International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

In natural color. The power of the theatre screen to absorb the interest of the audience would be increased: the small stature of TV as a dramatic medium would be diminished even more, inasmuch as the tiny screen of monochrome TV is imprisoned in a dreary little world of chalky highlights and emotionally neuter shades of gra] . Natural Color Limits "Mood Color" Although the psychological use of color is by no means absent from the modern theatre screen, natural color must look natural at all costs, and hence limits by its ver) nature the variet) and scope of the color effects that the imaginative producer can employ. It is well known that the public insists upon flesh tones redder than those of real life in Technicolor pictures, but. aside from this, the chromatic rendition of natural color cannot be violated in an attempt to flood the screen with a color tone to express the dominant emotion built up in an) particular sequence. The most that can be done with mood coloring in natural-color productions consists of minor variations in -ft and costume color tones. But the faces of the players ami all other significant pictorial detail must consistentK be rendered in their natural colors in order to avoid grotesque results which the average moviegoer would interpret as serious color distortion. So it is that violet lighting cannot be used In generate a feeling of m\ster\ and foreboding, nor green lighting to emphasize hate or envy, nor bright yellow to express hope or happiness, nor pink to enhance a feeling of beauty or a romantic mood. The natural color of green Foliage might be destrov ed : the painstakingly selected color of costumes and set furnishings would be distorted, and the effects of the tinted lighting on the actors" face ran well be imagined. Tinted and toned black-and-white film are completel\ exempt from this consideration. The screen ma\ be flooded with sunshiin \ellow to intensih cheerful, vivacious emotions, with amber to express a -unset or western mood, or the coz) warmth of firelight, with layender to enhance an atmosphere of m\ster\ and solemnitx. with pink to express Frivolous gaiety, romance, or sensuous luxury, with blue to con\e\ the impression ol moonlight and a nocturnal mood, with green to create a feeling of the sea. etc.. etc. And extremely important in the dramatic application of tinted films is the well-known fact that the psychological effect of the color imparted to any specific scene persists even after the initial physical awareness of the color has been dulled by visual adaption to it. Color really works for the screen dramatist! Director Wellman's Color Artistry Attempts to use color psychologically in Hollywood's natural-color productions have been very numerous, and most of them successful. William A. Wellman. the noted director, was among the first to study and use contextual color in a systematic manner. He conducted a survey and set down the emotional effects and associational connotations of a few basic colors in the form of a chart which was useful to him as a working guide for his Technicolor filming. In one of his earlv films. Nothing Sacred, Mr. Wellman took special pains to color-key the costumes of his players to the prevailing dominant mood according to his oun conception of general emotional reactions to specific colors. Said Mr. Wellman : ""Grayness. more than black, is the dismal color of death. Yet when gray is brightened with the metallic luster of silver, it becomes something else again. In a scene in Nothing Sacred, Carole Lombard International Projectionist January, 1964 Get Your Copy Every Month . . . Don't depend on pass-on copies . . . depend on your private magazine so you can clip and file important articles for future reference ... so you can read it at your leisure and get full advantage of the ideas packed between its covers. We invite you to take regular advantage of the services inside IP. Be sure you receive your copy of IP every month . . . and for a very low cost, too. Only $6 for 3 years, $5 for 2 years or $3 for one year. WE GUARANTEE YOU CANT LOSE Subscribe today and benefit from IP every month. If you aren't 100% satisfied, we will gladly refund your subscription price. Order your subscription today.