Colour scheme ideas for A2 media coursework.

1. Colour Scheme
Ideas

2. Colours Associated with British Films
• Black is a predominant colour used for British films. The colour connotes
dark and gritty atmospheres which relate to the majority of British film
narratives.
• Reds, oranges and pinks – vibrant colours such as red and orange often
connote danger which can be associated with some British realism
narratives. Pinks and reds are often linked with love and romance; a feature
of most films. Red is also connoted with promiscuity – another major
characteristic of British films.
• Colours resembling the British flag – blues, reds and whites. This reinforces
the ideas of British production and ideologies.

3. Colours Associated with Melodramas
• Red is often connected to melodramas as it connotes love and romance. It
also connotes danger, which promotes an idea of heightened excitement and
a disruption of the equilibrium (Todorov).
• Blue is a predominant colour in melodramas due to its connotations of
melancholy/grief which is a strong aspect of the genre. It can also represent
an idea of the ‘calm before the storm’, again a major characteristic of
melodramas.
• Yellow has also been seen to be a significant colour in melodramas as it
signifies happiness and optimism because in a lot of films of this genre, the
characters will always find a way to solve the disruption in the equilibrium
(Todorov).

4. Colour Wheel
We have chosen to go with blue, black and red as they can be associated with both
genres. The colour black connotes the gritty social realism of British films; the red and
the blue signify British ideology i.e. the British flag. The red connotes danger which is
relevant for our trailer as the main character deals with serious issues such as alcohol
and drug abuse. The blue and red are also connected with melodramas; the red
signifies intensity and passion – a common feature in melodramas. Our film trailer
analysis shows both of these which is why we decided to develop a colour palette with
red as a predominant colour.
This colour palette uses pastel colours which look softer and are more applicable to the
melodrama genre. The colour yellow connotes happiness, optimism and on the other
hand the decay of relationships in characters in the modern world, T.S. Elliot's 'The
Wasteland' is an example of this. The colour white represents purity, innocence,
wholeness and completion. This relates to the melodrama aspect of our trailer which
focuses on a young love narrative.
For this colour scheme we have chosen white, purple and black; we have chosen
black and white for the same reasons as above. The dark purple colour appeals to
both genders, this increases the demographic of our audience. It also connotes
magic and fantasy, this relates to the idea that she's in her own world an escape
from her problems.