The document analyzes key visual elements in the film Black Swan including mirrors, lighting/shadows, costumes, settings, and how they relate to the characters and themes. Mirrors represent loss of identity and foreshadow Nina's transformation. Shadows create mystery, with light symbolizing good and dark symbolizing evil. Nina's costumes transition from light to dark colors as she changes from good to bad. Surrounding characters wear dark clothing, exaggerating Nina's innocence. Settings like Nina's pink bedroom and the grey corridors reflect her mood and loneliness.

1. Black Swan Research
Sarah BOUKADDOUR 12A

2. Mirrors
The theme of mirrors is an important aspect of this
film which can connate many different meanings.
Firstly mirrors is a vital item in the ballet world in
order for ballets to watch their performance and make
sure they look the part. However mirrors can also be
used to show fractured personality/confusion , mental
reflection , multiple reflection, vanity thus creating
suspense for the audience. The mirrors in the black
swan was to portray loss of identity, as she would see
an evil double in the mirror foreshadowing who she's
about to become.
Shadows / Lighting
Shadows are also commonly used in this film in order
to create a sense of mystery. This is used really well
during the opening scene, where the shadow seems to
be covering the top half of her body. People usually
associate light and shadows with good and evil,
because of the fact her top half is portrayed in dark
light indicates that part of this could be evil.
Furthermore the use of both light and shadow/dark
light suggest she has both evil and good in her
character.

3. Costumes
Nina goes through a transition of personality change from good to bad, this is also reflected on to her
clothing, most importantly the colour of her clothing. She goes through a slow transition from pinks/whites to
black. As Nina becomes more mentally damaged her clothing darkens and her hair comes down, as her
character is pushed away from elegance and sophistication.
At the beginning of the film Nina wore white clothing which Is a symbol of kindness, innocence and purity, it
could also symbolize a virgin. The reflection of the colour white shows a good person almost too good. During
the transition she moves on to darker colours like black which symbolises evil, a seducer and mystery. This is all
due to her determination of wanting the lead role in the play. This just indicates that clothing plays a big impact
on reflecting the personality of a character.

4. Characters/costumes
Nina’s archrival Lily (Mila kunis’s character) is a complete
opposite to her both in colour and behaviour. The clothing
that Lily wears through out this film consists of dark colours
and remains like that. The darkness of her clothing in this
character was used to portray the black swan , and could also
connate evil. However the idea of dark clothing is also
reflected upon the majority of the other characters in the
film, for example ...
The mother The director Ballet dancers The nurse
Many of the characters surrounding Nina's character are dressed in dark clothing. This was
done in order to exaggerate Nina’s innocence and unique character. The colour black connotes
darkness , evil and mystery however in some cases like lily's character the black is a symbol of
a sexual and a rebellious character. An aspect of lily’s character that Nina does not have which
is preventing her from winning over her black/white sawn role. Nina seems to be
outnumbered in terms of colour of clothing this just foreshadows soon or later she will be
lured into the ‘dark’ side.

5. Settings
Nina's bedroom Is almost
like a child's room, the
room is full of different
shades of pink including
her silky pink dress. From
the pink room and her
facial expression this
The grey corridors is a place where the ballet conveys an off putting
dancers reflect upon themselves or are waiting child like state she is in
to perform. The use of the colour grey suggests which shows she feels
a cloudy or moody theme portraying a negative very unhappy in her life.
and sad atmosphere. This could reflect Nina’s She feels trapped and
mood at the time. Also the long and narrowness controlled even at an
of the corridor suggest her loneliness and again adult age.
independence. Yet again contributing to the
negativity of the atmosphere and her mood.
The bathroom is a common setting that is shown in the
film. The bathroom is a sign of privacy, something that this
character does not get through out the film, as she is
mostly trapped under the gaze of her mother. However the
bathroom itself is not capable of giving her own privacy as
a number of times she is interrupted by her mother, lily or
her hallucinations of her evil self. This effect exaggerates
the fact that this character’s privacy is always being
invaded, almost making her feel very venerable and weak.