The Neon Demon – “Are we having a party?”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMvKhCu2uBU

 

The lighting in this scene gives a sense of danger and anxiety, harsh shadows are shown on the set and actors. It is insidious as we rarely ever see any of their faces fully lit, the moon is the main side/key light throughout most of the scene. It’s interesting to see the colours become more intense as the character struggles to escape her villains. In the last half they enter a hallway saturated in a red emergency light. I believe the red tells the audience that the protagonist is doomed as another woman appears to chase her through a hallway and outside. Before this they have a moment of panic on a heavily saturated blue staircase which then takes them outside where the moonlight returns to become the key light. Pool lights also create a spill (fill) from below to project a beautiful mix of blue tones. It causes a sense of danger but over all sadness as we know the protagonist is hopeless and awaits death.

 

It Follows – The arrival of the Tall Man:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnrT_zyumAM 

 

The lighting in this scene comes from six points all around the room, all placed strategically to create nightmarish environment. The lamp in the right corner next to the protagonist Jay (when she sits crawled up against the wall) is the key light radiating the strongest source and giving the most spill over the room. The fill lights come from the three front ligh

ts left to the door entrance and the light pink flower lamp. The back light comes from the window which is mimicking the moon and street lamps.

All of these lights work together to create an insidious appearance, it may seem soft but shadows are placed leaving black areas in the room and on the characters faces. Specifically near the door, we are told by the lighting that the side of the room that the entrance is on is dangerous because it’s the darkest and the red light is

 

glowing over it screaming to stay away. The side Jay is cowering on is lit up by a dirty yellow which is safer but still gritty and suspicious.

It’s almost dream like and doesn’t follow what audiences are used to with mainstream/classic Hollywood lighting, director David Robert Mitchell Has explained that this is exactly what he wanted. When people are unfamiliar with something they instantly feel uncomfortable and thus stressed. When the door opens and the sister is revealed there is a sense of relief but a dark hallway stretches out behind her into darkness, that is when the ‘Tall Man’ creeps out of the shadows sending Jay towards the balcony which has yellow fairy light dangling above it. Representing safety.

 

 

 

 

The Shipwreck,
Oil on Canvas
By Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714 – 1789)

https://www.repro-tableaux.com/a/vernet-claude-joseph/tour-de-lac-1.html

 

 

The lighting in this painting is dramatic and full of so much action, on one side we see violent lightning and shadows overcast the sinking ship and crashing rocks. On the other hope is depicted with holes in the clouds letting rays of soft white sun light on to people finding refuge. I love the contrast of cold and warms tones. The deep green ocean and the warm yellow rocks and sand work so well against each other to portray thrill and hope.

 

The Storm, Oil on canvas 
By Pierre Auguste Cot (1837–1883)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Storm_(painting)#/media/File:1880_Pierre_Auguste_Cot_-_The_Storm.jpg

The lighting in this paining conveys romance, the defused sun is gleaming on them through the storm clouds from the top right. It softly bounces off from of their exposed skin just like you’d imagine in a fairytale. It also spills onto the list yellow ground which reflects onto their faces creating a angelic image. They look like delicate gold and porcelain.