Affinity & Contrast
description
Transcript of Affinity & Contrast
Affinity & Contrast
Pretty much what it sounds like.
•affinity: visual elements look the same, similar, or analogous
•contrast: visual elements look different, etc.
More vague explanations:
•contrast = greater intensity, more drama, implied conflict
•affinity = lower intensity, less drama, implied harmony
Try to manipulate contrasts and affinities to communicate information to your audience.
Contrived example:
One of creatures below is a ‘malooma’ and the other is a ‘taketa’. Which one is which?
Real example:
Dune (Frank Herbert, 1965)
Plot revolves around conflict between House Atreides and House Harkonnen.
Based on no other information -- who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?
Film clip: About a Boy - expository opening
sequence
• What do the contrasts between their environments say about their apparent circumstances?
• What affinities are there which might suggest deeper things that the characters have in common?
• cool apartment, but sterile
• the character seems cool, but really has no close friends or relationships
•organic home, but pretty crummy
•the character is an all-natural dork and outcast
Contrasts and affinities between settings:
•cool fish, nice to look at
•clean, ‘hands-off’
• invisible cage
•hamster on a wheel -- just like high school
•dirty, ‘hands-on’
•cage is obvious
Contrasts and affinities between pets:
Film clip: Revenge of the Sith - climactic
lightsaber duels
• What do the contrasts between the duels say about them thematically?
• What do the contrasts/affinities between the duelists (and their environments) say about them psychologically?
• environment is poorly lit, low contrast, hazy, dirty
• suggests moral ambiguity, psychological ambivalence
•environment is well lit, high contrast, sharp, clean
•suggests that the underlying conflict is clear cut, black and white
Contrast between settings:
• pasty old man vs. little green muppet
• red and green lightsabers
• suggests that they’re polar opposites with no qualms about killing each other
• two handsome young men
•both have blue lightsabers
• tells you that it’s “brother against brother”
Contrasts and affinities between duelists:
•brutal, occasionally hand-to-hand and dirty
•suggests inner turmoil -- messy feelings mirrored by messy fighting
• relatively clean, ‘hands-off’
•suggests lack of inner turmoil; the Emperor seems to be having a good time
Contrast between fighting styles:
• takes place inside the senate chamber
• this duel determines the fate of the Republic
• takes place on the shores of hell
• this duel determines the fate of Anakin’s soul
Affinities between settings and themes:
Summary:
• think about how your characters and situations are thematically similar, then express that with visual affinities
• think about how your characters and situations are thematically opposed, then express that with visual contrasts