Look no further! Right afterwards, as Juan sets up a drug deal, the camera swirls around the characters, establishing the neighborhood in a highly stylized setting before following the protagonist running across a field in a long take. The angle of the shot exaggerates Chirons gaze and makes it look more heartbroken than if it was an eye-level shot. Barry Jenkins, the screenwriter and director behind the beautiful new film Moonlight, grew up in Liberty City, the Miami neighborhood where the story is set. Judgment is something I think Im very concerned with in filmmaking, Laxton said. How the light looks on someones face. (The teenage Chiron is played by Ashton Sanders in the second act, the adult Chiron by Trevante Rhodes in the third.) The immersion in water is reminiscent of a baptism, and this motif is repeated throughout the film. Its like Lion, Arrival, and La La Land, these are really personal visions of things., Your browser is out of date. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of [], What I believe the film Moonlight is attempting to communicate to us watching is not simply the acknowledgment of homosexuality inside African American neighborhoods, yet additionally grasping young men who exist outside of that [], The semi-autobiographical bildungsroman films Moonlight and Boyhood, directed by Barry Jenkins and Richard Linklater, explore comparable themes through the use of cinematic and narrative techniques. My morning routine is I make a cup of coffee and Ill just like scroll through Tumblr images for the first 20 minutes of my day, says Laxton. With shots burned by lens flares and bold camerawork viewers are a reminded that being personal in every level can help a story resonate with an audience. But "Moonlight" is a film about faces. When Kevin notices Chiron sitting at the bar the shot cuts to a close-up of Kevin looking directly looking into the lens. Moonlight is an insightful and compelling independent film directed by Barry Jenkins that follows Chiron, a Black gay man, at three different points in his life. Here, it symbolizes the community and tight connection between the boss, employee, and customer. Thats an idea that kind of came out of our process on the set. Theres a certain beauty to the sheen., For this scene we physically put ourselves in a scenario in which our environment had a massive influence on what kind of images we captured. The camera goes to a low-angle shot as Chirons glare becomes harder and the sound of his harsh breathing becomes louder. I started talking about this movie 17 years ago when I first met Barry, Laxton tells TIME. There is not much point in writing a novel unless you can show the possibility [], Many philosophers have believed for centuries that no intrinsic meaning exists in the universe. Moonlight'sfocus on telling a well-realized story is evident in its camera movements as well. Chirons mother being highlighted in neon pink lights her femininity despite her sour expression. 100% Customized to Your Need with Expert Writers 2023 gradesfixer.com. Right afterwards, as. The bold color palette and bold lighting choices, rife with lens flare that communicated the sweltering heat of Miami were inspired from the films of Wong Kar-Wai. The composition of this notable scene juxtaposes the ingrained idea of Juan being a gang affiliated drug dealer as he takes on the role of father of the protagonist. Summary. The camera is sped up and closing in on Chiron and his friend, trapping them even further. var aax_size='300x600';var aax_pubname='flickside08-21';var aax_src='302'; Subscribe to stay informed about noteworthy films. The whole thing was one camera, says Laxton. Similarly, the choice to shoot in 35 mm anamorphic lens was borne out of a desire to tell a story with majesty and an immersive experience. Need some creative inspiration? Your California Privacy Rights. The green hues and flicker of the florescent lighting enhance the slow motion and camera movement to give us the feeling of a heart broken with violence. To sign up, email glorie@theodysseyonline.com. But the film is an absolute triumph on both counts for its vibrant storytelling. The assumption is that the story will be told in a tonality that prioritizes the gritty and bleak real-ism of their world. In by doing so Laxton was able to deliver an image that matched the strength of the performance by infusing the dramatic scene with a pop of color, often associated with beauty, which in turn allowed for a map of understanding with respect to who Paula is as a character and why her full existence is essential. The life of Chiron is delicately revealed by cinematographer James Laxton who portrays him within a distinct pallet of blown out color photographs that set his life in a faded part of Miami where screenwriter and director Barry Jenkins was raised. Most of Moonlights angles are eye-level, close to the actors faces and breaks the fourth wall frequently. We see him immerse his face in an ice bath, framed by flickering lights. This artistic music rising out of Chiron is almost not what the audience expects just as the soundtrack is to the movie. Let us write you an essay from scratch, Order a custom essay from our writers and get it on time, Structural Analysis Of The Movie Moonlight Essay, Analysis Of Cinematography In Barry Jenkins Movie Moonlight Essay, The Main Message Of The Film Moonlight Essay, Comparing Barry Jenkins And Richard Linklater's Works Essay, A Comparison Between the American Psycho and a Clockwork Orange Essay, A Study of the Character Alex in a Clockwork Orange Essay, The Role of Music in Bringing Out the Theme in a Clockwork Orange Essay, Free Will vs Morality in a Clockwork Orange Essay, The theme of morality and ethics in A Clockwork Orange Essay. But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Jaws Cinematography Analysis 709 Words | 3 Pages. This scene is much more than the light fixture, however, but also the engrossed colors that illuminated the shots. We were lighting them with a style that was more realistic than flattering and we wanted the skin tones to feel warm and not harsh. (James Laxton Creates Poetic Look). Two faces, two connected souls. The close-up of Chiron after Juans offer clearly shows his anxiety. The film opens with a very stylized, swirling shot of a drug dealer, Juan, played by the magnificent Mahershala Ali. Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Moonlight is a coming of age movie of a young African American man through three stages of his life. Yet he is responsible for supplying Paula, Chirons mother with drugs. It is a lens that has been used on many beloved movies and cinematographer James Laxton has said that Its for grand stories and big-scope thoughts. Barry Jenkins' Moonlight (2016) has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful and sensitive coming-of-age stories on celluloid. When Chiron finally joins him, the camera jump cuts and it is no longer a long shot as Chiron begins to have fun. Authenticity is something I think were always sort of playing with, says Laxton, when discussing their creative process. Nevertheless, the brutality and explicit [], "The woman looked at the tree: the fruit would be good to eat; it was pleasing to the eye and desirable for the knowledge it could give. When we tell stories about characters in this context, the go-to style is often a bleak realism. We never had two cameras actually. Whether its one of the many tracking shots following Chirons back through his world or watching his reaction, one can sense a precision in every shot. The film has a retroactive effect. Near the end of the film, Chiron is standing in a doorway but the camera has skewed the perspective by not standing directly in front of the doorway, making Chiron look small and confined. Those two things are at complete odds with one another. Another strategy in accentuating the films unique feeling is using a single Arri Alexa XT camera through the whole shoot. Unlike other films, Moonlight does not use a realistic aesthetic that other films that deal with drug addiction and lower socioeconomic classes. While its a tender coming-of-age film, it never shies away from the harsh world of gangs and drug use that it is set in. Rather than employing a realist, documentary style, Moonlight is filled with elements of visual design such as contrast, color, camera angles, lighting, and slow-motion that immerses the audience in a dreamlike . It is said that this scene was originally intended to be six hours to fully capture this scene but due to a storms untimely passing it was done within 90 minutes. The same weakness is shown to immobilize Chiron, however, his ability to remain static throughout the situation represents some degree of mental toughness that was unseen before this scene. Miami is a sublime fever dream of pastels and neon, lush greens and glistening, perspiring skin tones. Its sort of funny that this moment is happening at a time when those two things could not be further apart from one another., Moonlight moves away from the coldness on anything impersonal and uses a well-worn authenticity along with a small handful of the films recognized by the Academy this year. When inside homes or night scenes, Laxton used color filters on the camera lenses with pinks or greens to make sure that the emotion the characters were feeling came across. Lighting is used to challenge stereotypes by juxtaposing the dark things that happen to characters with bright and beautiful lights in the background. , as he is bullied serves to subvert audiences expectations and sets the right tone. When looking at the cinematography section at the Oscars, Laxton says, Its amazing to be on that list. Maybe subconsciously we chose it for Moonlight in an effort to depict this community in a brand new light., These choices may be subtle, but their cumulative effect is why theNew York Times film critic A. O. Scott described Moonlight as a poem written in light. In this poem, there is little place for commentary. Theres a delicacy to I think my work in that scene that I think really makes me feel really proud., It evolved when the character is also evolving, says Laxton. The idea of judgment. While the story is told in three distinct parts that correspond to different parts of Chirons identity as Little/Chiron/Black, these are united by the expressionistic use of color and certain motifs. Little is taught how to swim by his new father-figure, he is compelled to float on the water, Let go, dont fight the water, Juan says as he cradles his head through this revelatory moment. This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before, Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts. Maybe subconsciously we chose it for Moonlight in an effort to depict this community in a brand new light.. That being said, I dont think the movies untrue. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper. Manage Settings Its most prominent themes are love, stereotypes and identity. Cinematographer James Laxton and director Barry Jenkins on location in Miami. This challenge arose regarding safety precautions that were in place for the actors; with Mahershala Ali having the water hit just above his waist and for the boy to be able to stand up as well without being submerged entirely by the curling and crashing waves. Now, it represents his world, one of anxiety and persecution. The frame is set up in such a way that the viewer only experiences the calm waters of the Atlantic and the rush of the waves as Juan holds Little above the water. Juans calm conversation with his employee is followed by loud insults from Chirons bullies. As the sky progressively turns grey, it contrasts against the clear ocean, presenting how the characters feel emotionally. Plus, for your first 10 articles, youll be compensated by HQ at $10/response. In the following, indispensable video essay from Screen Prism, the structure, cinematography (by James Laxton), sound . Currently besotted with Maupassant, art history and all things Nolan, you can find me spacing out to Queen while I look for new things to obsess with. Those conversations started when we were in our early 20s in college.
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