Let’s talk Lighting!

 Dear Amazing Readers,

It’s me again, of course. I want to delve into one of the important elements of my opening today, lighting (not lightning like in nature). I believe most people aren’t truly aware how lighting can truly impact a piece of media. Lighting can create mood, tone, and setting. In one of the main scenes of my film opening, I will be relying on colorful neon lighting, let me explain with more context.

Movies and TV shows like Euphoria, I saw the TV glow, and Liza Frankstein use this colorful lighting. I always named it the “Euphoria lighting” since the HBO show “Euphoria” kinda popularized that type of lighting and made it more mainstream. In this TV show the lighting is heavily incorporated in the mise-en-scene elements of the film. The cinematographer of Euphoria and the production designer when speaking about the what the lighting story would be wanted to answer this question “‘How can we create a world that reveals the hopes and wishes of the characters that exist within it?”. In answering this question, we got these unique shots in the show.

A movie with similar lighting is “I saw the TV glow” also produced by A24. Unlike in Euphoria, I saw the TV glow uses lighting to distort reality within the TV world. 

For my film opening, I will be using this colorful lighting when I am showing the detective lost in thought, gathering and finding information on the case while working in their office. In order to create this lighting, I will buy some lighting LED equipment in order to achieve that colorful yet dark look. It’s important to note that this lighting is going to need a lot of experimentation, finding the right shades and hues that are cohesive with the story I am trying to tell and if they look just as good on camera. 

Citations:

Urban, Sasha. “How “Euphoria’s” DP Used “Expressionistic” Theatrical Lighting for Lexi’s Play.” Variety, 8 Aug. 2022, variety.com/2022/artisans/awards/euphoria-marvel-rev-cinematography-1235336157/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.