Lighting in films can be used significantly to portray themes and even sometimes add to a story or character development. Lighting can even help foreshadow, conceal secrets or sometimes it just make a scene look brighter! But that's not what media's about! Read on further for enlightenment (ha, pun!) on how I will never be able to see certain films in the same light (ha, another pun!).
ATONEMENT
The shot above makes use of lighting very effectively by deploying an extra light in the background to draw focus from the girl's face alone. The light in the background also could represent a free of sin and a possible place of redemption as the colour white and lights are often associated with purity. The focal point of the frame is the girl's face and it might be that they only made use of a key light in order to emphasise that the girl is surrounded by darkness apart from the light behind, which may even be a backlight made to look like it is originating from within the world of the film. The overall scene can be considered as low key lighting and therefore we can assume that something dangerous may occur in the area. The low key lighting also leave some parts of the room seemingly empty but is rather just dark which could suggest something is being hidden.
ROAD TO PERDITION
The use of lighting in Road to Perdition as a whole is very entertaining. Utilisation of lighting for focal points and to cast shade on certain areas or characters, literally makes them look 'shady' or (in a less punny term), mysterious. In this frame the use of a light from straight above creates a clear focal point for the audience and casts shade on all around it. However, off to the left the use of a light create the effect of light emanating from a space giving the idea of a place of holiness or purity. The circle nature of the lighting also creates a focal point for the scene, making the reader focus on the man being interrogated rather than anything else.
The lighting on this particular shot of Moulin Rouge really encapsulates the theme of the film. The lit up nature of Nicole Kidman's character shows how important and valued she is by all the people below looking up to her. That is why all the men below her can barely be seen; because they're insignificant. The high angle shot even further emphasises how little importance the men are compared to her whilst at the same time displaying how important she is to them. The glow that appears around her being also suggests that she is somewhat angelic and holier than they are.
MOULIN ROUGE
The lighting on this particular shot of Moulin Rouge really encapsulates the theme of the film. The lit up nature of Nicole Kidman's character shows how important and valued she is by all the people below looking up to her. That is why all the men below her can barely be seen; because they're insignificant. The high angle shot even further emphasises how little importance the men are compared to her whilst at the same time displaying how important she is to them. The glow that appears around her being also suggests that she is somewhat angelic and holier than they are.
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