Turn up the Color

Memoirs of a Geisha is a film filed with controversy and self reflection and preservation. All these themes are expressed through the color temperature of the shots and scenes of the film. Most color temperature is expressed through the settings and decor placed in this magical world of japan and the masked visage of a beautiful geisha.

This movie is narrated by a Japanese woman, who is telling the story of her hard life being sold into a geisha house and made servant and then into geisha where she had to sell herself for the highest bidder, all the while falling in love but geisha's cannot afford to love, so it is a sad tale. All this romance and hidden emotion paired with extensive histrionics is displayed through excellent acting but also the color temperature placed throughout each expressive detail.

In scenes that portrayed unwanted emotion or conflict the director Rob Marshall placed heavy tones of red and oranges to reflect an evil vibe. The devilish centers on the unwanted things in the main characters life. For instance the screen shot on the left demonstrates the man in the foreground, who is in love with her, but is taking her farther away from the man she truly wants. This is cast with red and yellow tones as if there is a fight of good and evil going on and his presence means that evil is winning. With the screen shot on the right its evident that the women in red is disliked. In fact her body language gives that away all by itself. However she is the antagonist and the road block/villain of the film, so the garnishing her in a red geisha garb puts the audience in that standoffish frame of mind. By doing this the director is creating subconsious conflict through clothing. 

The main character here is portrayed in a world where there are many shades of grey and dark colors. This kind of world suggests that it is plain and perfunctory. But the color in the protagonists ensemble make her the shining star in a world of night. She illuminates outwardly with her light pinks and whites giving her the innocence and star quality of someone surrounded by doubt and sameness. These colors of her outfits are demonstrated throughout. What's interesting in this frame is the colors of her dress. she does have the whites and pinks to show her innocence and purity but she is subdued around the waste by red and green. This suggesting that she is held down in this life of a geisha. 

This movie has scene after scene of different color temperatures, all portraying the central themes of good versus evil, innocence versus debauchery, and love versus jealousy. Through technicolor outfits and painted faces surrounded by a world filled with grey and black the color temperature defines more than fashion.

Lighting

Lighting and its various forms 

1. Overexposure- This still is overexposure because the amount of light in the frame is very harsh coming through the windows that it washes out the main subject and makes her hard to see. however it highlights what is dark because of the extreme contrast.

2. Underexposure- This still from 300 shows perfectly how the absence of light and too much dark hinder the figures around that are in darker tones and highlights that which might be in light.

3. High contrast - still shows high contrast by higlighting and defining the heavy tones of light and dark. through the tuxedo and the shadows on the actors.  

4. Low Contrast- This still of the adjustment burrow shows low contrast lighting because the lights are even throughout the room plus all the actors are in blues and gray's which is identical to the building they are in so there is little different. 

5. Hard/Direct Lighting- In Titanic there are almost no shadows in the scene everything and one is in plain sight with nothing distracted by shadows. 

6. Soft Lighting-  In this still the  soldier is in almost no light and the lighting of the sunset is so soft that you can only make out the soldier's outline. 

7. Flat Lighting - the lighting in this frame of Megan Fox is flat lighting because its not really highlighting anything in her face and the whole scene is well lit so its just there. 

8. High Key Lighting - In this still of fight club there is high key lighting over brad pit (and his abs) gives the picture an all around brighter look to a place that would be dark.           

9. Low Key Lighting - Tara Reid and gentleman are in low key lighting in order to set the mood for their tryst.        

10. Back lighting - In this Harry Potter still there is alot of back lighting all coming from the side to illuminate the area as if to demonstrate the charachters where abouts.

     Presentational Lighting- This scene of Goodfellas has perfect presentational lighting on the main character and his gun which is suppose to be the focus. 

12.Representational Lighting - this light showcases the restaurant atmosphere so its more for representation of location than for actual lighting purposes. 

13. Motivational Lighting - This still from shutter island has motivational lighting with the light from above. It demonstrates that there is more than this life giving the appearance of hope in the beyond.

Mise-en-Scene

My Room's Character.....

I am a girl who enjoys the color pink, as shown through the bedding. It is also apparent that my room shows I am messy and disorganized. However the Laptop on the bed shows studious nature and the books encompassing that support that logic. The sorority letters on the wall along with the decorated 'S' show a girly girl who is involved with extra curricular's. The many posters suggest a huge interest in TV and film. Music and Rap in particular are also a suggestion towards the teen persuasion as is demonstrated with the Eminem poster. The theme of vampires as portrayed in the posters suggests a vibrant and active imagination.

If i were to examine myself in the third person, I would notice a look of determination but relaxation. The tank and sport shorts suggests a character who loves to be comfortable in her environment. The headphones in the ears suggest a love of music and a sound mind. One has to be level headed to be able to work and listen to music at the same time. Hair is slovenly at best which suggests home is a place for comfort and efficiency not pleasing the outside world.  Noticing the Tattoo on the right ankle suggests a fun loving personality with an adamant feeling towards movies.