Film has always been, at its core, a visual medium.

One of the most important and striking aspects of the film is its use of color to stimulate a psychological response from the audience. The color can be used to convey mood and set the tone or ambience of the stage.

This is a brief analysis of the seven colors of Newton’s spectrum. It is recognized in psychology that these colors are the first octave of the spectrum.

RED – has a strong emotional impulse, causes psychosomatic arousal; connotes with initiative, innovation, open-mindedness, cheerfulness, whole-heartedness; expresses the initial phase of self-determination; initial expression of individuality; emphasizes the expression of a human who masters itself; antidepressant; expresses saturated ambition; corresponds to brute force and physical power in some moments of primitivism. If it is a color that dominates, it causes activity, movement. Excessive dominance of red can create the impression of nervousness, tension, restlessness, mental outbursts, extremes, tendency to bloodshed, aggression, despotism. Active connotations of red are also the tendency to express oneself; reproduction, conception, sex, emotionality, passion and eroticism, abundant love, the power of love, aggressive desire, courage, self-sacrifice, greed, peculiarity, striving for power which if dominated in this context can be understood as ruthlessness.

ORANGE – has the balancing function and the movement towards harmony. This color also has the characteristics of refreshment, emotional joy of life, tolerance, subjugation to fears and brakes; connotes more with as freedom from restrictions; has calming power – achieves harmony, bonding, unification, analytical, creates a sense of wholeness; creates rhythm and sense of time; from an aesthetic point of view it is connoted by desire and search for form. On the negative side, the connotations are – nervousness, anger, haste, haste, propensity to dispute with a desire for dominance and determination only in one’s own position. Orange expresses the joy of life.

YELLOW – intellect, thinking and self-control; inspiration; refreshing and stimulating thinking abilities; living mind and insight; optimism and joy; conceit; escape; daydreaming; dreams of glorification. The presence of yellow speaks of diversity and diversity, spontaneity and constant change; lack of concentration, freedom. Negative connotations of yellow are deception, envy, selfishness, pain, jealousy, loneliness, excitement, distance from others, self-expression. Otherwise, yellow refers to the intellect.

GREEN – the color of nature; balance; harmony and serenity – balance of the spiritual and the material; clarity; refreshment; creates pleasant feelings; causes calming effects; relaxes and encourages. It symbolizes life; concentration, determination, expediency; conscientiousness; patience; precision; sense of proportion; desire for security. Negative connotations of green are arrogance; dogmatism; envy; narrow-mindedness; associations of hope. The color green sends you to the balance between nature and the human will.

BLUE – Separation from the physical spheres of life and entering the spiritual. The blue of the sky and the oceans creates associations for the infinity of life; creates a feeling of depth, comfort, serenity, spiritual satisfaction and happiness; connotations of eternity; the flow of time, of life; truth – in the abstract and objective plan; peaceful, soothing color; covered; self-analysis; distance. In behavior – harmonious spirit, longing, endeavor, hope, romance, analyticity, magic, traditionalism, freedom. In a negative connotation; alienation, coldness, distancing. Otherwise, the main feature of the blue color is purity and serenity, penetration.

INDIGO – intuition; spiritual growth and a healthy relationship with life; connection with the human senses and the seven chakras. Indigo and purple are not often used as colors for human existence. From a psychological point of view, indigo frees a person from his fears, reservations and frustrations; associated with the duality of human nature, but with an anchored sense of wholeness; expands the horizon of receiving, penetrating. It connotes science, philosophy, intuition, emphasizes the tendency for idealism; attitude towards the beautiful; connotes justice and honesty; unification in harmonious unity; comfort and a sense of joy; love; a symbol of time and home, help, gratitude and compassion; support. Negative connotations of indigo color – alienation; distancing; dogmatism; vanity; cynicism; egoism. Indigo color is related to intuition.

PURPLE – Connotes with intuition, analyticity about life only without focusing only on the material. Depth and attention. A connection between the conscious and the subconscious. Associates striving for knowledge, inspired mind; analysis of the hidden; the vague and the occult; disturbing dreams; apparitions; soothes nervousness (like blue and indigo); strong emphasis on the spiritual, the faith, the realization of the human mission in human existence; idea of ​​completion and perfectionism, medieval alchemy; looking inward, enlightenment, innovation, ideals, refinement; associated with enchanted worlds, fantasies, spells; the idea of ​​leadership; it is the color of the leader and the teacher; tenderness; love and wisdom; perfection. Negative connotations – pride, arrogance, eccentricity, isolation. Purple is a symbol of separation from the material.

Second octave colors – pink, cyclamen and gold.

PINK, CYCLAMEM – has many of the same characteristics as red, but of course behaves deeper in life. Associated with disciplined driving force, energy that turns illusions into reality; a presumption of intertwining between boundless spirituality and limited materiality. It has connotations of leadership; possesses the ability to control the opinions and feelings of others; idea of ​​self-realization; wide range and emphasis on perfectionism; talks about personal achievements; associated with friendship. Negative connotations – emphasis on the desire for control and domination; preaching intolerance to others; propensity for enrichment and material gain; passion for fame and deception.

GOLD – is the higher octave of orange, symbolizes a degree of perfection (process of transmutation from lower to higher) strong connotations of joy, hope, energy, physical strength; unites energy with wisdom; idea of ​​mental abilities; symbolizes a traveler; the idea of ​​the teacher and the leader (in the context of a worldly and spiritual leader). Negative connotations of the color gold are; capriciousness, vanity, high esteem.

The main reason for using color in the film can be obvious: to make the shots dynamic and beautiful. But there is a secondary reason that facilitates visual storytelling. That’s right, the best uses of color in the film also tell a story.

This is the most important and shortest form for the description of the psychological characteristics of colors, which is taken as the most accurate to date according to psychology. Of course there is more, but I leave it to you to discover for yourself.

For Camera Obscura,

Aleksandar Ristoski

Director

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