Workshop- lighting

Atmosphere/mood- the way you feel in a situation.

1. Describe the lighting in each of the shots below. 
2. What is the effect of this lighting for the viewer? 
3. Why do you think the director chose to light this scene this way?

Brainstorm-
A. real kitchen-
Outside- rainy, windy, misty, cold and miserable.
Natural light, cold white light
Small, cold, bored, sad, lonely
Cold light: white/ blue light, Makes it feel cold/ clinical
-Shows that Coraline doesn't like it here and is unhappy.
-Wants to leave- doesn't feel like home

Warm light: orange/ yellow light, Makes it fell warm/ safe
B.The other kitchen- warm orange light, cosy, artificial light from bulbs, warm, happy, welcoming, safe
-Feels like home- a better home
-Has a family that cares about her
-She is really happy here.
- the other world is the perfect web/ trap to catch Coraline


Themes- big ideas in the story

1. looks can be deceiving/ be careful what you wish for.
2. bravery/ courage

In the kitchen scenes lighting is used effectively to enhance the story and shows the theme 'looks can be deceiving'. In the real world kitchen, natural cold light comes through the rainy window which creates an atmosphere of boredom, sadness, and loneliness. The director did this to show us that Coraline doesn't like it here and is unhappy. Juxtaposed to this is the kitchen in the other world. It is lit by a warm, orange artificial light that makes space feel warm, welcoming and safe. Selick used this to show that Coraline is happy and feels at home in the other world. This helps show the theme 'looks can be deceiving' because Coraline feels safe but by the end of the film we will discover that the other world is a perfect trap designed to catch Coraline.

Juxtapose- the complete opposite

Selick is the director