We transition from handheld to dolly, from dolly to steady cam. Its a historically black community where the majority of residents live below the poverty line. Everything we did was in real locations, which was important for us to create that authentic sensibility that Moonlight is supported by. The duo also shares a lot of photography. to swim. Barry Jenkins's first film, Medicine for Melancholy, has a similar theme to his second feature film. Moonlight'sfocus on telling a well-realized story is evident in its camera movements as well. It somehow seems appropriate in a way that again doesnt speak to the realism of the movie but it somehow speaks to the emotional value that I think we were trying to present to our audience. In a scene that could have been so much darker and so much grittier this lighting choice elevates the scene to a slightly surreal place. Your favorite summer hobby and how you got into it. Tell us about your travels! Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) Review: A Spirited Adventure, 18 Best Horror Movies On Netflix (April 2023), 30 Best Family Movies On Netflix (April 2023), The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Cinematography, How Jordan Peele Uses Cinematography To Reveal Subtext in Nope, Without saying a lot, the film creates dramatic tension. Jaws Cinematography Analysis 709 Words | 3 Pages. We were lighting them with a style that was more realistic than flattering and we wanted the skin tones to feel warm and not harsh. (James Laxton Creates Poetic Look). The director and cowriter, Barry Jenkins, won praise for his empathetic depiction of complex characters. From a distance, this seems like a very specific story. When Juan beckons Chiron to teach him how to swim, it is a long shot as Chiron decides what to do. Its sort of the delicate balance of providing images that allow an audience to feel like theyre watching a real experience. It's an intentional move away from the aloof style and perfection of most big budget. 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. Cinematographer James Laxton and director Barry Jenkins on location in Miami. Later it is the friendship between young schoolboys during a ballgame. Your time is important. But presenting it in maybe a way thats providing a larger lens to look through.. While Juan is respected by his peers, Chiron is persecuted by them. Manage Settings The light inside the building came from the lamps and it gave a natural and realistic feel to the diner. Which is a scene I think we have seen. (The teenage Chiron is played by Ashton Sanders in the second act, the adult Chiron by Trevante Rhodes in the third.) focus on telling a well-realized story is evident in its camera movements as well. These pops of color offer a beauty and map to understand the full existence of our characters., We start this sequence with a shot inspired by an animal circling its prey. It just wakes my mind up., Photographers like Henry Roy inspired Laxton. The film is driven by the internal conflicts of the characters, instead of a plot. Especially visually, it isnt. (2016) has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and sensitive coming-of-age stories on celluloid. Plot is not so much the concern as an intensive character study is. So we used oil. Instead, the camera simply allows the audience to see them at their most humane moments with their flaws and hopes laid bare. 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. Director Barry Jenkins, behind the scenes with actor Mahershala Ali. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of his life. 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. Then they [], Anthony Burgesss A Clockwork Orange is a novel pervaded by a multifaceted and intrinsic musical presence. Judgment is something I think Im very concerned with in filmmaking, Laxton said. Actors Andr Holland and Trevante Rhodes from Moonlight. Im very proud of and very happy with the diner scene in story three, says Laxton. 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 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. Later in the film when Chiron enters the diner scene, it is a long shot to present the setting and feel of the diner. (2000). While the plot proves for a strong base, the cinematography is what really makes the film stand out, winning an Oscar for Best Picture. 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. 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. Let's fix your grades together! Netflix can claim responsibility for six wins best international feature, cinematography, original score and production design for its German-language film All Quiet on the Western Front; best . After the bullies leave, Chiron wanders around and finds a syringe, foreshadowing his profession in the third part of the film. 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. The choice to portray what looks like a stereotypical drug deal, and then swiftly move towards the vulnerability of Little/Chiron, as he is bullied serves to subvert audiences expectations and sets the right tone. But Moonlight is more Wong Kar Wai than The Wire. There is a greater meaning to all the seemingly unimportant saturation of colors and camera angles. Professional Writers that Guarantee an On-time Delivery. Cinematographer James Laxton films Ashton Sanders. Moonlight doesn't just look and sound great. Their filmmaking style developed after they met in college at Florida State University. How high-angle is something? Fear, love, and hate all coexist at the same time. 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. The film has a retroactive effect. has been beaten up and bloodied by his bullies. 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. While its a tender coming-of-age film, it never shies away from the harsh world of gangs and drug use that it is set in. Theres a certain beauty to the sheen., For this scene we physically put ourselves in a scenario in which our environment had a massive influence on what kind of images we captured. At the beginning of the film, Chiron is bullied during a soccer game. When you walk around the city, perspiration is inherent to the experience. The last sequence particularly stands out; upon breaking down in Kevins arms, Chiron sees himself as Little, standing in front of the sea and looking right back at the viewer, awash in moonlight and hinting at self-acceptance. Read More22 Must Watch Films For Great Cinematography21 Iconic Shots Of The 21st CenturyCinematography Vs Videography: Whats The Difference? A prominent scene depicts this where the protagonist is taught how to swim in the ocean by his father figure Juan. We were at the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, sitting at a table in an otherwise empty lounge. Gradesfixer , Analysis of Cinematography in Moonlight by Barry Jenkins., Analysis of Cinematography in Moonlight by Barry Jenkins [Internet]. The angle of the shot exaggerates Chirons gaze and makes it look more heartbroken than if it was an eye-level shot. Moonlight Sequence Analysis: Cinematography The sequence that sticks out to me in the movie Moonlight is when Juan teaches Chiron how to swim. The idea of the opening sequence to have these two highly disparate shots welded together is the essence of the film. Laxton was also heavily inspired by photography. Juan relays this anecdote to make Chiron 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. Through his association with the color blue, is introduced as a guardian, and a much-needed father- figure that has been missing from. There are these sort of lonely frames that exist, even when hes a grown man. But "Moonlight" is a film about faces. The entire scene is a single shot, showing how natural Juan fits in the neighborhood with effortless authority. Look no further! But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. 2023 gradesfixer.com. Protagonist Alexs fondness for classical music imbues his character with interesting dimensions, and resonates well [], Following the publication of his most notable work, A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess commented on the function of literature in a mutable society. The immersion in water is reminiscent of a baptism, and this motif is repeated throughout the film. Weve always placed powder on skin to dull the light. But the film is an absolute triumph on both counts for its vibrant storytelling. As Juan walks over to say hello to the young men, the camera slithers behind him. 22 Must Watch Films For Great Cinematography. This scene is much more than the light fixture, however, but also the engrossed colors that illuminated the shots. Lets deep dive into some of the elements and cinematography techniques used in the film. Lighting focused on skin tone and making skin color look natural and appealing. The cinematography also plays center stage in this film. What thats done over the last, say, 30 years is it has made the audience assume that of these communities. When Juan breaks down the boards to the house, lights fill the room. The theme, being who we truly are and what our environment expects us to be, is the protagonists main conflict. Moonlight, and its ocean setting is a significant motif in this film that illustrates the coming of age of a young black man in Miami. Instead, the camera simply allows the audience to see them at their most humane moments with their flaws and hopes laid bare. Juans calm conversation with his employee is followed by loud insults from Chirons bullies. He is young, black, gay, poor, and largely friendlessthe kind of person who feels like he could literally vanish from being so unseen by the world. Before Chiron walks into a diner the lightbulbs outside were changed to give off a blue hue instead of the natural green to make Chiron look softer. The scene is about a dealer interacting with his guy on the corner, right? 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. 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. Its my job to depict judgment, yet Im ultimately searching for a way to get the audience to relinquish that judgment and to just be watchful., We asked Laxton to describe his approach to shooting four of Moonlights most striking scenes, moments in the film when color and camerawork are particularly integral to the story and evocative of the place and people. 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 beginning of the film starts with establishing Chiron, the protagonist, and Juans, the mentor, place in the community. Above: D.N.A., 2007. 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. 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. 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. Natural light was used during this scene and the humidity in the air made the actors skin a softer glow. This is where the association with water is relevant. Both films use color to reflect the mood of the scene and what the characters are thinking. I think its that moment where the language in which Moonlight is established. At the end of the second part. Paulas anger at her son, Kevin and Chirons sexual intimacy and the resulting violence, as well as Chirons ultimate self-acceptance at the end of the film are relayed to us in silent gazes. How long-angle is something? Many critics view Laxtons cinematography as visual poetry, through his use of techniques to further tell a sophisticated story. They remind me that Im having an experience that is really personal. Moonlights camera work and mise-en-scene, specifically the lightning, is one of the films most important parts of its cinematography. Sensitive topics such as race and sexuality, staged against the backdrop of the hood are automatically assumed to follow the convention of realism. above the water. An avid reader and a life-long lover of blue skies, I like to spend my time with obscure poetry and dissecting films. 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Were currently seeking writers to join our summer writing program. While the story is told in three distinct parts that correspond to different parts of Chirons identity as Little/Chiron/Black, these are united by the expressionistic use of color and certain motifs. Something Barry does so well is put his team in settings where so much honesty and beauty can be found, and its our job as cinematographers, actors, designers, and editors to find it., This moment has so much weight in it. Right afterwards, as Juan 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. Immediately after the first scene, the camera moves to Chiron being chased by his bullies. According to Laxton, this was an idea that took shape in pre-production. Moonlight was loosely adapted from an unpublished [], Moonlight was directed by Barry Jenkins, adapting the unproduced play called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. From this belief emerged many responses, including absurdism and existentialism. 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. It is through these very techniques that. Although this put a damper in the intended shot and imposed several challenged on a technical level, you can gradually see the sky become progressively more gray and cloudy which unintentionally supported what exactly was occurring emotionally with the characters. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast.