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| "The Separation" John Keats (Ben Wishaw, left) and Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish, right) |
If anyone can remember the films of 2009-2010, the memories of James Cameron’s Avatar, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, Quentin Taratino’s Inglourious Bastards, J.J. Abrams Star Trek and Pixar’s Up dominated the big screen and took home some of the biggest awards. Sadly, not all films are recognized for their achievement. One of the films that did not win at the eighty-second Academy Awards was Jane Campion’s Bright Star.
Bright Star (2009) tells the real life story of the young Romantic poet, John Keats (played by Ben Wishaw) and his relationship with Fanny Brawne (played by Abbie Cornish). The film illustrates their three year relationship with various film techniques and colors. In the photo above called "The Separation," the cinematographer, Greig Faser, shot this particular scene in a close up shot. The benefits of filming in this particular shot is that the audience is able to invade the character's personal space and have an insight to their emotions. In this particular shot, "The Separation," the audience can see that the characters, Mr. Keats and Ms. Brawne, are placed in different rooms and faced with a particular dilemma: their growing affection for each other. Hence, the separate rooms describes how both characters are confined in their own world. On the left side, the audience has Mr. Keats, who is constantly pressured by his friend and manager, Mr. Brown, to keep on writing poetry and never to be disturbed from his work. On the right hand side, the audience has Ms. Brawne, the heroine of Bright Star and the love interest for Mr. Keats. Similar to Mr. Keats, Ms. Brawne is also confined to her own world by fulfilling two specific obligations: find a decent marriage proposal and follow in the footsteps of becoming a proper lady in society.
In addition to the close up shot, Faser used an eye level view to capture the characters movements on either side of the wall and a diffuse lighting technique to promote a romantic setting. When Faser used the eye level view, he is able to capture how Mr. Keats and Ms. Brawne try to connect with each other despite the wall separating them. As mentioned before, Mr. Keats is seen on the left hand side, but most importantly, he is trying to feel Ms. Brawne on the opposite side. Mr. Keats places his hands in a way that it almost seems that without the wall in between them, he would be holding her. I am making this assertion because of the body language Ms. Brawne is demonstrating as well. If you notice, Ms. Brawne places the right side of her head toward the wall. This particular action shows that Ms. Brawne wants to hear Mr. Keats movements on the other side. If the wall was absent, it would be plausible that Ms. Brawne's head would be placed above Mr. Keat's beating heart and Mr. Keat's hands would be encircling her into a lover's embrace. Beside using the eye level view, Faser had to make sure that there was proper lighting for this scene. From the photograph, the audience will believe that Faser only used availiable lighting for this scene. However, it is more than likely that Faser used a diffused lighting technique (a filter for stage lights) to portray a realistic sunlight coming through the windows. By adding stage lights to the set, Faser was able to mimic how sunlight should appear on a person's head and manipulate the characters' shadow on the wall. If the audience looks at the shadow cast, they can see how both of the characters' head produces a shadow of one person. Perhaps Faser used this technique deliberately because he wanted to promote the image that despite the obstacles that both characters are facing, Mr. Keats and Ms. Brawne are already one in the soul and mind.
In addition to the close up shot, Faser used an eye level view to capture the characters movements on either side of the wall and a diffuse lighting technique to promote a romantic setting. When Faser used the eye level view, he is able to capture how Mr. Keats and Ms. Brawne try to connect with each other despite the wall separating them. As mentioned before, Mr. Keats is seen on the left hand side, but most importantly, he is trying to feel Ms. Brawne on the opposite side. Mr. Keats places his hands in a way that it almost seems that without the wall in between them, he would be holding her. I am making this assertion because of the body language Ms. Brawne is demonstrating as well. If you notice, Ms. Brawne places the right side of her head toward the wall. This particular action shows that Ms. Brawne wants to hear Mr. Keats movements on the other side. If the wall was absent, it would be plausible that Ms. Brawne's head would be placed above Mr. Keat's beating heart and Mr. Keat's hands would be encircling her into a lover's embrace. Beside using the eye level view, Faser had to make sure that there was proper lighting for this scene. From the photograph, the audience will believe that Faser only used availiable lighting for this scene. However, it is more than likely that Faser used a diffused lighting technique (a filter for stage lights) to portray a realistic sunlight coming through the windows. By adding stage lights to the set, Faser was able to mimic how sunlight should appear on a person's head and manipulate the characters' shadow on the wall. If the audience looks at the shadow cast, they can see how both of the characters' head produces a shadow of one person. Perhaps Faser used this technique deliberately because he wanted to promote the image that despite the obstacles that both characters are facing, Mr. Keats and Ms. Brawne are already one in the soul and mind.
Besides the cinematography, the audience should take notice to the colors that the characters are wearing in "The Separation." Mr. Keats is wearing a white shirt and a black waistcoat on top. Whereas Ms. Brawne is wearing a white silk shirt with a brown jumper placed over. It is important to notice Mr. Keat's black waistcoat covers up more of his body than Ms. Brawne's brown jumper. Perhaps costume designer, Janet Patterson, and cinematographer, Greig Faser, wanted to illustrate how much the characters are trapped, or confined, in their own worlds. As mentioned before, Mr. Keats is contantly faced with the demands to succeed, which does play a huge part on how he presents his writing. In contrast, Ms. Brawne's confinement is not as great as Mr. Keats. The audience can see that Ms. Brawne's jumper barely takes up space on her body, thus leaving her free to make her own destiny. Regardless of their confinement, both characters are seen wearing white, which means the two of them both have pure intentions towards one another. However, the audience should gather that Mr. Keat's pure intentions towards Ms. Brawne are as equally overshadowed by darker intentions by others.
Otto, Comment on Harris, Bright Star Photography and Color in “The Separation”
ReplyDeleteMr. Keats and Ms. Brawne are also separated by the fact that they come from two different classes. Mr. Keats cannot afford to court Ms. Brawne, although she seems reluctant to adhere to her mother’s wishes and find a suitable husband because she has fallen for Mr. Keats. As far as the colors of their costumes, because Keats is wearing much more dark color, this could also be foreshadowing his death. He is not sick yet but throughout the film is consistently seen wearing dark colors, as though his fate is sealed, while Fanny begins the film wearing splashes of color that gradually fade and get darker as the movie progresses. Here, Fanny’s costume illuminates the idea that she is just falling for Keats, the white representing her innocence, a young girl with a crush, and Keats high dark color emphasizes his little time left, as though he is being drowned through the darkness.