Color Theory and Wes Anderson's Style - Sad Characters in a Colorful World
Фильм және анимация
More on Wes Anderson's Color Palettes ►► bit.ly/anderson-color
How to Use Color in Film ►► bit.ly/color-film
Chapters:
00:00 How Wes Anderson's Style Subverts Color Theory
01:15 Color Theory - Hue, Saturation and Brightness
02:10 Color Bipolarity in The Royal Tenenbaums
03:12 Color Bipolarity in The Grand Budapest Hotel
04:18 Associating Color Palettes with Characters
05:00 Chas Tenenbaum and Red
06:14 When Happy Colors Meet Sad Subjects
06:58 Color Psychology in The Darjeeling Limited
07:34 Final Takeaways on Wes Anderson's Style
08:13 Learn More About Color Theory in Film
Wes Anderson - a filmmaker with a completely distinct visual style (aka the "Wes Anderson Style"), and a director with an eye for color psychology. In fact, of all his director trademarks found in films like Rushmore, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Fantastic Mr. Fox, it is his color palette that invites the most praise and analysis. In this video essay, we’ll take a specific look at how Wes Anderson often uses a bright and saturated color palette to balance out the darker subject matter of his films.
Color theory (or color psychology) suggests that certain colors have particular characteristics in how we relate to them. The color wheel, in other words, might represent the gamut of all human emotions. In Wes Anderson movies, he doesn’t typically favor one color over another - but he does use color palettes that pop on screen.
In movies like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Darjeeling Limited, the production design is a feast of colors. But considering the subject matter of those films (dysfunctional families, revenge, death), the color palettes don’t quite fit. And that’s the interesting part of the Wes Anderson style - the tone is balanced with contrasting color schemes.
With such bright and saturated fairy tale color palettes, Wes Anderson movies can touch on deep, existential issues without bumming people out. And if it weren’t for the dramatic content, the exaggerated colors would be unbearably optimistic and cheerful. In standard film theory, color in film is usually seen to “support” the tone of the subject matter, but Wes Anderson movies complicate those expectations. This is advanced color theory executed by a filmmaker with a complete grasp of the color wheel who challenges our predisposed notions of color in film.
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Пікірлер: 316
Can't wait for The French Dispatch
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
High hopes!
@imranasfandi7664
3 жыл бұрын
Hell yah
@abhy301
3 жыл бұрын
Yes!
@tliaxolotl7240
3 жыл бұрын
Maldito corona virus que la retraso... me too I can't wait for the french dispatch
@jmd1770
3 жыл бұрын
Yeaaaah same!
The world needs more Wes Anderson’s He just creates alternate worlds and that’s so fresg
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
And color plays a huge part in making these alternate worlds!
@kccambe
3 жыл бұрын
Ruly manatee i rlly wanna be a director and wes anderson’s style rlly inspires me so yknow if that ever happens
@ruly8153
3 жыл бұрын
Katy Elizabeth You should watch this if you like Wes anderson..,, kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZXt_wZWEl73Pn9Y.html It gives you allot of incite into how he makes his films and with his influences and that
@ruly8153
3 жыл бұрын
Omar Capaso That doesn’t seem to mesh
@omarcapaso7156
3 жыл бұрын
Ruly manatee not trying to be conventional here, and stick to one thing. I like to mix and make a new thing that fits to my liking. Every director has a multitude of influences I just don’t see one as the main influence yk?
The fact that StudioBinder gives us free filmmaking knowledge is just wholesome! Thank you team StudioBinder.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers!
Wes Anderson is my favorite director because the simetris composition and color theory ❤
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Those are his hallmarks!
@kitkellison3087
3 жыл бұрын
I was going to say that symmetry and repetition are as important in Wes Anderson compositions as color is.
@trompodearrachera1284
3 жыл бұрын
i feel ya
I generally prefer really colourful movies (Kubo and the Two Strings, The Neon Demon, Hero) but I have to say I loved David Yates' "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" for its desaturated colour palette. Those Harry Potter movies sure did get gloomier with every installment, but there was something about "Half Blood Prince" which showed how darkness and desaturation can suggest mystery, not lifelessness. It has an amazing duel sequence in a bathroom with the blonde villain in a bright white shirt getting injured, his red blood a shocking contrast to the ambient gloom of the rest of the movie, which often verges on monochrome. That movie gets more visually interesting every time I see it. Big ups to the cinematographer too I guess. Thanks for another great vid, StudioBinder.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Very detailed breakdowns!
@dinoschachten
2 жыл бұрын
True! Half-blood prince is quite amazing, especially that bathroom scene. Aside from the colour, everything about that scene is so rich: Malfoy as villain that is not really a villain at all, Harry as a protagonist who - in blind anger and without knowing what he does - completely oversteps the line and uses one of the most terrible spells and nearly kills a fellow student, a morally ambiguous Snape who is the only one knowing the origin of the spell, taking on the role of a healer with quite a strong religious tone as he repeats the healing spell, and seemingly not even interested in punishing Harry for nearly killing a fellow student (there is so much non-verbal understanding with Snape in general)...
Grand Budapest enthralled me 😍
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
We loved it too!
La La Land, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Tree of Life, also has an amazing color
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Iconic color use in 2001, one of my favorites!
@williamfellows6267
3 жыл бұрын
Don't forget most of Edgar Wright's movies, especially Baby Driver
@rrqkuaci
3 жыл бұрын
@@williamfellows6267 and every CG scene in Scott Pillgrim vs. the World, but i'm not really think that use of color is his main style, Edgar Wright use of editing is his most iconic style, fast transition, jump cut, snap zoom, slow mo 😂
@stacystracener1393
3 жыл бұрын
Matrix-green is mandatory.
Good video, never thought about the ideas for the color palette used in movies, but noticed immediately the colors in Wes Anderson's movies because they stand apart from all other movies. Then again, the quirkiness of Wes Anderson movie's are always stand alone from all others. Using repeat casting choices is reason enough to look forward to his movies.
If I finish the book I want to write and a film was adapted, I would probably want Wes Anderson to direct it.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Many writers would 😂
@eatatjoes6751
2 жыл бұрын
Oh, I definitely would too!
Wes Anderson is the legend n this century , after watching RUSHMORE i have watched all his movies 7 to 8 times . With his background score , colors , dialogue and the actors , heagain and again reminds us that we are watching a movie , a different world.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Amongst the best at world building for sure
This channel is literally one of the best channels in youtube...By the way, your reply to my comment in your previous video made my day😃😃😃...Thank You
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Hope to see you here next week too :)
I’m sad this is over, I’m happy I got to see it, he’s one of my favs hands down
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
One of ours too :)
Wes Anderson is a genius I love the life aquatic and the Royal Tenenbaums I think I watch too many movies on August 31 I turned 47 and I’ve watched a lot of movies in my life
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
watch too many movies? Not sure what that means 😂
@7:14 well in India if someone die people wear white or light color cloths in west people wear black clothes. in marriage west bride wear White in India mostly Red color or saturated colors like yellow orange.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, the colors were practically motivated by the story and setting, making their use even more effective
Grand Budapest Hotel is my favorite movie and actually the first Anderson film I watched. This led me to watching all of his other films and absolutely loving the journey!
Its the only channel is visited every day. Every video open a new things for me. Thank You SB
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Happy learning!
I would love to see you do a video on French-Canadian Director Xavier Dolan. He has a range of compelling filmmaking tropes such as aspect ratios as well as a distinct use of montages and colour. I'd find it so compelling if you delved into the intricacies of his style. I'd also like to say I adore your channel, and this video is marvellous. My film teacher actually used on of your videos to demonstrate the utilisation of the Dutch tilt in filmmaking. So thank you for the consistently incredible videos.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the suggestion! And that's great to hear our videos are being used in classrooms ❤️
My favourite colour patterns are from Amelie. Also my favourite film.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Oh definitely Amelie. Masterclass on color
Thank you for posting this! I love Wes' movies! Very original.
You made my evening.... Today it was so nice... Learnt something new...
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers!
Thanks for this! I love trying it in my videos
Excellent documentary. Love it. Thank you.
One of the (many) reason I love Wes Anderson movies is his use of color. A lot of filmmakers nowadays seem to be afraid of using color in their movies. As much as a I love a lot of movies, I don't care for the flat, grey looking grading/color choices a lot of movies use nowadays.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Definitely agree on filmmakers not taking risks with color. That's one of the criticisms of the MCU - the films all look the same
Potentially interesting info: with the Indian funeral in Darjeeling, while it is obviously his intention to contrast attitudes between the two cultures, the wearing white isn't a Wes-choice, it's actually the cultural colour of mourning in India, as black is in the west!
Wow great video, I'm doing a big article about Wes Anderson and this will be of great help! Thankss
What an outstanding video. I learned a lot from it.
i really love the use of colour in xavier dolan's "heartbeats" (especially the contrasting love scenes)
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Great choice!
I'm not a big fan of Wes Anderson but this video has made me rethink my position. Thanks for sharing.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers!
This was a wonderful insight and well edited
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
We appreciate it!
Thanks for this. I love Wes Anderson's movies and his style. Please, if you can do similar essay about Jean-Pierre Jaunette, would be great.
Hai ... studio binder where is the video about Iso,shutter speed.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
On their way!
7:38 This tip is perfect not just for stories and films, but also kind of a good tip in life in general!
This video is gold!
I think that bright saturated colours together do not always make you feel joy - like seen in your Kubrick video with the Shining within. Bright colours mixed can be toxic when not balanced, and Wes Anderson can use this uneasyness directly, not just through imbalance with the subject matter.
I love your videos so much but I would love to see more about female and divers directors!
Everything around us is in fact bright, colorful and beautiful. And strange, tragic things happen to us in this very same setting. That's why, I would argue, Wes Anderson's movies are quite lifelike.
3:13 Well done and thank you for pronouncing Budapest correctly 🙏🏻
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Of course 😉
Great video!
Thank you.
Maaaan I’m sorry for not watching any of this mans film 😅 but great, great video !
Hey studiobinder! I have been rewatching all of Edgar Wright’s films this last week and thought that maybe you guys could do a video on him? He has a very unique style that really appeals to me, and probably millions of others! I thought it could be an interesting video :)
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the suggestion!
Great vid as always
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Appreciate the feedback!
Great video! ❤️
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
I just love this channel
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
❤️
I love this channel.
I dunno. Seems like alot of this could be misinterpreted, or things that weren’t considered, like taking off the red track suit was more obviously because you know. Black = funeral. A joke more than symbolism, but variety of interpretation is interesting. Alot of the scenes he does seems to be derived from sort of old school photo albums and other outdated photography or scenes of nostalgia. I’d say if you wanted to get similar ideas, go through a million albums you buy from a garage sale or antique store or ask other people what they think is nostalgic. It is interesting where it develops or diverges in a way you don’t quite expect, like the Darjeeling Limited seemed to have alot of Indian nostalgia, or when scenery is arranged in dioramas or where he uses a very unique visual like the shootout in the hotel looking like a fancy cake which is reenforced by having fancy cakes in other scenes or the silent film style in the chase scenes or the grocery store in Mr. Fox kind of looking like a 90’s dairy ad.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
His aesthetic is also due to simply him wanting it to look that way, but this analysis of his color palette holds up across his filmography - he's always using bright color palettes with surprisingly dark subject matter
Now that was a very COLORFUL video
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Vibrant, right?
I like the use of colors in Suspiria by Dario Argento
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Great choice!
Do a Christopher Nolan directing style
@weirdlynx
3 жыл бұрын
Nolan doesn't left fingerprint and style in every movie like Anderson!
@kafka8253
3 жыл бұрын
#skirt
@KushagraaDubeyy
3 жыл бұрын
Weird Lynx Contrivingly creating a superficial “wow” moment through seemingly complex intellectual hogwash is quite strong of a fingerprint !
@IshaanGupta00
3 жыл бұрын
Kushagra Dubey Oh really? You you mean to say that concepts such as Shepard’s Tone, Penrose steps, Time Dilation, and Entropy are hogwash?
@IshaanGupta00
3 жыл бұрын
Kushagra Dubey It’s a shame that there are viewers like you who don’t even appreciate the amount of effort that a filmmaker puts into their films.
My fav gem demonstrating colors is '' The Fall''
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
What do you like about the colors?
liked, subscribed, and saved!
Love this! I was just learning about the 3 color rule yesterday. Hey, can you do Tim Burton Color next time please?
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
we might!
@HAPPYMERCS
3 жыл бұрын
@@StudioBinder great
Names for directors and their future directing style videos. - Spike Lee - The Activist - Michael Bay - The Demolitionist - Greta Gerwig - The Individualist - Christopher Nolan - The Philosopher - Guillermo Del Toro - The Alchemist - Steven Spielberg - The Adventurer - Ridley Scott - The Architect - Robert Rodriguez- The Multitasker Pretty great adjectives, don't you think?
@xxh2022xx
3 жыл бұрын
Pretty good, - Quentin Tarantino - The feetish
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Really like The Architect for some reason
@laHagans
3 жыл бұрын
Excellent
@arkadeepsharma
3 жыл бұрын
I love Stephen Spielberg's. The Architect as well. Nolan's however, I'm not sure. There are many other directors that are overt philosophers way more than Nolan. He's not a bad director, I love his films but they're not extensively philosophical in nature. Give Terrance Mallick that title, or Darren Aronofsky. Charlie Caufman is a master regarding this as well based on the movies he has written and directed but he's directed too few movies to include him here.
@joaquinhernandez6940
3 жыл бұрын
@@arkadeepsharma Darren Aronofsky's video has him as "The Behaviorist." Thanks for the feedback, though.
Good job!
He is certainly inspired by French film directors like Luc Besson, Jean-Jacques Beineix and, especially, Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Not forgetting photographers Pierre & Gilles.
@dylanroemmele906
3 жыл бұрын
how you going to list french directors without putting godard, his actual biggest influence
For monochromatic scenes is the color given digitally or does the production team pick every prop of that particular color?
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
every shot is color graded, but it all starts with the set design
could you guys do a video(s) on making an anthology series?
My favourite colour panel is from La La Land movie. BTW Great video as always.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
La La Land has a great color palette 👍
Great!
Great video! Wes Anderson is one of the greatest unique directors. What’s the song at 5:50?
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
"Lullabye" by Emitt Rhodes
The entirety of “The Fall” by Tarsem Singh
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Solid choice!
One of my favorite color palette is in "the aviator" by Scorsese ❤️✌️
Please do, the directing style session for PTA
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
We don't have a directing style yet but we do have 3 great videos breaking down his techniques kzread.info?search_query=studiobinder+paul+thomas+anderson
Hey Studio Blender, what's the name of the song at the beginning?????
Nice video
On a vist to a Picasso exhibition in London a few years ago i decided to use the audio guide which explained the artists use of tone/colour/symbolism in their work and it was a complete game changer for me.A red triangle on top of the subjects head,for example conveyed a message about identity/history and location of the subject that to the uninitiated would be,well just a meaningless red triangle ! In the same way when watching world cinema - i believe it was Pauline and Paulette ? - the directors cut - an extra on the DVD menu - the director talked about the use of colour palette and symbolism in the film and ever since we have a much richer experience watching films.Many memorable shots have we seen but a couple worth a mention are the sugar cube dipped into the coffee and seeing the sugar cube absorb the coffee - which was experimented with until sugar of exactly the right consistency was found and the other was a hand mark made by a warm human hand momentarily touching on a highly polished piano top - and seeing the hand impression evaporate over several seconds - impermanence written in images.Thanks for such high quality information and sharing your knowledge and insights into the mysterious and wonderful world of film making. Sugar Cube kzread.info/dash/bejne/np12yMWKcribpMY.html
Wes Anderson's style has the "its life!" feel, that's why the story and colour/music are at an odd contrast, sometimes.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Great point!
Thanks
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching :)
Jean Pierre-Jeunet directing Style please!!! 🙏🙏🙏. Thks for this wonderful video
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the suggestion!
Do one about Alfonso Cuaron started by children of men this filme have one awesome long take and use emphasis in the colors green and gray.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
we've got a breakdown specifically on one of the long takes in the film! kzread.info/dash/bejne/i319sKWhhLffmNY.html
Thanks for this I am a learner from srilanka
He is the only director i can remember cuz of his style
Great video, What's the song at 2:57
I would really say combining the darkness with bright colour and humour is a gift, not exactly a challenge for the audience. But maybe my mind is more Anderson than I realised. :)
3:13 thank you for pronouncing Budapest right. 😁
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Of course 💯
Very informative! I’m not sure what you mean by bipolar. I only know it in a psychological sense. What does it mean with colors? Schindler’s List is a very deliberate color palette, especially with the red coat on the little girl. Thank you.
One frame is usually enough to recognize a Wes Anderson movie. I'd like to add that the images are also very low in contrast. So in summary one might say: coloured high-key lighting (high brightness, soft lighting, low contrast), high saturation, simple and uniform hue
Edgar Wright pleaseeee! best channel on the interweb.
What song was playing in the beginning?
Could you please intruduce a book about colour in films or colour science except yours which is on website?
Where is that clip in which Wes says "making movies" ?
I hope this randomly reccomended in 2022 !!
Hey would be great if you could make a video on Peter Jackson.(hobbit and LOTR) 👍🏽 you guys are amazing
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the suggestion!
Plz explain wong kar wai's film making style
In North of India the traditional colour to wear on a funeral is white. It's not a deliberate choice by Anderson rather he immersed into the tradition to highlight the whites in Darjeeling Limited funeral scene.
How are your videos so amazing??
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
teamwork makes the dream work
Does anyone know what song is this? 2:57
Does anybody know what's the music at 0:40?
Full color, brightness, saturation, deep focus and perfect symmetry that's him. Exact opposite of me😂.
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Stylistic differences :)
why this channel still don't have million subscribers
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
working on it 😅
what is the name of music in the starting
What song starts playing at 7:52?
amazing video... Thank you so much #krutikaanimationstudio
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
Sir , please show directing style of Alfered Hitchcock
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Definitely on the list!
@bibhuranjandutta470
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you sir
Does anyone know the song in the intro? Thanks.
Where can I watch his movie?
Wes, you big weirdo! I love your films!!!
Hi.......studio binder please make a video on the movie called searching how they did it
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the suggestion!
Iam a TAMIL but your Videos are More USEFULLY Thanks u so much😊
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Glad they're working!
@itzzz6525
3 жыл бұрын
@@StudioBinder 💚
Nice :)
@StudioBinder
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!