Light as an element in visual storytelling

Lighting is an essential part of filmmaking. It is designed to evoke emotions in the audience, highlight the characters and enrich the plot. Light is as important as acting and musical accompaniment. Many beginner film enthusiasts ignore the light and think more about the quality of the camera and lenses. But in fact, even with the best and most modern cameras, the image will look dull and flat if the lighting was not given enough attention.The theoretical part contains the theory of light as a physical phenomenon: it summarizes the history of technical development of light and describes the fundamental technologies that exist today. This part is followed by a chapter that deals with light as a means of expression and discusses ways of using it to convey artistic value. The practical part analyzes two films differing in mood in terms of lighting. The function of light is described in the context of a scene: what light tells about the story, what atmosphere it creates and what mood it contributes. The conclusion of the practical part is that the study of the theory of light allows the film to open to the viewer on a completely new, deeper and richer level. Allowing him to notice important details that communicate more about the film than was just told in the plot. Thus, proving the initial idea about the inherent importance of light as an integral element of cinema language.