Structuring color
= using color for a specific purpose in the overall quest to clarify and
intensify a media-transmitted event
3 Principal functions of color:
1. Informational
2. Compositional
3. Expressive
Informational
Function of Color
Tells us more about an event than would be
possible without color
Helps us distinguish among things
Uses specifically designed color codes
o Medical
photography
o Maps
o Weather
maps
o Traffic
lights
Primary goal: make one color as distinguishable
as possible from the next; clarity
Color harmony = hues with balanced
energy that go well together (secondary goal)
Informational color is meaningless in black
& white photography and video
o Monochrome
video responds only to differences in brightness
Color Symbolism
People use color to symbolize events, beliefs,
and behavior
Context is key
o Color
associations can vary depending on culture, time, etc
o Color
associations are usually not universal
§
Ex: Some cultures use black as a symbol for
mourning whereas others use white and even pink
§
We think of being “blue” as being sad but in
Germany, being “blue” means being heavily intoxicated
One example of a universal symbol:
- A red rose symbolizes beauty and love, but is it the color or the rose that is
truly significant?
When not used correctly, symbolic color can either be
understated, rendering it ineffective, or overstated, making it almost comical.
If you come up with a new symbolic color/event relationship,
you must give the audience enough clues to learn this new association.
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