Visual Design

Production TeamProducerDirector

Production Designer Cinematographer

Costumer

The goal of the production team is to create a master plan for a consistent visual texture or style that is artistically suited to the

film story to be told.

“You cannot impose a style on a film. It must grow out of a vision arising from the script and a

knowledge of how to form the various scenes into a whole, and it should, like the film itself, have its

own movement. Style in film results from every part of it, and those

parts must cohere, and they must be directed at some effective result.

Design is not self-expression.

It is an expressive use of objects, forms, and colors in the service of the script.”

Color vs. Black-and-White

Forty years ago, choosing between black-and-white and color was a critical design decision. Many filmmakers held on to black-and-white as an

artistic choice because they felt it allowed the focus of

a movie to be on the characters and storyline.

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Members of the design team will often establish a color palette to

subtly communicate various aspects of character and story to

the viewer.

Screen Format1. Standard Screen

(1.33 times its height) More suitable for an intimate

love story set in a small apartment, requiring the

frequent use of tight close-ups and very little

movement of subjects in space.

For panoramic view of a vast landscape or large number of people, as well as to the rapid motion characteristic of

westerns, war dramas, historical pageants, and fast-paced action/adventure dramas.

Wide-screen formats can contribute significantly to the

effectiveness of horror or suspense films - however, it will distort the image and detract from the film’s visual

effectiveness if the physical set is too narrow for its field of view.

2. Wide Screen (1.85-2.55 times its height)

Film Stock1. Smooth Grain: Produces an image that is

extremely smooth, or slick. This film also registers a wide range of subtle differences between light and dark, enabling the director to create fine tones, artistic shadows, and contrasts. The images often have a more powerful visual impact than does reality.

2. Rough Grain: Produces a rough, grainy - textured image with harsh contrasts between blacks and whites and almost no subtle contrasts. Because newspaper pictures and newsreels have this coarse, rough-grain look, this type of film is associated with a documentary here-and-now quality, as though reality had to be captured quickly, with little concern for clarity and artistic perfection.

Studio vs. Location ShootingThe single most important reason directors

prefer to shoot a film in a studio - the completely controlled environment.

The script dictates the decision to go on location. The location of filming is often not the location stated in the script.

Producer - Funds the film project. Participation in film varies based on contracts and expected outcomes. It is common for the director to also be listed as one of the producers.

Responsibilities of the Production Team:

Director – Responsible for all aspects of the film making process. Has final say on design elements. Producers can override directors.

Production Design & Art Direction Responsible for the visual aspects of the

film:• set design • location choices

Create elaborate sketches of the set/s Working in conjunction with the production team, pinpoints the “look” of the film.

Supervises achieving the “look”: Construction Painting Furnishing Decoration

Cinematographer Responsible for capturing the film on camera.

Chooses camera angles, lenses, & shots that best service the intentions of the production team.

Begins bulk of work once the design elements are completed.

Costume and Makeup Design Responsible for creating the illusion of changing an actor

or actress into someone else. Real life - clothing is worn for function and image. Film life – clothing helps the audience envision the

performer as the character, supports logistic aspects (time, place, socioeconomics), & heightens visual impact.

Costume and makeup - sketched or “mocked-up” for approval before construction begins.

LightingThe Director uses lighting

techniques to control:• Intensity• Direction• Diffusion Lighting that is well

controlled creates:

•The impression of spatial depth•Delineates the continuous and planes of the subject (separates the ocean & the sky)•Conveys emotional mood & atmosphere•Creates special dramatic effects.

The 30 Most Expensive Movies Ever Made

The Budget’s Effect on the Film’s Look More $$$ = More Freedom Extra Time and $$$ for inventive camera angels,

subtle lighting effects, authentic costuming, and detailed settings.

Who Gets Paid? Everyone involved in the creation process.

Lower Budget = Challenge to develop unified look. True Low-budget films are often made without a distinctive visual style.

Visual DesignThe Bourne Identity

Color1.What is the color palette for the film?Production Design/Art Direction2.Select a scene from the film. Explain what is happening in the scene and then describe the look of the scene.3.How does the setting make us believe what it wants us to believe about the location of the story?4.Which factors or details present in the set contribute to its convincing effect?5.How does the film’s setting contribute to the overall emotional atmosphere?6.Is the setting symbolic in any way? Explain.Costume and Makeup Design7. What details of costuming and makeup help the actors be “in character”?8.Select a character from the film and describe his/her costume and makeup.

Visual DesignThe Illusionist

Color1.What is the color palate of the film? 2.What do you think the visual designer was going for by using these colors?

Production Design/Art Direction3.This is a “time period” piece. How important is the look of the set?4.Which aspects of the set design help you establish the time period? 5.How does the look of the film change to tell you that you are watching a flashback? 6.Describe the Crown Prince’s hallway.7.What information does the look of this hallway give to help us better understand the Crown Prince?

Visual DesignSome Like It Hot

1. What is the time period of the film?2. How is the time period established in the first few minutes of the film?3. Describe the look of the three main sets of the film:

a. Chicago – b. The train – c. Florida –

4. How does the film’s setting contribute to the overall emotional atmosphere?5. Is the setting symbolic in any way? Explain6. Is the lighting of the film as a whole :

a. direct, harsh, and hardb. medium and balancedc. soft and diffused?

7. How is lighting used to create depth in the picture? 8. How does the lighting contribute to the overall emotional attitude or tone of the

film?9. The two main characters dress as women for most of the movie. What did the

costumer need to do to create a believable look for them?10.Marilyn Monroe is an important character in the film What does the costumer do

to keep her from fading in with the other characters in the film?