Lighting

 

Because our group focused so heavily on other elements of misc-en-scene, lighting did not get the bulk of attention in terms of elements that we REALLY wanted to include. Even though it is a suspenseful, murder mystery film opening, because most of the shots are done in the same location, not a lot of lighting changes happen. However, that doesn't mean that we didn't use lighting in some elements of our project. 

Looking at the beginning of our film opening, we can see that it starts around nighttime, where the cop car comes into frame and drives closer to the camera. We filmed this scene at nighttime for two reasons. The first was to show a change in time from this scene and the scene after. Additionally, the other reason we chose to film at night time is because the darker, low-key lighting used allow the sirens and flashing lights of the cop car to become more dramatic visually. This also provides a more eerie feeling, and tied with the music creates an intense atmosphere.

In the second half of the establishing shot, the time of day changes to daytime, and the scene gets a lot brighter. The reason for the time of day change and brighter lighting used here is both for practicality and for highlighting Jason Smith as he walks. When Jason Smith is in frame, the color of his jacket is reflected and therefore becomes a lot brighter.  This ties back to color theory, where it becomes evident that Jason emotions are beginning to rise. 

The establishing shot is where lighting is most important in our film opening, because throughout the remainder, the additional shots and scenes are are shot in the same location. 

The mugshots have a more low-key lighting, creating a darker atmosphere that the audience can sense. Additionally, after each mugshot is taken, a flashbang-like transition takes place, changing from one mugshot to the next. This is one of the times that light was added during editing, and we did so to increase the realism of this scene. 

And lastly, the interrogation scenes. All of these scenes are located in the same spot, so the lighting does not change in between characters. The lighting isn't too focused on the subject, but also is in focus enough to provide a bright light source. This adds a more serious and focusing tone to the scenes, making the audience more intrigued into what the interrogations are about.