Teal and Orange Look: A Staple in Modern Cinema Color Grading
In this valuable article, I will talk about how the teal and orange has become a staple in modern cinema's color grading.
The "Teal and Orange" look has become a staple in modern cinema, thanks to its unique ability to create a sense of depth and visual interest. This color grading technique, which combines teal and orange hues to create contrast and depth, was first popularized by the films of the 2000s and has since become a widely-used technique in the film industry.
The origins of the teal and orange look can be traced back to the work of the famous colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld (Company 3). He invented the look for Michael Bay's 2003 film "Bad Boys II". The technique was initially developed as a way to make the film's Miami setting appear more vibrant and colorful, and to give the film a distinct visual style.
The success of "Bad Boys II" helped popularize the teal and orange look, and it quickly became a go-to technique for many filmmakers and colorists looking to create a distinct visual style for their films.
What makes it so unique?
What makes the teal and orange look so unique is the way it uses color to create contrast and depth.
The teal and orange hues are opposite each other on the color wheel, which creates a stark contrast when they are used together. This contrast helps to create a sense of depth and visual interest, drawing the viewer's eye into the scene.
Additionally, these colors work in harmony when used on skin tones, doesn’t wash them out, while giving a warm, sunny and inviting feeling.
Interestingly, even the famous painter, Van Gogh, used a similar color scheme in his paintings. For example, Starry Night (1889) is a clear example of the use of complementary colors, teal and orange, in order to create depth.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. When used together, they create a stark contrast that can be very striking and visually interesting. In art and cinema, the use of complementary colors can be used to create a sense of depth, contrast, and visual interest in a scene.
Complementary color schemes have been used in art and design for centuries. In painting, for example, artists often use complementary colors to create contrast and depth in their work. When two complementary colors are used in close proximity, the contrasts between them can make each color appear more vibrant and intense. This can help create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality in the painting.
In cinema, the use of complementary colors is often used to create a sense of mood, atmosphere, and emotion. It can be used to make a scene look more vibrant, powerful, or peaceful depending on the colors used. In color grading, colorists will often use complementary colors to create contrast and depth in a scene. As I previously mentioned, teal and orange look is one such example, where teal is used to create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality, while the orange hues help to create a sense of warmth and energy.
Additionally, complementary colors have the unique ability to make objects appear closer or farther away. This is due to the way our eyes perceive color: warm colors (like orange or yellow) appear to come forward while cool colors (like blue or green) recede into the background. In addition to creating depth in a scene, this can also be used to create a sense of movement or to guide the viewer's eye to a specific part of the frame.
The teal and orange look is also pleasing to our eyes because it mimics the way our eyes naturally perceive color. The human eye is more sensitive to blue light, so the teal hues help to create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality, while the orange hues help to create a sense of warmth and energy.
In post-production, colorists often use a combination of color correction software and LUTs (lookup tables) to achieve the teal and orange look. LUTs are pre-defined sets of color adjustments that can be applied to a film or video to achieve a certain look. Colorists can use LUTs to achieve the teal and orange look quickly and easily.
The "teal and orange" look is often achieved on set by carefully selecting the right wardrobe, costumes, and locations to create the desired color palette.
It's also important to note that the teal and orange look is not universally liked, some people think it’s overused and often finds it overly stylized, distracting and less realistic.
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