Have you ever seen “O Brother, Where art Though?” If you haven’t, just take a look at this soggy bottom boy trying win over his wife. Now compare that to this clip from Wonder Woman blasting through a war zone. The first is set in the 1930’s, the second earlier in the 1910’s (WWI), and both feel very different. Why? Besides the fact that one is deflecting bullets and the other isn’t even bonafide, the overall feel of these movies is due in large effect to the color grading of each film. O Brother Where Art Thou was the first film to be entirely digitally color graded, using a sepia tone to give it that old time, dirty 30’s feel. Whereas Wonder Woman has that teal and orange color common among the summer blockbuster action movies.
Filmmakers constantly use color to affect the way we feel. But movies aren’t the only place where our moods are being swayed by the wheel of colorful fortune. You may not have noticed, but the colors that surround you the moment you wake up, binge watch your favorite show, and hit your head to the pillow again, all have subtle (or not so subtle) effects on the way you feel. Below is a simple breakdown of some simple color schemes you might find in your home, and what they might mean for you.