Annie Hall – Lighting

Annie Hall is a Woody Allen film released in 1977. It stars Woody Allen and Diane Keaton as the main characters, Max and Annie. The Director of Photography is the late Gordon Willis, who was also the Cinematographer on the Godfather trilogy and many other films (IMDB).

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932336/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr6

Allen and Wilson primarily use high-key lighting and natural lighting throughout the film, though low-key lighting is used in a couple scenes, when the dramatic effects are required. It seems like when we are being shown moments in time in Singer’s past, natural lighting is used to let us the viewer be in the moment and just witness it. Then in scenes where there is humor, they often switch to high-key lighting. High-key lighting is commonly used in comedies (Goodykoontz, 2014).

In this, the second scene of the film, Allen and Wilson use high-key lighting in a scene where Singer jokes about his childhood:

Natural lighting is used also because much of the film is shot on location in New York City, like this scene where Allen and Lane’s characters are on a date in Central Park and commenting on other people in the park.

Wilson and Allen also used low-key lighting in certain scenes, like the scene with Christopher Walken. This lighting helps set the dramatic and creepy mood.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm

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