The Colors of Stanley Kubrick - Color Theory from The Shining to 2001: A Space Odyssey and More

Mise-en-Scène Elements: How to Use Color in Film ►► bit.ly/mes-kubrick
00:00 Kubrick's Color Psychology
01:07 Color in Mise-en-Scene
02:00 RED - The Shining
02:42 ORANGE - Full Metal Jacket
03:25 YELLOW - Eyes Wide Shut
04:19 GREEN - 2001: A Space Odyssey
05:15 BLUE - Full Metal Jacket
06:05 PURPLE - Eyes Wide Shut
06:47 WHITE - A Clockwork Orange
07:38 How to Apply Color Theory
08:31 Next Ep: The Mise-en-Scene of Tim Burton
Mise en scene includes a number of different elements but perhaps none have such a direct and powerful impact on the overall effect of a shot than color. Color in film is an essential tool in visual storytelling and if there’s one filmmaker who understands this, it’s Stanley Kubrick. 2001 A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining are all visual feasts with color becoming the main course.
In this video essay, we’ll traverse Stanley Kubrick’s color palette across the color wheel. Once you see how much attention Kubrick gives to the colors in his mise en scene, you’ll see that the role it plays cannot be understated. Think of the overwhelming green in Full Metal Jacket, or the yellow Christmas lights in Eyes Wide Shut, or even the pronounced reds in Barry Lyndon. It becomes clear that each film’s color palette plays a huge role in the overall mise en scene.
In visual storytelling and mise en scene, we can find color in four distinct areas: sets & locations, props, costume/hair/makeup, and lighting. In Stanley Kubrick movies, we can find the entire color wheel represented in each of those elements of mise en scene. As you approach color theory and color psychology in your own work, remember the lessons of filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick.
There’s a reason we’re still obsessing over Stanley Kubrick movies decades later - his control of mise en scene, especially color palettes, is without equal.
#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking
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Songs used:
"Amber" - Makeup and Vanity Set
“White Wall” - Snowman
“Second Waltz” (Theme from Eyes Wide Shut) - Dmitri Shostakovich
Red Section: “Masked Ball” - Jocelyn Pook
Orange Section: Seals & Crofts - "Sweet Green"
Yellow Section: Bat for Lashes - “What’s A Girl To Do”
Green Section: “Mandy Love Theme” - Jóhann Jóhannsson
Blue Section: “The Blue Danube Waltz” - Johann Strauss II
Purple Section: “Forever Dilating Eye” - Sinoia Caves
White Section: “A” - Snowman
Outro: “Symphony 9, Op. 125” - Beethoven
Music by Artlist ► utm.io/umJx
Music by Soundstripe ► bit.ly/2IXwomF
Music by MusicBed ► bit.ly/2Fnz9Zq
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00:00 Kubrick's Color Psychology 01:07 Color in Mise-en-Scene 02:00 RED - The Shining 02:42 ORANGE - Full Metal Jacket 03:25 YELLOW - Eyes Wide Shut 04:19 GREEN - 2001: A Space Odyssey 05:15 BLUE - Full Metal Jacket 06:05 PURPLE - Eyes Wide Shut 06:47 WHITE - A Clockwork Orange 07:38 How to Apply Color Theory 08:31 Next Ep: The Mise-en-Scene of Tim Burton

[@LeonardoDelarete]

Why you horizontally flipped the image of Stanley Kubrick on the thumbnail?

[@aswanghalimaw]

Definitely the best channel for film and film language... The best resource for teaching.

[@StudioBinder]

Class in session ❤

[@ericallen2370]

It’s the best software manual ever

[@krypticunlimited6925]

fax

[@indymogul]

My mind is blown! Gotta love the incredible Kubrick. Thanks for the color breakdown!!

[@StudioBinder]

Cheers!

[@Truth-Seeker-333]

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and white.. 🤔 Colours of each chakra! The crown can be violet or white. Root = Red Sacral = Orange Solar plexus = yellow Heart = Green Throat = Blue Pineal gland = Purple Crown = violet/white.. Wakey Wakeys.. It’s time to rise and shine and move out of the illusion of the Television (Tell lie vision)

[@TheBlueMeanie101]

Feel free to just focus on Kubrick forever.

[@SBSChristianMedia]

hahaha! Yeah it really seems they've found their golden ticket. Either him or Tarantino. I am excited to hear the Tim Burton set design video

[@joshburgess1495]

I agree!

[@Lospollos24]

Ik right lol he’s the goat

[@StudioBinder]

It's tempting honestly

[@jimmy2k4o]

Paul Thomas Anderson Danny Boyle Should be appreciated too.

[@RoadtrippinwithTakacs]

You know it's going to be a good week when you wake up to a new Studio Binder video AND it's about Kubrick! 😀😁 Nicely done. 👍💪

[@StudioBinder]

New vid every week!

[@RoadtrippinwithTakacs]

@@StudioBinder Hehe. I definitely know. 😁😋

[@peachestea981]

Studio binder: Post something Film school: We dead.

[@ARUNKUMAR-xl7gz]

🤣

[@Daniel.Candamil]

AHHAHAA

[@star_gazing]

HAHAAHAHHAHAH

[@StudioBinder]

We back!

[@TARUNN4000]

@@StudioBinder you rock

[@julianna5247]

This is so well edited omg

[@StudioBinder]

We love our editors :)

[@violinsinthevoid4579]

Barry Lyndon is an amazing movie and deserves more love.

[@StudioBinder]

Another great achievement in Kubrick's filmography for sure

[@hallforall37]

Studio binder is the reason for my continuous love towards cinema. You guys are the best.

[@StudioBinder]

That's why we're here! Spreading the love :)

[@PonchiOFFICIAL]

Y’all actually starting to make more kubrick videos, i love it!!

[@StudioBinder]

He's the best!

[@DeflatingAtheism]

The color used in Eyes Wide Shut- particularly in its use of accent lighting- is used consciously to reference other moments in the film. When I saw 'Vertigo' in a theatre a few years ago, I was surprised at how its own 'color-coding' reminded me of EWS.

[@StudioBinder]

Both films used color to great effect 👌

[@environmentart]

Those reds and greens in the hotel scenes must have been incredible in the theatre.

[@Fernandolunatoro1]

Stanley kubrick is the GOAT! His films, no matter how many times, always make me feel like there is something more. RIP you beast!

[@CaughtInTheLoop]

The music from Eyes Wide Shut instantly gives me goosebumps every time. The music from the Masked Ball is the most haunting piece of music I know. And that movie is a masterpiece!

[@samuelborsellino2553]

An excellent use of color is in “dr strange love”

[@StudioBinder]

I loved its color palette

[@darmus8928]

@@StudioBinder Although Dr Strangelove was black and white, Stanley Kubrick wanted the war table or something green to give the actors a feeling that they are playing poker deciding the fate of the world. Here's the proof: www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=m.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/trivia&ved=2ahUKEwin_r6E8fvrAhUXc3AKHRMGDlMQFjAAegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw3zOT3_91To_pjFTRjZTnZA

[@darmus8928]

@Cheryl Graham I don't know much about it, but I remembered about the green table trivia from this humorous video from Joblo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqSzfZJ4rrWLpq8

[@offcannyradio]

Whoever edited this video to match Kubrick's work to the music perfectly deserves a raise.

[@srivatsavalluru1576]

I get more dopamine watching 100mins studio binder's videos than watching a single film. (doesn't matter whose film it is.) Love your videos so much.

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for the comment! We'll keep cranking them out :)

[@srivatsavalluru1576]

@@StudioBinder I hope you are continuing character archetype series.

[@dedicateddetails]

Using the music called The Blue Danube in the background when talking about the colour blue is very clever!

[@alphzoup]

As someone who did go to film school, I think im learning more from StudioBinder than 4 years in film school. I now teach high school video production classes, and I REALLY wish I could show these videos 😭 15-30 seconds cut and I could probably get away with it. I watched Julie Taymor's Titus in a high school class in 2000, which would not pass today (nor then, really!). That is another beautiful use of color in film. StudioBinder, have you thought about going into the formal education business, with content for different age levels? 🤔🤑

[@StudioBinder]

We like the free education format that is KZbin and our blog haha

[@crawlinginfilm9683]

Are you ok with your vids being played, in part or full, credited/linked, in other peoples' classes?

[@za_izhar]

I am no filmmaker but addicted to this channel anyone else?

[@ianmichael5768]

As a physicist obsessed with light, and also a person that appreciates Kubrick's social commentary through film, this is an incredibly well edited to-the-point analysis. Green is most important, since humans are energetically biased to this color. Excellent video, truly respect the color transitions and editing!

[@canvasengineer]

Every one of these episodes is so good. Can't wait for the next one!

[@StudioBinder]

On their way!

[@samueladebiyi394]

The Color breakdown is absolutely spot on!! Love it! Going to look forward for the next episode

[@salemalifilms8508]

We need to see a Christopher Nolan directing style we saw Fincher, Kubrick, shamalan, and villnueve and I think Nolan is good

[@chinmaysomani92]

Yeah! But we also need Kubrick more🙏.

[@forrestjamison5387]

We def need a nolan dir style

[@soumalyaghosh6643]

Yeah a Nolan one is must

[@StudioBinder]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIutmpJtbb2IjMk Our director's chair video on Nolan's directing and writing

[@nizamuddinsyed4566]

There is no one director in this world of cinema, to compare with Stanley Kubrick.

[@MasDouc]

Nowadays directors just throw in blue and orange and call it a day.

[@HBICTiff]

I wish there were many more colors so I could watch this video all day.

[@StudioBinder]

That would be too much editing 😂

[@Ambar42]

I love everything about this. Colour is my favourite element in film and Kubrick one of my favourite directors. Beautiful video.

[@shiny2654]

Very interesting for finding Colors are connected with sine emotions of the scene in his film. Thank u for making video of Kubrick(most favorite director) for two weeks in a row.

[@StudioBinder]

Glad you liked it!

[@abhideshmukh2182]

Wtf 🤩😂🤣🤣🤣🤯... Again I just watched Eyes Wide shut Nd the notification hit😱... I think sir Kubrick became a STARCHILD nd watching Everything🤙🔥

[@totallybored5526]

Abhi Deshmukh that just proves he faked the moon landing

[@abhideshmukh2182]

@@totallybored5526 we dont know that certainly...

[@StudioBinder]

Haha he's blowing our minds to this day

[@abhradeepgoswami9872]

Kubrick is hell yeah!!!! My intro with kubrick was from the Chris Nolan refernece through his surreal epic space saga 2001...after that I wanted to watch every movie of his literally. (I finished all in quarrantine period) And I watched most of 'em. And what I found was his deep dedication and analysis of facts before going into some project which led to it's near perfect execution. (He was not born talented,dull mind but he worked so hard that people now call him born with talent!) He has transcended genre with movies.. From thrillers ,horrors to historical to war to comdey to romance to sci-fi (only one but that's his legend). No doubt his thoughtful and complex angels were underassesed during his own time. He was, is and always will be The Stanley Kubrick. Thank u for your intellectual gift to the young generation.

[@StudioBinder]

Always a great time to watch Kubrick films 😀

[@abhradeepgoswami9872]

@@V.V.V.V.V.V.VMy opinion got too straightforward I think. Thanks for the suggestion😊 I knew about his passion for photography,historic and novella literatures also and chess playing(he was member of state chess organisation I think in late years, Actually, I literally studied kubrick's journey.....after2001,the first encounter ) He was so much fond of it that he usually depicted in many of his movies like in 2001 playing with Hal... What I am trying to say is during his schoollife he was considered dull and unltalented but his latent potency got disclosed when he started on his own to shone his passion into his own way.... Just trying to depict the hard working capacity of his genius!!!!

[@Sarakindamt]

This channel is the best, I can't believe that we have access to this for free

[@alhadkamat2396]

I love your videos and especially how you emphasize on it through your choice of music. Really loved the choice of background music/songs you picked for this video. May I know what they were 🙏

[@StudioBinder]

Makeup and Vanity Set - "Amber" @ 1:07 Snowman - “White Wall” @ 1:36 “Second Waltz” (Theme from Eyes Wide Shut) composed by Dmitri Shostakovich Red Section: Jocelyn Pook - “Masked Ball” Orange Section: Seals & Crofts - "Sweet Green" Yellow Section: Bat for Lashes - “What’s A Girl To Do” Green Section: “Mandy Love Theme” composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson Blue Section: “The Blue Danube Waltz” composed by Johann Strauss II Purple Section: “Forever Dilating Eye” - Sinoia Caves White Section: Snowman - “A” @7:38/Outro “Symphony 9, Op. 125” composed by Beethoven

[@ckdk6445]

I think in the contemporary cinema no one uses colors better than Wes Anderson(he is so formal and his color choice looks so pefect).

[@ballo3595]

Loving the prevalence of Eyes Wide Shut music in the beginning!

[@StudioBinder]

Cheers!

[@ampires1976]

Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. I was searching for this.

[@tonyjohnson3717]

The great thing about kubrick is his knowledge of when and when not to use color.

[@StudioBinder]

Agreed, it all comes down to quality of direction

[@charon7320]

also, in eyes wide shut the 'yellow' lights have a different symbolistic, as when dialogue characters have goes from normality to corrupt the lights behind switch from white bulbs(yellowish) to Christmas lights. check out the party opening, when alice speaks with the Hungarian guy about being married the lights behind go white, when he mention what folklore has to say about marriage, the lights go to Christmas lights which here represents corrupt. if you notice this detail you can actually follow the story further and pinpoint right behind bill Hartford is stops his walk with the two models, when they talk about the 'rainbow ends' light go Christmas, when they mention what a gentleman he is camera moves and their background goes white lights again. awesome. and yes it takes a collective effort to decipher kubrick, thanks you for this video.

[@madameversiera]

Wonderful video! I love how you explain Kubrick's work, thank you!

[@StudioBinder]

Glad you liked it!

[@brunoarnabar7450]

Not only do I love Kubrick, but I love StudioBinder too ❤️

[@StudioBinder]

😍 Thanks for the support!

[@JoJo-xp6wr]

Since the video about tone of colour in movies, I knew you knew your stuff, magnificent work!

[@StudioBinder]

Glad you're liking the content!

[@roberthipolito1351]

bruh this channel is pure gold; also the best way to sale their software

[@hey0h]

This is great! You should cover how Wong Kar-Wai uses color in his films.

[@MagneticDonut]

Outstanding video, wonderful study! Thank you so much!

[@StudioBinder]

Cheers!

[@bySterling]

Curious, I don’t recall nearly that much color pop in The Shining (as the contrast and saturation popped in this vid?) Awesome video indeed!

[@StudioBinder]

hmm, that is curious 😯

[@-0rbital-]

Great stuff. Wish it had been longer though.

[@sctrgs3207]

This has been exceptional, and greatly appreciated.

[@clausvergara9702]

Thank you! This is very helpful and educational video. Keep it going, guys. I appreciate a lot.

[@StudioBinder]

More coming every week!

[@DelightLovesMovies]

There is so much going on with color in Eyes Wide Shut you could make a feature film about it alone.

[@slimandnone__6545]

Look up Rob Ager's video on rainbows and intentional lens flairs used in EWS. Truly amazing work.

[@stevesharief7]

wow this video is so well done

[@Epiousios18]

Best advertisement I've ever seen.

[@raees6330]

Thank you so much. Thanks to you I don’t need to go to film school.

[@StudioBinder]

Cheers!

[@rammkumaru261]

Wow 🤩. Thank you guys For this colourful video

[@StudioBinder]

Hope you had a vivid experience

[@hermeticdragon2643]

Loved the use of Jóhann Jóhannssons Mandy score in the video.

[@alex.afshar-film]

That was very colorful! Thanks!

[@harsitpriyan2818]

There is also a colour: Black Black helps to focus something like wearing as a black and it used black as a background and place a object or something on it. It helps to focus on that object like the Frank floating in the space

[@matthias7893]

Great video as always

[@hermeticdragon2643]

Would be interesting to see a video on Kubricks use of black and shadow.

[@virajkavle5451]

Thank you so much for these videos🙏

[@StudioBinder]

Cheers!

[@Vanyx1000]

I wish movies from nowadays would use colours in such a visually interesting manner.

[@geetaaradhye3893]

The aesthetic of this video itself!! I mean , wow!!!!!

[@StudioBinder]

❤ Doing Kubrick justice

[@bocifersmith4281]

every song in this video is too good. thanks for listing them!

[@savvinaal9144]

best channel, i can understand every word in english:D

[@mr.motivational4119]

Love this video love you all When is next shortlist love

[@StudioBinder]

Shotlist episodes are on the last week of every month!

[@krokelhead232]

Thank you Studiobinder you're the best.

[@2d424]

The way Kubrick uses each color is very interesting, each color is used in a familiar yet not so common way, they represent something which they are associated with in color theory but is not commonly used.

[@ryancarroll2886]

I love the music from Panos Cosmatos films in this. Both times my ears perked up.

[@gwendolynregione1194]

love this channel ❤

[@Kladium]

Great video!

[@JamesClark1991]

Brilliant video ❤️

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for watching!

[@antonfrancisnotario3352]

Sorry it took me a while to watch this video. Anyways as always you never disappoint us on how you explain things in every movie❤👏😊

[@StudioBinder]

Watch anytime you please :)

[@kinducproductions8929]

Kubrick is truly a master filmaker.

[@shreyangaurab7519]

Nice video. Can you please also do something on around aster or safdie bros?

[@StudioBinder]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpTPlpSHZ656nbc How the Safdies, Tarantino, and Kaufman write true stories

[@alessioaiello9911]

Amazing content

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks!

[@Jack-ik5lh]

Yasss Tim Burton he’s one of my favourite directors

[@StudioBinder]

On its way!

[@Jack-ik5lh]

StudioBinder I’m glad to hear that 😀

[@sarthakchakrabarti9502]

This channel have separate fanbase. This matters a lot for a person who desires every second of its life to be a filmmaker and yes, I am one of them.

[@caabirhusen3219]

Amazing video My only complaint is Barry Lyndon scenes were not given much footage in this video😅😅 Since we all agree Barry Lyndon is the most most well photographed film

[@PancakeDiaries]

The music for orange is the sample for Busta Rhymes Put Ur Hands Where My Eyes Can See

[@joaquinhernandez6940]

I now have an idea for a Kubrick-esque color palette for a film I am writing. Green and red (death and nature; love and anger).

[@StudioBinder]

Nice! Happy filming :)

[@manjulasarkar4583]

Great video

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks!

[@SOLIDSNAKE.]

Kubrick is my inspiration!

[@MrHL5]

thank you for this great video

[@StudioBinder]

thanks for watching!

[@EddieLensweiger]

Great Music use and brilliant final goodbye quote, hah

[@elgringoperdido.]

Studiobinder and In Depth Cine are my go to!

[@StudioBinder]

We're doing something right then!

[@bi0lizard1]

Kubrick was nothing short of genius. He took that silly ghost story of Stephen Kings Shinning and made into something much deeper…it became a cinematic masterpiece classic. King was an idiot for criticizing Kubrick.

[@krishnachennuboina1360]

@studiobinder Love you 🤟, the soundtracks for colours are awesome.

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks! We love our editors :)

[@shortshaker9236]

What's that song called playing in the background? 5:15

[@drewmoorestuff]

Can anyone tell me the name of the song playing during the Yellow section?

[@poetic444]

I love this.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

There was a video in 2018 that was a superb study of colour in _The Shining._ WB ordered it removed, just that one specific video.

[@henrybecker6751]

Anyone know the soundtrack at 4:34 ?

[@StudioBinder]

“Mandy Love Theme” composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson

[@jascrandom9855]

You forgot about Black. I think in Kubrick films it meant the Unknown or the yet Unrevealed.

[@StudioBinder]

It's a bit hard to include black because it's achieved more through darkness and shadows than lighting and set design but you're right that it's significant!

[@jascrandom9855]

@@StudioBinder *Gasp! Sempai noticed me!

[@acelfahmyrossy9864]

can you guys help me what's the song name on minutes 3:33 on YELLOW...

[@SillyWillyFan47]

Nice! Are all of your choices of music for each color from Kubrick soundtracks? If so, which ones? If not, where from? And why did you chose them? Studio Binder do please tell.

[@diegobenztejada]

Their from Soundtracks of other movies and some are remixes of movie scores.

[@StudioBinder]

@@diegobenztejada yes, and we also use royalty free music from the sources in our description above!

[@diveshsv2160]

I have just started watching Kubrick movies....can someone plz tell which is the best order to watch his movies ( I've seen the shining....loved it!)

[@diveshsv2160]

@@V.V.V.V.V.V.V thank u so much!

[@tonywords6713]

Clockwork or Strangelove would be good jump starts.. FMJ or Shining are more pop

[@StudioBinder]

If you're planning on watching all of them, I'd say do it from chronological order. See how his ideas developed and reoccurred as he aged and witnessed the historical/cultural events happening around him

[@pedroreyesrevelles4420]

DD Lenoir but spartacus is also a masterpiece and you can appreciate kubrick’style on it

[@diveshsv2160]

@@StudioBinder ok...thank u so much for the reply!! :)

[@jasminerazick9557]

I can't thank u enough for all u taught me

[@quinnlloyd3977]

Kubrick was an alchemist. He is using the alchemical color system (basically the chakras) but it also includes the 7 metals lead to gold. Gold and yellow represent different things. People would know this if the world was in shape.

[@orionlax626]

Or they're just colours.

[@TheAndrewmcnelis]

what is the music playing when you discuss orange please?

[@StudioBinder]

Seals & Crofts - "Sweet Green"

[@TheAndrewmcnelis]

@@StudioBinder thanks boss

[@Thespeedrap]

Good video color is powerful even when making movies I'll remember that.

[@StudioBinder]

Yup, it can always be used to great effect

[@jaju6098]

Please do make a video on distinction between the Plot and a Story.

[@StudioBinder]

That is an interesting idea 🧐

[@jaju6098]

Would just love is you could do this...😍

[@pawlpoche8736]

I would say Guillermo del Toros The shape of water used green to great effect

[@StudioBinder]

Agreed!

[@user-im8kv3np3d]

Please, do more videos about Stanley Kubrick.