In this paper, I'm going to analyze one of the scenes in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, namely the scene (0:34:00 - 0:38:51) where Andy helps Hadley with his tax problem and gets beers in return from him. This scene is shot outdoors unlike the majority of the film, which is shot indoors and makes very good use of natural lighting for highlighting key literary elements in the scene. For example, at the start of the scene, in the initial 15 seconds we can see the guards and Hadley talking while the prisoners tar the roof. The background light is prominent here and the clear absence of fill light results in casting of dark shadows on Hadley and the guards. However, the prisoners, despite being in the background, are well illuminated. This lighting choice helps the audience gain clear perspective on the demarcation between the guards and the prisoners. It also focuses to depict unconventionality and duplicity of characters of both the guards and prisoners. The guards despite being officers of law are shown in a dark light suggesting malice and crookedness, which we see further in the scene is reinforced when Hadley is about to throw Andy off the roof and the prisoners who are deemed unfit to live in society are shown in a bright light suggesting benevolence and good nature of character. The lighting choices here reinforce the central theme of innocence in the film and that sometimes even innocent people have to suffer and don’t get justice.
From 35:35 to 36:00 we can see the effective use of lighting to highlight shift in the mood. At first, a prominent background and key light is used to highlight Andy and then a soft fill light is used to reduce the shadows on his face. Whereas, background and key lighting are prominently used on Hadley’s face with very little fill light showcasing a darker side of his visage and transmitting a feeling of danger and unpredictability. From 35:46 to 35:52 The fill lighting on both Andy’s and Hadley’s face drops and as their faces are pulled into the shot with dark shadows across both their faces, the audience is made to feel a sense of confrontation and conflict. However, the brilliance of this scene becomes apparent from 35:52 to 36:09. As Hadley pulls Andy to throw him off the roof and as Andy, simultaneously, explains how to save Hadley’s taxes, natural light fills the frame, both the key and fill light are used in a manner that reduces the darkness and shadows on the characters faces. This immediately relieves the tension in the scene and replaces it with a sense of mutual understanding. During the confrontation Andy’s face is brightly lit however the use of fill light on Hadley’s face is still very minimal which despite relieving the tension does not let off the sense of danger that his presence possesses. Here we can see an almost perfect depiction of the growth of character and representation and reinforcement of the conflict present throughout the film. Andy who has been portrayed as a shy, reserved and timid individual is shown taking a brave step and currying favor with the guards. The constant bright illumination of his face vis-a-vis Hadley conveys his good and true nature and the increase in the brightness even during the confrontation conveys that his character is growing.
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The theme of transformation is reinforced in this scene. As the natural light fills the screen and Andy’s face is illuminated, his character is shown in a new light conveying the message that Andy has transformed from a timid and reserved individual into a bold and brave one.
From 37:23 to 38:50, we can see the effective use of natural lighting for creating a sense of happiness and elation. As the prisoners are seen drinking beer, they are illuminated by the use of high key lighting. The majority of the film is shot inside the prison The shots are framed in such a way as to reduce the shadows on the actors faces. This lighting choice is perfect for the depiction of upbeat mood which reinforces the feeling of happiness. The scene also focuses to convey a sense of normalcy that the prisoners feel on the bright sunny day as they should and this is accentuated by the cinematographer’s choice to use natural lighting instead of artificial one which adds relatability to the scene. In the background, Andy and the group of guards are visible. Only background light is used for the group of guards and Hadley clearly demarcating them from the group of prisoners. This lighting choice for the guards is a subtle reinforcement of the power dynamics that exist within the Shawshank prison. For Andy too only background light is used here, this is a perfect way to symbolize his disassociation from the rest of the prisoners. However, his dissociation is of a different nature. While the rest of the group is somewhat institutionalized and most of the group does not believe in the idea of hope (as we can see later on) Andy is different from them. For Andy the act of getting his friends beers symbolizes that he is a free man and it gives him hope and that is why the act is important to him not because of the beers.
In conclusion, the theme of freedom, hope and friendship are reinforced by the lighting choices in the film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’.
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