LET THERE BE LIGHT

From live performances on stage to fashion photoshoots and film, lighting can play an essential role in creating a desired mood and look for a production. We have been planning to use colored lighting as the scene moves from the kitchen to the garage. At first we thought to use blue to contrast with the yellow from the kitchen scene, but now that I've researched lighting more I think we may use red. But we are also thinking, "Why not take me to funky town and combine red with blue and black light?" Play that funky music, am I right?

I have found inspiration in an interesting film by Dario Argento called Suspiria (1977).

These stills show the funky yet eerie feeling that the two contrasting colors create.  We believe that using this color lighting technique will create a very intense feeling and give off a more deranged mood for our witch's violent actions.

We will also use hard lighting to create a dark and shadowy effect within the scene. Zacuto.com defines hard light as "very directional and casts definitive shadows on the subject". An example of the kind of the lighting we want to create is seen in the image to the right from a scene in Vertigo (1958) by Alfred Hitchcock. According to Videomaker.com, "By taking low-key lighting to extremes, you can deliver spooky, mysterious and menacing feelings. In this approach, you reduce bright areas to the minimum needed to understand the image or, for extra suspense, even below that minimum. This makes the audience strain to identify that huge shape that is lurching toward the plucky heroine."  We believe that using this lighting will definitely add to the mysterious feel of the scene. It will help connect the audience to what the man is feeling, not knowing where he is or who this strange witch lady is. We want the viewers to think "Oh hullo? What happened to Sheril?? What is this grim reaper/casper the friendly ghost looking lady doing floating around the room like a shadow??" We believe this will have them on the edge of their seat and wanting more. 

To learn more about hard versus soft lighting you can watch a quite cheesy but informative video I found here. 

I also had a Raven Baxter moment and saw a vision of the ending..

After our witch gathers her ingredients from the tied up man (his hair, finger nails, tears, blood, etc..) she stirs the potion together and puts it in a nice little flask (AKA one of the fancy perfume bottles I found in my home). She then goes in the middle of a circle of candles and starts chanting some spell while having the pendant that belonged to her lover in front of her. She then drinks the potion and pauses. The candles around her all blow out except the one in front of her..

She then opens her eyes and blows out the last candle. Everything goes dark but u still see the smoke of the candle on the right third of the frame....

Then the title ...

LOVE ABLAZE

Anna. Suspiria-133. Digital image. Film Grimoire. N.p., 10 Feb. 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <https://filmgrimoire.com/2015/02/10/suspiria-1977-do-you-know-anything-about-witches/>.

Anna. Suspiria-212. Digital image. Film Grimoire. N.p., 10 Feb. 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <https://filmgrimoire.com/2015/02/10/suspiria-1977-do-you-know-anything-about-witches/>.

Anna. Suspiria-214. Digital image. Film Grimoire. N.p., 10 Feb. 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <https://filmgrimoire.com/2015/02/10/suspiria-1977-do-you-know-anything-about-witches/>.

Blowing out candle. Digital image. Giphy. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <http://giphy.com/gifs/black-fire-dark-L5bUTUzhM6pWw>.

Farley, Jason. Vertigo (1958). Digital image. The Film Spectrum. N.p., 29 Oct. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <http://thefilmspectrum.com/?p=6832>.

Machado, Robert, and Jeremy Le. "Film Lighting Basics: Soft Lighting and Hard Lighting in Film." Zacuto. N.p., 22 Mar. 2017. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <http://www.zacuto.com/film-lighting-basics-quality>.

Mendoza, Richard. Cast the Circle. Digital image. Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/451767406344337032/>.

Rodrigues, Britney Goldfield. That's So Raven. Digital image. Andpop. N.p., 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <http://www.andpop.com/2013/04/25/23-things-we-miss-about-thats-so-raven/>.
Stinson, Jim. "Light Source: Lighting for Mood." Videomaker. N.p., 1 July 2004. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
<https://www.videomaker.com/article/c13/10216-light-source-lighting-for-mood>.

What do you mean. Digital image. Giphy. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. <http://giphy.com/gifs/what-do-you-mean-swe0OZMILbXPy>.