Page 5 - pg_1955_08

A Ilelpiug A guide mund the pitfalls
of colour filming
Hand • • • • by 'Old Timer'

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THI:S is the time of the year W e have to look to Mother
when colour filming reaches Nature for our appreciation of
its peak and the use of Koda- colour harmony, for nature uses
chrome opens up quite a num- m edium colour va lues for most
ber of interesting and exacting of the sub,iect matter - green
problems calling for a complete grass, blue slry, brown earth and
reconsideration of t echnique of blue-green water; brilliant cole
pictorial composition. In black- ours ar e reserved for the sma11er
and-white picture making, line, things- insect s, fruit, etc. Thus
form and composition are com- the restricted use of brilliant
bined to make up the shots (see colour by nature can form a
Fig. 1 on this page), but in definite lesson to u s in our colour
colour, while these principles are work.
sti11 important, the main concern From this it w ill be readily
m ust be the tonal content appreciated that red is a colour
(Fig. 2). to use car efuiiy a nd sparingly,
There is a t endency for us to for in its emotional impa ct it
film obtrusive colours- apparent- suggest s danger, fire; therefore
ly we feel that the most effective too much is destructive. Yeilow
scenes are the most colourful. is brilliance and gaiety; green is
Nothing could be further from cool, restful ; blue, of course, is
the truth, so steer clear from the least effective primary tint
this temptation. Do not seek because mo t out-of-door scenes
out deliberate brilliant colour h ave an over a ll bluish tint from
for this wiii defeat its own pur- sk y r eflections.
pose and will result in a film Colour composition cannot be
entirely unnatural. By seeking understood without noting that
out scenes for a broad effect of reflective surfaces and atmo"
colour and not confusing or spheric conditions affect the col-
swamping the foreground colours our in every composition. For
by those in the background lies exa mple, a clear day at the sea"
the real secr et of good colour side with an intense blue sky
filming, a nd this is brought about will be r eflected in the water
by a knowled ge of colour h a r- itself and w ill give piCtures with
mony and its psychological
values.

Fig.l
In his articl e on this page, our
contributor ref e?·s to line and
f orm as being the compositional
f actors in a black and white
shot. Notice t h e horizontal lines
i,n this picture w hich l end
st,-ength and dignity to this
p l e asing architectural
composition.
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