blue is the warmest colour film analysis

An examination of the use of Cinematography in five minute clip of ‘Blue Is The Warmest Colour’ (starting at the point 53:10) and explaining what effect it gives off.

My selected clip starts with Adele being sat at a bar, the brightest lighting in the whole room is directly shone on her, hinting that she is the main focus of the scene. A wide shot is used too to show her as the ‘odd one out’ as the camera shows all of the couples behind her, dancing and drinking, whilst she is alone at the bar. This shot is used to make the audience feel as uncomfortable as the subject, and to show that she is isolated in comparison to those around her. One of the couples shown in the shot are clearly of the same sex, making it apparent that this is a gay bar - and all the other people in the scene are girls. Remembering that Adele is coming to terms with her sexuality, she is isolated in the room with homosexual woman which is a metaphor for her being in the closet and being alone in the situation as her parents aren’t supportive of the gay lifestyle.

Next, a close up is used on her face whilst she takes a drink, the light still shining on her face to make her the focus point and to make it apparent that she is the protagonist. Also, she is underage, so by using a close-up, it highlights that she shouldn’t be drinking.

A reverse shot is used to see the reaction on Adele’s face, whilst still showing the bartenders actions, though at the same time it is clear she isn’t essential to the scene as the camera doesn’t stay on her for a long period of time, in contrast to the protagonist. In these screenshots, Adele is the main focus and the girl behind her has a shadow cast over her, this makes us feel nothing towards her and see her as an extra sitting at a bar.

The colour scheme and lighting gives off a warm, cozy atmosphere, using orange and yellow mellow tones to give off the same feeling of being intoxicated and relaxed, to get the audience into the same mindset. Using these colours gives us the idea that Adele feels at home at the bar as it is filled with people who feel the same way as her, but the camera still shows that she isn’t completely one of them as she is highlighted the whole scene. Again, the camera pans and follows Adele from a fixed point as she walks out of the bar, as she passes through the crowds of people around her. A wide shot is used to show the faces of others in the bar as she leaves, showing their amusement that such a young girl is in such a place and also they stare at her in a knowing way, they know she isn’t one of them yet.

The scene ends abruptly and cuts to a bird flying into the distance, the camera pans as it flies and stops at an open window where Adele is clearly seen. The purpose of this shot is to show the transition between being inside the bar and being alone in the evening. This scene could also be interpreted as the start of something new, as the “bird flies the nest.”.

It cuts to a close up of the camera being besides Adele in her bedroom, and pans upwards to her face, and then cuts to a full body shot of her, showing the background of an open window, and shows her writing in a book. This effect is used to give us an idea of what the subject is doing, and to give us an insight to who she is by showing what she does in her spare time.

The next scene quickly cuts to a extreme close up of her face, darkness surrounds her but a red light still shines on her face, highlighting her features as she sleeps, accentuating her youth and innocence in such a vulnerable state. This makes the audience feel sorry for her, as she is pure and harmless yet so confused and scared about her situation.

The camera studies her face once again, before cutting to an open road where the camera tracks from the front of her frame as she moves along with a couple of students, walking to school together. Filming from the front allows us to focus on her dialogue and features, as well as show the movement of the people walking. This action also gives the illusion that we, the viewers, are walking with her and the camera is invisible. The camera then comes to a halt as she does, and a POV shot is used to give us the impression of her being in a circle of friends.

The camera then focuses on her face, so we can catch her eyes divert to another subject, Emma. A over-the-shoulder shot is then used, her shoulder being blurred so we can focus on the other person in the scene and shows that the people in the background aren’t very relevant and the camera is focusing on their relationship. Emma is leaning against a post and a full body shot is used so the audience automatically thinks of her as the “older, cooler” person in their relationship. The camera then jumps to a close up of the antagonist, Emma, to show her facial expression and another POV shot is used to show Adele walking over to her, and to note her responsive facial expressions too. The contrast between the messy mousy brown haired girl and the striking blue haired lady is vast and it is clear that Emma is comfortable with her sexuality and herself, whilst Adele is not. Also, when the camera closes up on their faces individually, Emma sports a more amused smirk and rather Adele looks timid and nervous. We can tell that Adele is more outwardly attracted to her and that Emma finds it amusing, from the way the reverse shots are filmed quickly.

Reverse shots are used in the conversation to show their reactions to each others dialogue and to show their chemistry more evidently.

The camera cuts to all of her friends to show their reactions to their interactions and we can see that they have a distaste for Emma, as the camera reverts from them to her, though the camera doesn’t linger on them long enough to make them important to the storyline, similar to the bartender earlier on in the story.

A quick cut is used and a mid-shot shows them leaving the school, the brighter lighting shining on their faces and the darker lighting showing people watch them leave in the background as they are only seen as onlookers. The people in the background are calling out to her, but she is still moving forward, or in other words, leaving them in the darkness.

Emma is smoking, making the viewer feel on edge about her, as Adele is so innocent and naive.

The camera then reverts back to a mid-shot of the schoolboys and girls and pans upwards from Adele’s best friend, who the camera focuses on most. They are all in one group, and as the camera cuts back to a wide shot of the pair walking away into the distance, it shows the isolation in comparison to the schoolyard, hinting that they’ve made themselves apart from the rest of the teenagers in the scene. As they walk, two bikes run alongside them, making it seem like they’re partnered up, like the two girls. They look like they are together from the back, as the camera shows them from the back, side by side.

The next scene starts with a wide shot of Adele and Emma in a park, greenery surrounds them, the green colour signifying tranquility and a calmer mood than the previous. It shows Adele’s coat and bag being rested away from her, telling us that plan to or they’ve been in the park for quite a while and that she’s relaxed and comfortable. The shot shows only them, which gives us an insight that they want to be in a quiet, private place away from everybody else, and gives them more camera time so we can hone in on their relationship. The atmosphere is like a date almost. Emma wears more masculine attire, and Adele dresses more like a stereotypical girl, making us automatically view them as more than just friends, knowing their circumstances.

A close up of Adele’s face is used to show her intense gaze on Emma, to make us think that they are staring at each other lustfully but the camera shifts to Emma and pans downwards, in order for us to see that she’s drawing Adele’s face while Adele is actually trying to keep still, and so the gaze is one-sided. This makes us feel like Adele idolises Emma.

For a while they converse, the camera shifting between their faces (reverse shots) in order to show amusement and confusion in their features. The background is blurred and the focus is only on them, as they are the main characters and their connection needs to show through the lens.

As they stand up to leave, a flare is shown to show the brightness of the sun in the background to emphasise a bright moment for them and a two shot is used on their faces as they stare into each-others eyes, the camera focusing on Emma to show her eyes flicker to Adele’s lips and she leans in, the camera cutting to an over the shoulder shot from Emma as she kisses her cheek instead of her lips. This effect is used to make the audience think Emma is going to kiss her on the lips, and causes us to view Emma as “hard to get.” She’s just playing with her head.

The scene ends as a wide shot is used to show Emma walking into the distance, and leaving Adele in the park, the lighting and set-up being the same at the start of the scene, except Emma is walking away. This gives us the impression that something has changed in their relationship. But still, Adele is left alone, which makes us feel sad towards her and have mixed feelings towards Emma. Adele is still lost and confused about who she is, and what she’s doing with a girl like her.