Preliminary Research: Color Grading

One aspect of editing that I really want to explore this time around is color correction and color grading. I failed to really explore this part of editing on the creation of the chess film which made the overall product look a little flat at times. Some of my favorite films have distinct color gradings such as Whiplash and La La Land.

By now, I understand that some movies have specific color gradings in order to achieve a unique visual style that sets them apart. It could also be used to highlight the time period that it might take place as well. Color correction and grading are then also used to make something more cohesive and cinematic looking.

However, I wanted to look at why certain films decide to have a specific color grading for other reasons. Things that weren't totally obvious and one of those that stood out to me was Whiplash. I remember the film being mainly yellow and thought it was there to just make the instruments pop out which in itself was beneficial to my understanding of how color grading is to be used. Upon further research into the film, I saw there was more to it. 

Video discussing Whiplash's use of Green and Yellow by Movie LUTs

The colors used in the film are essentially there to be tied to a specific emotion. Yellow usually depicts Andrew's triumphs with his music. It is a warmer color which is most common in the creation of comfortable scenes and shots but creates a different meaning within the context of the film as Fletcher is shown to be very abusive within Andrew's world of music. It symbolizes that Andrew feels comfortable in this space and environment but it's not one of ease. That is why it constantly pops up within the film as he is in conflict with Fletcher throughout the film but still enjoys what he's doing as he is obsessed with his music. 

The green coloring reflects Andrew's feeling of failure and uncomfortableness. This feeling is further emphasized by the fact the colors are cool colors which don't create that warm comfortable feeling that yellow does. When a scene or shot is in green it lets the viewer know that the main character is out of their element. There is a clear contrast in emotion within the main character that is told to the viewer through the use of color. There is then a short segment where these color gradings are not present and the film feels more mundane just like how Andrew's life has become. 

I now understand that color grading within a film plays an essential part in how the viewer interprets and feels during a scene. The use of color grading can both convey a certain feeling and also stand for a specific idea within the film. The yellow shots in whiplash would usually create a cozy feeling but within the context of the film it does something more and things aren't cozy but instead when the character feels at peace. Using a contrast in colors also can hint to the viewer how certain characters feel such as the use of a warm yellow and cool green within Whiplash where one is tied to success and the other to failure. Then there can be the use of a lack of color grading to get the audience to see things in a neutral way even if the rest of the film used a very distinct style. Color grading allows the viewer to understand what emotions the characters are feeling and how they themselves should be feeling. This is done by creating expectations with the use of color by tying it to specific events that can be normally seen as good or bad. It not only provides a distinct style but engages the viewer with what they are seeing.