How Do I…

Light for Mood?

Beyond the science and technology involved, motion picture lighting depends on your ability to match the mood and emotion of your project’s scenes. If your lighting aesthetic fails to match your story’s mood, the audience will notice—and be taken out of the movie or TV show. Cinematographer Russell Carpenter talks about shooting a crucial scene in Titanic in the interview below. Watch the video and consider the questions that follow.

After watching the interview with Russell Carpenter, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.

Question

1. How did the lighting of this scene in Titanic affect the mood of the film?

Your answer has been submitted.

Question

2. Think about other examples of lighting affecting mood in films you've watched–or made. What was the desired mood, and how did the lighting help to achieve that for the viewer?

Your answer has been submitted.