Blog #3: Sequence Analysis

Oscar-winning drama, Moonlight, had multiple cinematography elements throughout the movie that gave depth to each character. The film’s retroactive effect felt nearly radical; in that characters we are expected to have little sympathy for are portrayed in such a complex, almost three dimensional manner. One element that stands out most in Moonlight is the use of lighting throughout the movie. Most movies may use bleak coloring and lighting within their scenes when attempting to portray the stories of such characters, but Moonlight defies this. Rather than using dark colors and harsh lighting to depict poverty, Moonlight utilizes Miami’s natural lighting from the very beginning. Liberty City is portrayed through lush coloring, and pastel lighting. The first scene alone of the movie utilizes such elements that set the tone for the rest of the movie. The film opens with a stylized shot of Juan, the town’s biggest drug dealer. Our perspective is swirled around him, making us feel almost uneasy. However, the bright lighting almost offsets any uneasiness we might feel otherwise. The swirling shot of Juan feels almost like an animal circling its prey. This technique is used to provoke a sense of urgency and pressure, and paints Juan out to be an almost menacing character. However, as mentioned before, the lighting almost completely offsets this mood. The camera stays mostly in light of sight with the characters in this scene, which was almost unexpected. I would expect maybe a lower angle to aid in the portrayal of Juan as a significant and powerful character. Also, the first scene makes almost no sense in accordance to the scene that follows; that of a young Chiron running through tall grass. However, this is done intentionally to show that all tropes and cliches will only be upended as the film progresses.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrDYsNTN9b4