>>- the lighting in this episode ensured that this episode would lack any happiness.<<
Do you think that the lighting (darkish blue) might suggest it's in House's head? In a way, it seems similar to "No Reason" in that the people in it reflected how House views them, as well as functioning as aspects of himself. I'm toying with the idea, given to me by a friend via e-mail...
I'm going to jump in here. I'm not expert, but I work with and around lighting designers a lot, so lighting is something I have lots of thoughts about. I don't think it was meant to suggest this is a hallucination or a vision of House's at all. It's incredibly symbolic of what's happening, though. The color and the clarity were two elements of the lighting that really jumped out at me. It was very muted, the color. The bright, saturated colors that we usually see were not there tonight, and I think that was meant to evoke a subconcious emotional reaction in the viewer. It would immediately dampen a mood, give the viewer a sense of gloominess. That this isn't 'happy'. Also, that these characters are living in a dark place right now. It's just as gloomy and gray for them too.
There was also a lot of haze in the air. Literal haze. You can tell it wasn't just a filter because you can see the beams of light everwhere. Through windows. In hospital hallways. All over the place. And when haze is used like that it's always an atmospheric thing--to create a sense of uncertainty and show that the world is literally unclear. And it's used as a symbolic thing. These characters are not thinking very clearly. They are living with a lot of uncertainty now. The circumstances surrounding Kutner's death are and probably will remain unclear and the only thing the characters are left to do is work through the fog and haze and grope for their own conclusions. It's indicative of a struggle. And I thought it was a fantastic creative choice.
I now know it wasn't a dream from reading Ausiello's column. :-) Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge about lighting. It's really impressive; I will read your post again right before I rewatch so I can pay attention to all the things you've pointed out - things I'd never notice on my own!
Do you think that the lighting (darkish blue) might suggest it's in House's head? In a way, it seems similar to "No Reason" in that the people in it reflected how House views them, as well as functioning as aspects of himself. I'm toying with the idea, given to me by a friend via e-mail...
I'm going to jump in here. I'm not expert, but I work with and around lighting designers a lot, so lighting is something I have lots of thoughts about. I don't think it was meant to suggest this is a hallucination or a vision of House's at all. It's incredibly symbolic of what's happening, though. The color and the clarity were two elements of the lighting that really jumped out at me. It was very muted, the color. The bright, saturated colors that we usually see were not there tonight, and I think that was meant to evoke a subconcious emotional reaction in the viewer. It would immediately dampen a mood, give the viewer a sense of gloominess. That this isn't 'happy'. Also, that these characters are living in a dark place right now. It's just as gloomy and gray for them too.
There was also a lot of haze in the air. Literal haze. You can tell it wasn't just a filter because you can see the beams of light everwhere. Through windows. In hospital hallways. All over the place. And when haze is used like that it's always an atmospheric thing--to create a sense of uncertainty and show that the world is literally unclear. And it's used as a symbolic thing. These characters are not thinking very clearly. They are living with a lot of uncertainty now. The circumstances surrounding Kutner's death are and probably will remain unclear and the only thing the characters are left to do is work through the fog and haze and grope for their own conclusions. It's indicative of a struggle. And I thought it was a fantastic creative choice.
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