As films evolve to reflect our everyday society, the art we view on our phones, televisions and laptops also evolves. The concept of cinematography captures the artistry of many film directors who aim to evoke emotions within their audiences. These intentionally crafted images capture the fictional worlds that filmmakers immerse their viewers in.

As an avid conscious movie watcher, films often bring a sense of comfort while exploring a new fictional world. This comfort connects to the cinematography that is developed as each scene of a film is created. When I observe the vibrant and colorful images a film brings to life, I can resonate with the role a film plays in my own self-reflection and experiences.

As films transitioned from black and white to colorful, vibrant moving images, we gained a new aspect of filmmaking that expanded the creative process. “Singin’ in the Rain,” a classic movie in Hollywood, exemplifies how the blissful dedication to artistry contributes to the color and lighting that a film can immerse its audience in. As more modern movies adopt the aesthetic of a dark and gloomy screen that is barely visible with full brightness, the art of vibrancy is lost.

This vibrancy brings life to its characters while pulling the audience in. Every color our pupils take in can create a new layer of meaning in how we interact and interpret films.

Color not only signifies a new era in film but also continues to push its boundaries through emotional resonance within the film’s aesthetic and its characters. “La La Land” is an exquisite example of the power colorful hues hold over emotion. It is not as simple as associating the color blue with sadness — it is a collection of what a scene portrays. The longing, tension and anguish that Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s characters bring to the end of the film are amplified through the intense and colorful hues that surround them.

The film allows its viewers to submerge themselves in a fictional, tragic love story while uncovering the beauty behind every colorful scene created. Whether consciously or subconsciously, our eyes perceive these hues in a film that builds its atmosphere to convey a message or the complex emotions of a character.

Color can also be seen through animation, which plays an even more significant part in fundamental storytelling. Color palettes create an atmosphere you can only submerge yourself in by taking in every aspect of a particular moment in a film.

Films such as “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” expand their abilities to impact the film industry with a distinct animation style, along with the colorful trance their audiences undergo. The hues not only reveal certain details not uncovered by dialogue, but they also create an art within the art of paying close attention to every intricate detail a film can bring to life.

“The Midnight Gospel,” an animated series, takes on color as a psychedelic trance for viewers — the saturated and joyful animation is juxtaposed with a podcast-style dialogue exploring existential life themes. This emphasis on vibrancy is a key factor in the series that resonates with the audience, adding a hidden layer of meaning to the intriguing dialogue that continues to thrust the audience into emotional complexities.

To seek the many details hidden or transparent in a film is what keeps filmmaking thriving. Every color, lighting or frame is intentionally chosen for the setting and impact of a film. These films, along with many others, continue to create universes that expand on human emotion and the beauty that surrounds them.

In an era with so many rapid technological improvements, art through film is increasingly necessary to develop our understanding of the world around us. Art reflects us while allowing for abstract ideas in film to be developed. This is now a challenge with the rise of artificial intelligence, ripping out the essence of filmmaking with its low effort and quality.

The art of vibrancy cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence that steals from the raw human creative process. With real human expression, cinematography can bring us more nuanced portrayals of characters along with the powerful storytelling of color. These portrayals are significant to our understanding of reality, which is often intertwined with fiction to expand our expectations and stay in touch with human emotion.

Cinematography keeps us constantly connected with the entertainment we consume, reflecting our experiences and making connections with each other. Art is vital to our world while continuing to be a catalyst for human creativity that revives the cinematography on our screens. It is up to us as conscious viewers to observe and cherish the art of vibrancy, keeping it alive through our human connection.

Maria Madrid is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee studying journalism. She can be reached at [email protected].