Joker Cinematographer Describes Color in Film First things first, let's talk about the technical aspects of how color is achieved in film. The first term to learn is Log. Log is the digital negative, the flat and desaturated images that get manipulated to bring in color later.
Log not only preserves your images' tonality and dynamic range, but it also retains a wide range of colors seen by the. Joker (2019), colour graded by the fantastic Dustin Wadsworth, is an example of that. The basic building blocks of colour grading used in Joker are the primary colours red, blue and yellow, each signifying a very distinct aspect of the story.
The color grading of Joker is one of its most defining features, and as a colorist, I find it particularly fascinating. Sher and colorist Jill Bogdanowicz collaborated extensively to create a color palette that reflects Arthur's journey. The film begins with a desaturated look, embodying a grim and colorless Gotham that mirrors Arthur's life.
"Joker" cinematographer Lawrence Sher explains the impact color has on film. Using several of his films as examples, including "The Hangover," "Garden State," and "Paul." Sher explains how hue. Joker colors can be very important to the character.
They can show his mood, and they can also be used to make him stand out from the other characters. Joker colors can also be used to make him look more dangerous. "Joker" was a good movie: good enough for me to come back a second time.
There are plenty of other scenes not related to color that really struck my eye. Every scene looks like it could've come out of a comic book. Arthur walks up the stairs, but the Joker walks down.
On posters, Murray's smile looks like the Joker's smile. In addition to an amazing lighting team, Lawrence Sher worked with the colorist Jill Bogdanowicz, who helped shape and enhance the look of Joker, e.g., building LUTs by reverse-engineering film stocks. Jill Bogdanowicz is an established colorist who has also worked on movies such as The Grand Budapest Hotel, Letters from Iwo Jima, The Changeling, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and John Wick.
Lawrence Sher's eye for detail and an understated use of color, light and cinematography cement Joker's place as a modern classic. Explore how Joker uses visual storytelling through cinematography, color palette, and symbolism to reflect Arthur Fleck's psychological transformation. Discover how Gotham's gritty realism and iconic imagery shape the film's tone and narrative depth.
He also spends time discussing how great Italian cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro, influenced his approach to lighting Joker. The video is like color in film 101. So sit back and spend a few minutes learning the basics of color in Lawrence Sher's masterclass.