As photographers, we can learn from “Parasite” and its mind-blowing cinematography. I’m here to break down how composition, color, and lighting in this film’s famous scenes make it such a standout.
For us photographers, there’s a treasure trove of lessons to take from this film. We’ll explore how these scenes are framed, the color palettes used, and the way lighting sets the mood. Let’s get into it!
Parasite Scene Analysis
Let’s delve into some iconic moments from the movie “Parasite.” As photographers, examining these scenes will help us grasp the nuances of composition, color, and lighting more effectively.
Remember, the movie’s central narrative revolves around themes of greed and class disparity, illustrated through the lives of the affluent Park family and the impoverished Kim family. As we dissect these scenes, keep this overarching theme in mind to appreciate the rationale behind the artistic choices in composition, color, and lighting.
1. Opening Scene
Scene Description
In an effort to avoid spoilers, the scene centers around Ki-woo utilizing his phone, a recurring and significant motif in the film. The phone symbolizes both connectivity and disconnection in the storyline, and it’s vital for communication and strategizing. This scene not only introduces this element but also sets up a contrast with the movie’s final scene.
Composition Analysis
Ki-woo is strategically placed off-center in the shot, engrossed in his phone, which he holds with both hands. His position in the frame, coupled with the surrounding empty space, underscores themes of isolation and concentration. The sparse background, featuring a sofa and a fan, subtly hints at his family’s modest economic status.
Color Palette
The scene employs an analogous color scheme. Muted earth tones dominate the palette, with the beige walls and the dark green hues of the sofa and clothing. This lack of saturation and vibrancy parallels Ki-woo’s life’s absence of energy and prosperity.
Lighting Dynamics
The scene features high-contrast lighting, with a distinct light source from the side that creates a rim or side lighting effect. This lighting style introduces a chiaroscuro effect, symbolizing duality or internal conflict. Moreover, the lighting casts a reflective glow on the phone, emphasizing its significance as the scene’s focal point.
2. Shared Bathroom
Next, we’ll analyze the bathroom sharing scene.
Scene Context
This particular scene portrays the characters’ struggle to connect to a Wi-Fi signal in their semi-basement home, a task made challenging by their location. It’s a poignant moment that highlights their struggles and ingenuity, as they strive to maintain a connection to a seemingly distant world, hindered by their socio-economic constraints.
Composition Insights
The scene employs a framing composition technique. The characters are squeezed into a confined space, bordered by the toilet and walls. This tight framing and their physical proximity underscore their lack of personal space and the sensation of entrapment, further emphasizing their lower socio-economic status.
Color Scheme
Analogous color harmony is utilized here. The scene predominantly features browns and yellows, colors often indicative of decay and neglect. These hues resonate with the film’s themes of poverty and the harsh realities of the lower class. The characters’ clothing also merges with this color palette, symbolizing their integration into their environment.
Lighting Technique
The lighting in this scene is straightforward, primarily serving to illuminate the set. Natural light filters through the small windows behind them, creating a contrast of light and shadow. The room’s light, positioned in front of them, illuminates their faces.
3. Scholar’s Rock
Next, we turn our attention to the scene featuring the gifting of the Scholar’s Rock.
Scene Overview
This scene revolves around the Kim family receiving the Scholar’s Rock, believed to bring wealth. The rock becomes a focal point, representing their aspirations and desperation for an improved life, and symbolizing social advancement and the elusive nature of opportunity.
Composition Elements
In this scene, techniques such as framing, layering, and visual triangles are employed. Ki-woo, holding the rock, is in the foreground, with Min positioned in the background.
The focus is sharply on Ki-woo due to a wide aperture and shallow depth of field, leaving Min slightly blurred. This directs the viewer’s attention to Ki-woo and the significant rock. The characters and the rock also form a visual triangle, a technique often used to create balance and focal points in a scene.
Color Palette
The scene features an analogous color harmony, with desaturated greens and blues, a recurring theme in the film. This subdued color scheme highlights the family’s financial struggles and the somber aspects of their existence.
Lighting Techniques
Soft lighting from the right side is used in this scene. This lighting choice accentuates Ki-woo’s facial expressions as he gazes at the rock, enhancing the scene’s emotional impact.
4. Street Night
We’ll now explore the fourth scene, known as the “street night.”
Scene Context
This pivotal scene shows Ki-woo meeting with Min to discuss an opportunity. It symbolizes the intersection of lives from contrasting socio-economic backgrounds.
Composition Techniques
The scene employs leading lines and framing in its composition. Shot from a distance, it positions us as observers to the event. The alley serves as a leading line, guiding our gaze and adding depth to the scene.
Additionally, the alley and store frame the characters, possibly representing the disconnection between different social classes. The road leading to higher ground for Min and a modest fruit market for Ki-woo further symbolize this divide.
Color Scheme
Complementary color harmony is utilized here. The predominant colors in the scene are blues, greens, yellows, and oranges. The use of these complementary colors, being opposites on the color wheel, subtly underscores the contrasting statuses of the characters.
Lighting Design
Subdued ambient lighting from street lamps and shop lights is used in this scene. This lighting choice contributes to the overall mood and contrast within the scene, enhancing the thematic elements.
5. Journey to the Park Family House
The fifth scene we’ll analyze is a sequence of three separate frames illustrating Ki-woo’s journey to the Parks’ residence.
Scene Overview
These frames capture Ki-woo’s inaugural walk to the affluent Park household.
Composition Analysis
The sequence employs leading lines as a key compositional element. The first frame depicts Ki-woo leaving his home on level ground.
The second frame presents Ki-woo at the bottom of a road with an S-curve leading down to him, symbolizing his metaphorical ascent towards the Parks’ wealthier abode.
In the third frame, Ki-woo is at the top of the road, having symbolically climbed up, ready to proceed to the Parks’ house.
Color Palette
An analogous color harmony is used across these frames, featuring green and yellow hues with increased saturation and vibrancy compared to earlier scenes set in less affluent areas. These colors visually underscore the disparity between wealth and lifestyle.
Lighting Dynamics
The frames are illuminated with natural light during midday, creating a contrast between the sunlight and Ki-woo’s suit. This contrast allows him to prominently stand out within the frames.
In conclusion, each of these scenes highlights the film’s masterful use of visual storytelling. As photographers, we can learn a lot from analyzing photos and scenes from Parasite.
