Fundamentals of Previsualization

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Elements of Visual Language

Scene Breakdown

This scene from Spirited Away uses all of the elements of visual language to portray what is happening as Chihiro enters the bath house.The shapes of the bath house are made up of large squares and rectangles in contrast to Chihiro's smaller rectangles and circles, to emphasize the bath house's unmoving and dominating presence. Chihiro's feeling of vulnerability is also enhanced by the fact that the lines of the bridge and the way the scene is staged forces the eye from Chihiro's small body to the entrance of the large bath house. The lines of the bridge also suggests that there is no other way forward other than to enter this bath house.

The use of colour language can also be seen from the colour of the bath house; red. A colour of danger that alarms viewers that contrasts well against Chihiro's whites and greens, colours associated with innocence. Chihiro also has very light tones that contrast with the very dark and looming entrance of the bath house which she must enter.

Flour sack