Lighting, color, cinematography and shape are all different aspects of form that help convey meaning in film, and underscore messages presented in the animated movie April and the Extraordinary World. This film tells the story of a world bereft of innovation, nature, and color. Soot laden streets and lung clogging air describe Paris circa 1920. After decades of leading scientists vanishing from thin air, the world is left in the steam age. Coal was used as Europe’s primary source for energy and when that became unsustainable, trees faced the same fate. Revolving around the hunt for an elixir that gives the user immortality, protagonist April is thrown into a plot involving talking lizards, world destroying rockets, and the preservation of all living things.
One pivotal scene occurs after the capture of April. After discovering that April holds the knowledge to make the immortality elixir, she is then forced to make it for a group of people that imprisoned the world’s leading scientists, including her parents. This group forced the world’s scientists to work in order to achieve the goal of preserving life, but could never find a way to make a formula that would work. The scene opens to a background of black and white, the only light emanating from lamps on a walkway cutting through darkness like searchlights as April and her two companions walk towards those that captured them. These three figures, clothed in red, are juxtaposed against the dim backdrop as they make their way towards their two captures. The walkway is lined by guards each standing in perfect symmetry from one another, as opposed to the three characters that appear to be aligned at random.
Red is a prevalent color throughout the movie, coming to symbolize perseverance as it is worn by the scientists who work tirelessly to seek the preservation of life, and most notably the protagonist who never once gives up her ideals or goals. The reason the director contrasts the muted backdrop with the color red is in order to highlight the idea that will is being enveloped by greed and even malice. Without realizing it, those that had sought to preserve life had become so caught up in their own agenda, that they lost sight of their actual goal. By letting greed consume them, they had caused the deaths of many, the imprisonment of others, and are forcing someone to conform to their ideals. April’s will and perseverance is being swallowed by other’s greed as she is forced to make an elixir that promises immortality for those that want to preserve life, but have no issue ending it in order to reach that goal.
The symmetry that is shown in this scene conveys the strict order that the leaders of this group have come to adopt in order to reach their goal. The contrast between the main characters and the guards that line the walkway emphasize the idea of free will as compared to the will of others. The random alignment of the characters as they walk across the walkway demonstrates their exercise of free will, while the guards represent a force that is trying to break and bend it.
After April agrees to make the elixir, the scene shifts suddenly from colors of black and white, to browns and greens. All the lights in the facility return, revealing a large rocky ravine in which a rocket sits covered in an assortment of green plants. After April makes the elixir, it is revealed that it is to be used to create immortality for the seeds on the rocket. This rocket is to explode in space, populating otherwise unlivable planets with life. But after the main antagonist and leader, Rodrigue, drinks some of the serum himself, he reveals that instead of exploding in space, (like he told everyone that works for him) the rocket is to explode on the surface of earth. This will wipe out all life except for himself, anyone who chooses to join him and the plants. He does this under the idea that humanity isn’t worth saving. This in turn results in a schism between those that support him, and those that value all life, not just life that is deemed “superior”.
After Rodrigue drinks the serum, there is a shift from how the camera angles different subjects. Believing he is all powerful, Rodrigue becomes the focus of many shots, enveloping most, if not not all of the frame. This is to represent how he now views himself as more important than any other subjects. Even when listening to the dialogue of another character, Rodrigue is still the focus of the shot. As he begins his speech about eradicating all unworthy life on earth, the camera is angled looking upward at him. This represents his self-aggrandizing view, as the viewers are made to feel smaller than him through the angle the camera is pointed.
The result of this revelation is a war between the guards, who either support Rodrigue, or don’t. Gunfire and yelling become the prominent imagery and sounds as April and her companions have to figure out a way to stop the rocket. It is only through self determination and willpower that April and her friends figure out how to change the detonation level of the bomb. This is important for the narrative because it underscores the main messages that the director and writer present. Throughout the movie April’s own perseverance and belief in humanity are driving forces for her character. It is through this willpower they are able to stop the rocket from exploding on Earth, and instead in space. This highlights the message’s affect not only on the narrative, but also demonstrates the power determination holds in the lives of all people.
The movie April and the Extraordinary World is full of symbolism, gorgeous color palettes, and magical storytelling. The director’s use of color helps symbolize different aspects of characters, the idea that symmetry gives order underscores an overbearing nature, and camera angles highlight the grandiose feeling of the main antagonist. This all culminates into messages regarding perseverance, determination, and the value of life.
Works Referenced
Barsam, Richard Meran, and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
April and the Extraordinary World
Lighting, color, cinematography and shape are all different aspects of form that help convey meaning in film, and underscore messages presented in the animated movie April and the Extraordinary World. This film tells the story of a world bereft of innovation, nature, and color. Soot laden streets and lung clogging air describe Paris circa 1920. After decades of leading scientists vanishing from thin air, the world is left in the steam age. Coal was used as Europe’s primary source for energy and when that became unsustainable, trees faced the same fate. Revolving around the hunt for an elixir that gives the user immortality, protagonist April is thrown into a plot involving talking lizards, world destroying rockets and the preservation of all living things.
One pivotal scene occurs after the capture of April. After discovering that April holds the knowledge to make the immortality elixir, she is then forced to make it for a group of people that imprisoned the world’s leading scientists, including her parents. This group forced the world’s scientists to work in order to achieve the goal of preserving life, but could never find a way to make a formula that would work. The scene opens to a background of black and white, the only light emanating from lamps on a walkway cutting through darkness like searchlights as April and her two companions walk towards those that captured them. These three figures, clothed in red, are juxtaposed against the dim backdrop as they make their way towards their two captures. The walkway is lined by guards each standing in perfect symmetry from one another, as opposed to the three characters that appear to be aligned at random.
Red is a prevalent color throughout the movie, coming to symbolize perseverance as it is worn by the scientists who work tirelessly to seek the preservation of life, and most notably the protagonist who never once gives up her ideals or goals. The reason the director contrasts the muted backdrop with the color red is in order to highlight the idea that will is being enveloped by greed and even malice. Without realizing it, those that had sought to preserve life had become so caught up in their own agenda, that they lost sight of their actual goal. By letting greed consume them, they had caused the deaths of many, the imprisonment of others, and are forcing someone to conform to their ideals. April’s will and perseverance is being swallowed by other’s greed as she is forced to make an elixir that promises immortality for those that want to preserve life, but have no issue ending it in order to reach that goal.
The symmetry that is shown in this scene conveys the strict order that the leaders of this group have come to adopt in order to reach their goal. The contrast between the main characters and the guards that line the walkway emphasize the idea of free will as compared to the will of others. The random alignment of the characters as they walk across the walkway demonstrates their exercise of free will, while the guards represent a force that is trying to break and bend it.
After April agrees to make the elixir, the scene shifts suddenly from colors of black and white, to browns and greens. All the lights in the facility return, revealing a large rocky ravine in which a rocket sits covered in an assortment of green plants. After April makes the elixir, it is revealed that it is to be used to create immortality for the seeds on the rocket. This rocket is to explode in space, populating otherwise unlivable planets with life. But after the main antagonist and leader, Rodrigue, drinks some of the serum himself, he reveals that instead of exploding in space, (like he told everyone that works for him) the rocket is to explode on the surface of earth. This will wipe out all life except for himself, anyone who chooses to join him and the plants, under the idea that humanity isn’t worth saving. This in turn results in a schism between those that support him, and those that value all life, not just life that is deemed “superior”.
After Rodrigue drinks the serum, there is a shift from how the camera angles different subjects. Believing he is all powerful, Rodrigue becomes the focus of many shots, enveloping most, if not not all of the frame. This is to represent how he now views himself as more important than any other subjects. Even when listening to the dialogue of another character, Rodrigue is still the focus of the shot. As he begins his speech about eradicating all unworthy life on earth, the camera is angled looking upward at him. This represents his self-aggrandizing view, as the viewers are made to feel smaller than him through the angle the camera is pointed.
The result of this revelation is a war between the guards, who either support Rodrigue, or don’t. Gunfire and yelling become the prominent imagery and sounds as April and her companions have to figure out a way to stop the rocket. It is only through self determination and willpower that April and her friends figure out how to change the detonation level of the bomb. This is important for the narrative because it underscores the main messages that the director and writer present. Throughout the movie April’s own perseverance and belief in humanity are driving forces for her character. The fact that it is through this willpower they are able to stop the rocket from exploding on Earth, and instead in space, highlights the message’s affect not only on the narrative, but also demonstrates the power determination holds in the lives of all people.
The movie April and the Extraordinary World is full of wit, charm, and magical storytelling. The director’s use of color helps symbolize different aspects of characters, the idea that symmetry gives order underscores an overbearing nature, and camera angles highlight the grandiose feeling of the main antagonist.
Works Referenced
Barsam, Richard Meran, and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
April and the Extraordinary World
Lighting, color, cinematography and shape are all different aspects of form that help convey meaning in film, and underscore messages presented in the animated movie April and the Extraordinary World. This film tells the story of a world bereft of innovation, nature, and color. Soot laden streets and lung clogging air describe Paris circa 1920. After decades of leading scientists vanishing from thin air, the world is left in the steam age. Coal was used as Europe’s primary source for energy and when that became unsustainable, trees faced the same fate. Revolving around the hunt for an elixir that gives the user immortality, protagonist April is thrown into a plot involving talking lizards, world destroying rockets and the preservation of all living things.
One pivotal scene occurs after the capture of April. Who is forced to make the elixir for a group of people that imprisoned the world’s leading scientists, including her parents, and forced them to work in order to achieve the goal of preserving life. The scene opens to a background of black and white, the only light emanating from lamps on a walkway cutting through darkness like searchlights. Three figures in red are juxtaposed against the dim backdrop as they make their way towards two larger characters. The walkway is lined by guards each standing in perfect symmetry from one another, as opposed to the three characters that appear to be aligned at random.
Red is a prevalent color throughout the movie, coming to symbolize perseverance as it is worn by the scientists who work to seek the preservation of life, and most notably the protagonist who never once gives up her ideals or goals. The reason the director contrasts the muted backdrop with the color red is in order to highlight the idea that will is being enveloped by greed and even malice. Without realizing it, those that had sought to preserve life had become so caught up in their own agenda, that they lost sight of their actual goal. By letting greed consume them, they had caused the deaths of many, the imprisonment of others, and are forcing someone to conform to their ideals. April’s will and perseverance is being swallowed by other’s greed as she is forced to make an elixir that promises immortality for those that want to preserve life, but have no issue ending it in order to reach that goal.
The symmetry that is shown in this scene conveys the strict order that the leaders of this group have come to adopt in order to reach their goal. The contrast between the main characters and the guards that line the walkway emphasize the idea of free will as compared to the will of others. The random alignment of the characters as they walk across the walkway demonstrates their exercise of free will, while the guards represent a force that is trying to break and bend it.
After April agrees to make the elixir, the scene shifts suddenly from colors of black and white, to browns and greens. All the lights in the facility return, revealing a large rocky ravine in which a rocket sits covered in an assortment of green plants. After April makes the elixir, it is revealed that it is to be used to create immortality for the seeds on the rocket. Which is to explode in space, populating otherwise unlivable planets with life. But after the character Rodrigue drinks some of the serum himself, he reveals that instead of exploding in space, the rocket is to explode on the surface of earth, wiping out all life except for himself, anyone who joins him and the plants. This in turn results in a schism between those that support him, and those that value all life, not just life that is deemed “superior”.
After Rodrigue drinks the serum, there is a shift from how the camera angles different subjects. Believing he is all powerful, Rodrigue becomes the focus of many shots, enveloping most, if not not all of the frame. This is to represent how he now views himself as more important than any other subjects. Even when listening to the dialogue of another character, Rodrigue is still the focus of the shot. As he begins his speech about eradicating all unworthy life on earth, the camera is angled looking upward at him. This represents his self-aggrandizing view, as the viewers are made to feel smaller than him through the angle the camera is pointed.
The movie April and the Extraordinary World is full of wit, charm, and magical storytelling. The directors use of color helps symbolize different aspects of characters, the idea that symmetry gives order underscores an overbearing nature, and camera angles highlight the grandiose feeling of the main antagonist.
Works Referenced
Barsam, Richard Meran, and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
April and the Extraordinary World