scroll through Tumblr images for the first 20 minutes of my day, says Laxton. While the plot proves for a strong base, the cinematography is what really makes the film stand out, winning an Oscar for Best Picture. How high-angle is something? So did Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote the play on which the movie is based, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Ad Choices. Moonlight | Movie, Plot, Cast, Awards, & Facts | Britannica Moonlight Cinematography Analysis - The Odyssey Online The moment feels biblical as Juan holds Chiron in what looks like a pieta over the waves. Sassens work possesses a wonderful blend of color and the saturation of natural textures and hues of skin that Moonlight employs as well, to define a new idiom of beauty for black bodies in cinema. Not only will you gain valuable writing experience, but youll get to choose your own topics and write one response a week to one of our top trending articles. 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). Cinematography Vs Videography: Whats The Difference? Barry Jenkins's first film, Medicine for Melancholy, has a similar theme to his second feature film. Fear, love, and hate all coexist at the same time. Breaking the fourth wall. 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. 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. Nevertheless, the brutality and explicit [], "The woman looked at the tree: the fruit would be good to eat; it was pleasing to the eye and desirable for the knowledge it could give. It becomes clear that Terrence is an employee of Juan's who deals . Where do you want us to send this sample? Moonlight is shot in anamorphic format, which made it when the characters stare into the camera that much more dramatic. Jenkinss mom contracted HIV; McCraneys died of AIDS. THE IMAGES THAT INSPIRED JAMES LAXTON | BY PAUL MOAKLEY. 2023 Oscars Analysis: Academy, 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Win You blue, thats what Im gon call you.. In the following, indispensable video essay from Screen Prism, the structure, cinematography (by James Laxton), sound . Laxton cites director Spike Lee and Claire Denis as inspirations as well as Wong Kar-Wais work on films like Happy Together and In the Mood For Love. Dark colors and harsh light is the appropriate lens, we seem to have decided, for dark circumstances and harsh realities.