Use of Color Schemes in Film

When Colors Say More Than What We See...

How do art directors use the color palette to create those stunning effects that make us believe in cinematic magic? Learn how to identify five standout examples in this guide.

Let’s begin:

Colors in film play a fundamental role. They set psychological tone, describe settings and characters, and even evoke associations linking what each color means to us with what we see on-screen. Essentially, color is another tool filmmakers use to convey specific information in the story, and to a large extent, the power and beauty of the visuals depend on how they manipulate those colors.

But how do they do this when multiple colors are at play simultaneously? How do professionals use a color palette to achieve concrete effects? How do they create visual harmony that evokes certain emotions? Having recently discussed the importance of color tones, today we dive into five approaches art directors use to achieve their desired results.

The essentials: those in charge of the screen’s color palette never lose sight of the color wheel—a fundamental tool for designers and familiar to many.

The color wheel (or color circle) is a standardized instrument that, in its simplest form, includes 12 colors based on the RYB model (Red, Yellow, Blue—the traditional color model). It has been deeply studied to understand how colors behave when combined and how they interact with each other. Over time, successful color combinations have been identified thanks to fine artists, evoking visual satisfaction in viewers.

Complementary Color Scheme:

This is the most basic scheme, based on colors that are opposite on the color wheel—complementary colors.

This is the most common choice among cinematographers today, especially the orange-and-blue—or even silver—combination. Usually one color is warm and the other cool, because they’re on opposite ends of the palette, resulting in a balanced and pleasing image. It’s versatile, suitable for both action and interior scenes. One example is Swept Away by Guy Ritchie.

Another complementary pair might be red and green, as seen in Amélie by Jean‑Pierre Jeunet.

Split-Complementary Scheme:

Otro ejemplo es "Donde Viven los Monstruos" de Spike Jonze.

This scheme is similar to complementary but with a twist: instead of the exact opposite on the color wheel, it uses two colors on the same side. It maintains contrast while softening the

tension of true complementary colors. You see this in the browns, greens, and blues of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby.

Analogous Color Scheme:

Analogous colors are those next to each other on the color wheel.

They complement each other well and can create palette harmony—if they stay within the same warm or cool range to avoid complementary tension. This scheme works wonders for outdoor scenes, like in nature, where one color dominates and another supports it, with white or black as a balancing third color. Examples include the ochres, yellows, and browns in Gattaca.

Spring Breakers by Harmony Korine also uses this scheme, prominently featuring pinks.

Triadic Color Scheme:

This scheme consists of three equally spaced colors around the color wheel, or nearly so. One color leads, the other two accent.

It draws visual attention without overwhelming, as the colors should not be too saturated. Although not widely used, a solid example can be found in Fellini’s Amarcord.

Tetradic Color Scheme:

Finally, the tetradic scheme involves four colors arranged to create rich—some might say excessive—harmony.

It’s important to note that the tetradic scheme doesn’t form a square on the color wheel, but rather a rectangle. Two pairs of colors are closer to each other than to the other pair.

This setup produces more vibrant visuals— as seen in a scene from Irma la Douce.

It’s also the scheme used in The Muppets Take Manhattan, directed by Frank Oz.

For more information on this topic, you can visit graphic designer Roxy Radulescu’s website at Movies in Color (cined.com, moviesincolor.com).