Creating Emotion with Color in Cinematography

Learn how to use color as a dynamic visual storyteller.

When I first saw Skyfall, shot by Roger Deakins, I was struck by his use of bold colors in one scene, and then the complete lack of colors in another. From the high energy neon lights and costumes in Shanghai to the drab gray of the remote and deserted Japanese Island of Hashima, the colors in each of these scene settings established a tone that would give a savvy viewer a hint as to the story that would unfold.

But Deakins isn’t the only master of light and color. Cinematographer Seamus McGreevy was interviewed by CookeOpticsTV for their Masterclass series on YouTube. Talking about how the proper use of a color palette, carefully aligning opposite color shades, McGreevy outlines how a cinematographer can set a tone for the emotional gestalt of a scene.

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