Lighting Plan

One of the elements of the mise-en-scene that has the greatest influence on a film is lighting. It has the power to evoke emotions in the film. It can also be used to manipulate the viewer’s attitude towards a setting or a character. The way light is used can make people look beautiful or ugly, soft or harsh, and artificial or real.

There are two types of lighting: High key and Low key lighting.High-key lighting has little dramatic effect, and it is often used in a scene with no tension or to attach positive and uplifting connotations to a character or situation.Whereas, Low-key lighting is often used in tense scenes or scenes where negative connotations are to be derived. It comprises of a lighting pattern that has both bright and dark areas in the frame.

Drama films tend to use low key lighting to make the film look more dramatic, to add emotions or to portray tension in a scene. Raincoat (2004), a Bollywood drama film which is also my reference film has used both High and low-key lighting throughout the film. But more of low key lighting at many instances e.g. in the scene where Manu meets Neeru.

Raincoat (2004) Low key lighting

Similarly, I’ve used both High and Low Key Lighting in my short film. I used natural lighting instead of artificial lighting and the main source of light in my film was the sun.

But in the indoor scenes, normal tungsten lights are used:

In the outdoor scenes, where my character is outside his mother’s house, he is heartbroken and is realizing the mistake he has made e.g. by ignoring his mother all his life. That is why I’ve tried to portray this in a positive manner through high key lighting.

Whereas, in the indoor scenes, when Raj (the protagonist) is preparing for sleep, I’ve used low key lighting to show that he is in a state of anger and sorrow as he is

having fights with his wife and he misbehaved with his mother this morning.

Therefore, I can conclude that I’ve used both

High and Low key lighting depending on what I’m trying to portray. But likewise Social drama genre, I’ve used more of low key lighting.