Read more: Black and White Visuals in ‘Ripley,’ ‘Feud’ and ‘Sugar’ Create ‘Otherworldly’ Settings Perfect for Gritty Murders and Glitzy Balls (Variety)
Shooting in black-and-white is a bold (but effective) choice.
A monochromatic approach is seen in three recent series: Netflix’s “Ripley,” FX’s “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,” and Apple TV+’s “Sugar.” These shows utilize black-and-white cinematography to evoke moods, illuminate character complexities and establish memorable settings.
READ MORE: Shadow and Light: Cinematographer Robert Elswit’s New Noir for “Ripley”
“Removing color to mine character and emotion from each shot suits the 1960s Italy-set ‘Ripley,’ but it isn’t the only show to do it this season — just the only one to do it from start to finish,” writes Variety’s Hunter Ingram.
READ MORE: “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” Goes “Behind the Scenes” of the Black and White Ball With an Imagined Documentary
“Elsewhere, the monochromatic palette is deployed more sparingly, but just as effectively. The third episode of FX’s resurrected anthology series ‘Feud: Capote vs. the Swans’ recreates the 1966 Black and White Ball hosted by writer Truman Capote in painstaking, monochromatic detail. In Apple TV+’s Colin Farrell-led ‘Sugar,’ audiences are reacquainted with the noir genre through a sinister black-and-white opening sequence before color seeps into his world.”
“With black and white, you can get away with murder in ways you couldn’t when you are shooting in color,” Jason McCormick, “Feud” cinematographer, told Variety.
While a monochrome approach might cover a multitude of cinematic sins, when deployed intentionally, it can be more than just an aesthetic choice. Black-and-white can be a powerful vehicle for storytelling that transcends the limitations of color and draws audiences into the heart of the narrative.
READ MORE: The Visual Elements for “Sugar” Make a Different Kind of Hollywood Mystery
The throughline for viewers? Ingram explains: “Taking color out of the picture literally opens a whole new world of awareness.”
Learn more about the role of modern monochrome in these 2024 series:
- “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” Goes “Behind the Scenes” of the Black and White Ball With an Imagined Documentary
- Shadow and Light: Cinematographer Robert Elswit’s New Noir for “Ripley”
- The Visual Elements for “Sugar” Make a Different Kind of Hollywood Mystery
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