Overview: "Scarlet," directed by Govind Chandran, is a short film set in Victorian England, delving into the dark world of vampire lore and dogmatic hunters. As the colourist for this project, I was tasked with infusing the visuals with a high contrast, misty atmosphere, punctuated by vivid colour differentiations to evoke the eerie ambiance of the narrative.
Key Elements:
- High Contrast, Misty Look: To immerse viewers in the haunting atmosphere of the film, I employed techniques to enhance the contrast and introduce a subtle foggy effect, lending an air of mystery and suspense to each scene, which was inspired by the Caravaggio-esque work of cinematographer Jamie Laxton.
- Warm Lamplight Oranges and Cold Moonlight Blues: Drawing inspiration from the dichotomy of warmth and coldness inherent in the story, I crafted the colour palette to feature warm lamplight oranges juxtaposed with chilly moonlight blues, heightening the visual tension and accentuating the Victorian setting.
- Rotoscoping and Key-Framed Colour Adjustments: A unique challenge arose during post-production when the vampire's fake teeth failed to hold the staining colour on set. To remedy this, I utilised rotoscoping techniques and key-framed colour adjustments in the grade to match the vampire's teeth with the actress' real teeth, ensuring continuity and authenticity in every frame.
Conclusion: "Scarlet" stands as a tribute to the potency of visual storytelling, weaving together themes of female empowerment, LGBTQ love, the irresistible allure of fantasy and horror, and the blurred boundary between monstrosity and humanity. The colour grade played a small part to bring the directors vision to life to express the tapestry of emotions and moods inherent within the narrative. With attention to detail in colour grading and problem-solving, my goal was to not only build upon the film's aesthetic but also to deepen its immersive world.
Director: Govind Chandran
Producer: Jon Xue Zhang
Written by: Govind Chandran & Kelsey Cooke
Director of Photography: Jamie Laxton
Colourist: Conor Tychowski
This text was summarised by AI.