Idea #110 - Why Are Movies Getting Darker?

Isn’t it annoying when you draw the curtains, turn the lights off, drag the screen brightness of your device to its maximum capacity, and still see the reflection of your face on the screen throughout?

Today we learned why movies have been getting progressively darker. Circa 2012, when filmmakers decided to shift from film to digital camera, is when the brightness of films subsequently suffered. In fact, this shift is hard to ignore in film franchises like Batman, Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.

While using film, the filmmaker cannot possibly see what is being recorded, so, simply in an attempt to reduce risk, the setting is sufficiently lit so no element of the scene is lost to grit and shadow. While using a digital camera on the other hand, the filmmaker can see precisely what is being recorded, and has significantly greater control over the log format clips.

Ultimately, it is not merely as much about the type of lens used as it is about the filmmaker’s artistic preferences. With the general tone as well as the underlying symbolism of films these days getting darker and more intense, it really calls for a fitting play of light and shadow. But really, how dark is too dark?

Written and Curated by Arya Kastwar