The Movie Stills Color Database
Movie Color Spectra - An Interactive visualization of color in a selection of beautiful and colorful films
Meaning of color in film
Up until the 1950's, film artists relied upon light and shadow to tell stories. With the invention of color film, cinematographers were not only able to make films beautiful and colorful, but it allowed new dimensions to set the tone and drive the story telling. Color is used to :
1. set the mood of the film and its characters.
2. draw focus to significant details
3. elicit psychological reactions from the audience
4. change of story arc or scene
5. draw attention to character traits
6. add multiple layers with meaning
7. create highly impressionable images and scenes that give the film its identity
The following are some common colors and there meaning and associations:-
Red
High energy, passionate, spirited, desire, strenght, appetite, craving, danger, sexuality, heat, anger, war
Orange
confidence, friendliness, success, ambition, happy, energetic, flamboyant, warmth, generous
Yellow
creativity, cheeriness, confidence, happiness, optimism, intellectual, madness, sickness
Green
productivity, idealism, spirituality, development, growth, health, nature, harmony, communication, prosperity, safety
Blue
truth, peace, calm, security, professional, reliable, trustworthy, integrity, cold, fear, depression, nervousness
Purple
enchanting, mystical, mystery, wisdom, enlightenment, royalty, wealth, spiritual
Pink
feminine, friendly, kindness, sensitivity, compassionate, intuitive, sensual, soft, fun
White
virginal, innocence, illumination, perfection, pureness, simplicity, clarity, precision
Gray
neutral, balance, stability, authority, conservative, uncertainty, gloomy, sad
