Production: Costume Design and Color Theory

In my stay inside Cambridge portfolio, I was able to apply costume design and color theory to communicate the emotions of my characters. The colors the characters use in a thriller may give the viewer the hints of whether they are conscious or defenseless, like some a hidden code. As Jay and Marcus are expected to be completely relaxed, I used the subdued, every day color palette.There are no scenes with bright color and make one think that nothing exciting as well as dangerous is occurring, so when the tone abruptly changes, it seems even stronger. 

Jay is clothed in all grey, and that is no coincidence. Grey normally translates to neutral and free of conflict in color theory. Clad in grey as he is, Jay is simply one of the shadows of the dim living room and the couch with its pleasant texture.This causes him to appear as though he wants to avoid being bothered and just have fun just as the relaxed actors that I strongly admired. It even contributes to making him appear weak and vulnerable to the extreme reality of the emergency broadcast and metal threats beyond.

 

Marcus has a blue pair of jeans and a black shirt on which the sets a classic and grounded appearance of his character. Black may refer to mystery, power, yet here in this house scene it is simply another casual color choice that partially offsets Jay who has a darker grey color. The frame has a blue tint of the jeans which is not distracting. Put together, these costumes create a believable image of two friends getting ready to spend a night having nothing, which is precisely the feeling of safety I want to feel when the tension begins to mount. 

The particular colors also allow me to experiment with lighting when I am producing the work. Since the garments are of neutral darkness, they reflect the TV sunshine and flickering lights without conducting much unnecessary reflection. This puts emphasis on their facial expressions and body language, and not on their outfits. The juxtaposition of these dull daily garb and the ice cold stark house environment is going to be one of the visual storylines as the movie heads to its climax.