Appreciating Kubrick's Cinematography Skills
Stanley Kubrick is arguably one of the greatest film directors of all time, producing some of the highest quality films available today. His incredible talent was not only in directing films, but also cinematically styling his shots. He constantly experimented with his style to create unique pictures that left an impression on audiences for years!
Kubrick’s artistic vision can be seen in almost every frame of his work, from very early works like “The Killing” up until his last feature length film which premiered earlier this year, “Eyes Wide Shut.” In fact, many consider his use of color and lighting as integral parts of his filmmaking process.
His ability to capture mood and emotion through eye-catching visuals has influenced other filmmakers since he first started working in the industry. Many have cited him as their major inspiration or source of creativity.
If you are already a fan of Kubrick’s work, then you are probably well aware of his love for using elaborate camera setups and interesting cinematic tricks. However, if you are new to his oeuvre, there are several key features of his directorial style that stand out.
In this article, we will take a closer look at five important aspects of Kubrick’s filming technique that set himself apart from others. Check them out and see what makes him special!
Underlined words and phrases indicate where those concepts could be found in his own work.
The significance of lighting
As we have seen, one of the most significant features in any given scene is light. Lighting can add emphasis to an element in the scene, create contrast by putting more focus on something, or even destroy the sense of balance when too much light is used.
Kubrick understood how important lights are in creating powerful images. He never wasted a bit of time filming his movies without using at least two different sources of light.
In many cases, he would use all sixes of the main light source to illuminate his subject. For example, in A Clockwork Orange he uses three separate flashes of natural sunlight, one directly overhead, one from the side, and one off-camera left.
He also frequently balanced these light sources with another piece of equipment: a reflector! Sometimes it was used for accentuation, other times to neutralize a light that was dominating the setting.
These practices make his scenes very rich, full of detail and texture. They give your eye valuable information about the space and place the characters inhabit.
This article will go into greater depth on some of Kubrick’s lighting techniques.
The significance of composition
Composition is an integral part to creating strong images with storytelling in mind. It is more than just including or excluding elements, it is how those pieces relate to each other.
Kubrick understood this and incorporated it into his filmmaking style. He knew that by leaving out something important, he would be able to add extra emphasis to what was included. This way, his audience didn’t feel like they were being left out or ignored, because everything mattered!
He also understood the importance of parallelism which happens when two objects are aligned together or opposite one another. For example, if there is a person sitting at a table, the side of the table opposite their body will have nothing but empty space next to it.
This creates a sense of emptiness, as though your mind can fill in whatever information you want to get from the rest of the scene. In cinema terms, we call these gaps “empty spaces” and use them to add depth to the image.
He also used diagonals frequently in both stills and videos. Diagonal lines create a shift in focus, drawing attention away from one area and towards the others. They also create tension by adding challenge to keep track of where all the parts go.
These concepts apply not only to foreground, middle ground and background shots, but also ones that move around within the frame such as tracking shots or cutaways.
The significance of focus
One of the most significant things that filmmakers can do to improve their work is learn how to use focus as a tool. A lot of people assume that since movies have been around for a while, then they know what it should be used for.
That’s not true at all!
Most films these days seem to forget about it completely. There are very few instances where you will see something in a movie where focus plays an integral part. This makes sense because most film students and professionals don’t really teach this concept properly or emphasize its importance enough.
It’s like teaching someone to drive a car without telling them why they need to understand cars or how to control a vehicle. Sure, they may get some basic concepts, but nothing more than that.
So, whether you're shooting a documentary, feature length screenplay, short story, or even a live stream video, knowing when and how to use focus is important.
The significance of camera movement
A good amount of artistic expression is made possible by one key element: camera angles. It’s an integral part to creating suspense, eliciting emotion, or just plain giving viewers a sense of awe.
A well-known example is when Alfred Hitchcock places his characters in a confined space and moves the camera close for emphasis. He does this to create tension, especially during scenes where someone is about to do something rash or hurt another person.
Other examples include using long lenses to capture expansive vistas, shifting focus to show different parts of the scene, and moving the lens slowly to add intensity to the shot. These types of shots emphasize how important photography is as a tool for storytelling.
Kubrick was very conscious of this concept throughout many of his films. In fact, he often would reassemble pieces of the film from separate shots to highlight how crucial it was to the story.
For instance, in 2001: A Space Odyssey he would cut back and forth between two separate shots to show how Dr. Heywood Rance (Keir Dullea) is struggling with whether to save himself or help mission commander Dave Bowman (Hal Holbrook). Both are incredible performances that totally sell the character’s choice.
Another great example can be seen in Barry Lyndon, where director Stanley Kubrick uses quick cuts and vertical panning to convey the emotional turmoil experienced by young Irish aristocrat Lord Edmund Talbot (Ryan O'Nell).
The use of filters
Filters are an integral part of cinematographic production. They play an important role in shaping how your film looks, and what emotions it elicits.
Filtering is when a layer or element of something is removed to create more emphasis on the layer/element above it. This is typically done with light, as darkness can make things seem sinister or heavy.
By using different types of filters, we can add depth and dimension to a scene. We also use them to emphasize certain elements in a shot.
Filters come in many forms- natural ones like clouds, sunsets, reflection bubbles, etc., artificial ones such as fluorescent green, blue gels, reds, greens, oranges and other neutral shades, and plastic ones that you mix yourself!
Kubrick was very creative when adding filters into his movies. In Eyes Wide Shut he uses the yellow filter a few times to emphasize the characters closeness to each other. He also adds a purple gel over parts of the movie for some extra oomph.
The use of lenses
Kubrick made excellent use of different types of lenses to convey his messages and portray his stories. He was very creative in how he used them. When filming space scenes, he would often use two or three separate cameras with various sized lenses to create more depth and dimension to the scene.
He also filmed some parts using only natural light, which helped make the footage look more authentic. For example, for his famous shower scene, he did not use any special lighting equipment at all!
His favorite lens type was probably the wide-angle lens. These are very large lenses that distort your pictures slightly, making everything feel bigger than it is. They’re great for creating an overall feeling of expansiveness.
Kubrick sometimes wouldn’t stick to one style of shooting though. He would mix it up and add new elements into his shots to give them both intensity and tranquility.
The use of set decoration
As we discussed earlier, Kubrick was very conscious about setting in his films. He would spend time creating rich environments for scenes to occur in, or organizing decorations and props that would make sense with the story he wanted to tell.
He also made sure to include some sort of mirror in every room, as this mirrored space is very common in most homes. This helps create an illusion of more space and aids in establishing a parallel universe where your self-image can exist.
Another way he used mirrors is by having characters look into them. For example, in A Clockwork Orange there are several instances where Alex looks into a mirror while thinking about something.
In Eyes Wide Shut, Dr. Harford uses one to examine himself in the bathroom before going to bed at night. His reason for doing so comes later in the film, but it is important to understand his internal struggle then.
These examples show how using mirrors and incorporating small references to home life help develop character.
The use of editing
As we have seen, one of the most significant parts of filmmaking is editing. There are many different types of edits that filmmakers add into their stories, but for the purposes of this article, we will be focusing on two.
The first type of edit is what some refer to as a cut. A cut is when an individual or part of the story is taken out and replaced with another piece or element. For example, in your movie there may be a scene where someone is talking about how much they love you and then it cuts to them throwing up next to you. This creates an emotional impact because now we are not just feeling bad for them, we feel sick from watching them show love to you!
Another common way to use a cut is during the climax of a film. Since dramatic films tend to focus more on action, directors often look to break down the actions of the characters before the camera starts rolling. By removing all context outside of the character’s actions, audience members can connect more strongly to those emotions.
The second kind of edit is what I like to call an extended long take. An extended long take is when a filmmaker simply keeps the camera running for a longer period of time than normal. This was very popularized by Stanley Kubrick and his feature length directorial debut, 2001: A Space Odyssey.