visual style

Noir’s Visual & Aural Style

Noir’s Visual & Aural Style

Classical Hollywood Cinema

Classical Hollywood Cinema

Classical Hollywood Style

Classical Hollywood Style

Balanced compositionWell-lightedThree-point lightingLinear narrativesConventional editing

Balanced compositionWell-lightedThree-point lightingLinear narrativesConventional editing

Three-Point LightingThree-Point Lighting

KEY light = main source of illumination (if used alone it will leave shadows)

FILL light = a secondary light source, less intense than the key light (helps remove shadows)

BACKLIGHT = placed above and behind the subject (used alone will produce a silhouette of the subject)

KEY light = main source of illumination (if used alone it will leave shadows)

FILL light = a secondary light source, less intense than the key light (helps remove shadows)

BACKLIGHT = placed above and behind the subject (used alone will produce a silhouette of the subject)

Lighting RatiosLighting Ratios

Traditional lighting ratio (low-contrast ratio) is:Key - 2 Fill - 1

Noir Lighting Ratio (high-contrast ratio) is:Key - 4Fill - 1

Traditional lighting ratio (low-contrast ratio) is:Key - 2 Fill - 1

Noir Lighting Ratio (high-contrast ratio) is:Key - 4Fill - 1

Key lightKey light

Three-Point LightingThree-Point Lighting

Key + Fill + BacklightSeparates the subject from

its environment creating a sense of depth

Key + Fill + BacklightSeparates the subject from

its environment creating a sense of depth

Three-Point LightingThree-Point Lighting

Evolution of the Noir Style

Evolution of the Noir Style

The Experimental Period: 1940-1943

The Experimental Period: 1940-1943

Studio Expressionism:

1944-1947

Studio Expressionism:

1944-1947

The Location Period: 1947-1952

The Location Period: 1947-1952

Fragmentation and Decay: 1952-1958Fragmentation and Decay: 1952-1958

Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene

Noir Mise-en-sceneNoir Mise-en-scene

Anti-traditional (Place & Peterson)

Unbalanced compositions (framing, camera angles, close-ups)

Low-key lightingDeep-focus photography

Anti-traditional (Place & Peterson)

Unbalanced compositions (framing, camera angles, close-ups)

Low-key lightingDeep-focus photography

Film Noir: Visual Style

Film Noir: Visual Style

Noir Lighting StyleNoir Lighting Style

Noir LightingNoir Lighting

Night-for-Night photography

Night-for-Night photography

Noir LightingNoir Lighting

Low-key lightingLow-key lighting

Noir LightingNoir Lighting

Chiaroscuro lightingChiaroscuro lighting

Chiaroscuro LightingChiaroscuro Lighting

Chiaroscuro LightingChiaroscuro Lighting

Chiaroscuro LightingChiaroscuro Lighting

Chiroscuro LightingChiroscuro Lighting

Noir LightingNoir Lighting

Unconventional lighting techniques:“Jimmy Valentine” lighting“Rembrandt” lighting

Unconventional lighting techniques:“Jimmy Valentine” lighting“Rembrandt” lighting

The Dark Corner(1946)

The Dark Corner(1946)

Noir Camera AnglesNoir Camera Angles

Noir Camera AnglesNoir Camera Angles

The position of the frame in relation to the subject it shows.High-angleLow-angleDutch angle

The position of the frame in relation to the subject it shows.High-angleLow-angleDutch angle

High Angle ShotHigh Angle Shot

Low Angle ShotLow Angle Shot

Dutch AngleDutch Angle

Deep-focus Cinematography

Deep-focus Cinematography

Deep-focus Cinematography

Deep-focus Cinematography

A use of the camera lens and lighting that keeps both the close and distant objects being photographed in sharp focus

Why is this important for film noir?

A use of the camera lens and lighting that keeps both the close and distant objects being photographed in sharp focus

Why is this important for film noir?

Deep-Focus Cinematography

Deep-Focus Cinematography

Film Noir: Aural Style

Film Noir: Aural Style

Diegetic & Non-Diegetic Sound

Diegetic & Non-Diegetic Sound

Diegesis - the world of the film

Diegetic sound comes from within the frame story.

Non-diegetic sound comes from outside of the frame story.

Diegesis - the world of the film

Diegetic sound comes from within the frame story.

Non-diegetic sound comes from outside of the frame story.

Voice-Over NarrationVoice-Over Narration

Music in Noir FilmsMusic in Noir Films

Noir ComposersNoir Composers

Miklos RoszaDouble IndemnityThe Killers

Bernard HerrmannTaxi DriverOn Dangerous GroundThe Wrong Man

Miklos RoszaDouble IndemnityThe Killers

Bernard HerrmannTaxi DriverOn Dangerous GroundThe Wrong Man