Inspiration

Today we are going to talk about art direction! It seems that in any film project I work on, I always tend to gravitate towards art direction. I end up taking roles like Director of Photography or something in design or colorist. I feel like this is because I have grown a big interest in the visual experience for the viewer. I like to determine the feel or style that is unique to a film and how to creatively complement it to the story we are trying to tell.

The art direction that I am pursuing for this film is somewhat similar to that of Moonlight or Atlanta. 





More specifically, though,  I am really liking the coloration and lighting and overall art direction of the music video for the song "Sweatpants" by Childish Gambino:

This music video using a coloring technique in which it relies on the bright and rich colors and lights of the mise en scene yet is slightly desaturated in color grading. It also has green hues in the shadows and oranges in the highlights along with some film grain to simulate the look and feel of old-school film cameras.

I want to use these techniques in a similar manner for our film opening. Using an old-school film camera look will be used to symbolize that the underlying issue that is racism has been embedded in American society and history for as long as anyone can remember. The use of colors and lights will be used to give a dreamy, yet dramatic atmosphere that highlights the paradox of inhumane and unbelievable acts of racism becoming a very real struggle and every-day concern for black people in America.


CITATIONS:

D. (2017, March 13). Adding Moonlight aesthetics to your brands visual strategy with no rights violation. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://artplusmarketing.com/how-to-incorporate-oscar-winners-to-your-visuals-with-no-rights-violation-16e1bddcaf7d

C. (2014, April 14). Childish Gambino - Sweatpants ft. Problem. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExVtrghW5Y4