It has been quite a while since a movie has caught my attention primarily for its aesthetic appeal. Where the Crawdads Sing (Netflix) is a visually stunning movie, from its cinematography to its colour scheme. The director Olivia Newman and producers Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter of the movie ensures that the visual aesthetics of the film gloss over the dark themes that it deals with. The movie is shot in Louisiana’s Fontainebleau State Park, Mandeville, and Fairview-Riverside State Park, Madisonville.
The movie offers splendid visuals of life in a marshland with sweeping views of the sprawling, sun-lit marshes, long green grass, the vast blue lagoon and white sand, down to shots of the sun shining through the branches and lush foliage of cypress trees and live oaks, that capture the intricacies and wisdom of nature and the bright hues of the wilderness. In the movie, Kya is abandoned by her family, and is left to fend for herself. Eventually Nature becomes her home. Production designer Sue Chan discusses how she and cinematographer Polly Morgan aimed to depict Kya's evolution throughout the story, through her shack-like home. “She is sort of frozen in this natural state once her family leaves and the whole natural world becomes her family. We wanted the feeling of everything being absorbed into her home,” Chan explains (James). This would reflect the strong connection that Kya has with Nature. The transition from the house being full of the members of the family to just Kya being left behind is illustrated using warm hues when the family was around, as opposed to the cooler tones that were later used when she was left behind.
Chan further adds, “Then when she starts to become a member of society, rather than blossoming, she sort of retreats the way an animal would. We sort of wanted to illustrate that in how you see her house evolving with the story” (James). The point in the film which marks the start of the house truly looking like Kya's home is when her career takes off, as the author of books based on insects and plants living in the marshland.
"We wanted nature to come into the home," as Chan says (James). When she starts working on the book and simultaneously defining her identity, her art as well as the choices she makes in her life are influenced by "the animals and color all around her" (James). In this manner, the cinematography of the film also maintains a high aesthetic appeal.
Kya's strong relationship with Nature and the portrayal of her in her natural state in her house is depicted not just in the production design of the house, but also in the camera shots, as explained by Morgan: “We shot scenes in her home like it wasn’t a set [...] We were able to frame Kya through doorways at certain times then move with her through the space and have this free-flowing feeling to the camera” (James). This effect is further enhanced with the floral, flowy dresses, checked shirts and patchwork quilts and bedspreads that were carefully chosen for the costumes and props. Morgan's smooth and lyrical camera work, less vibrant colour scheme and soft lighting helped create the desired "naturalistic" effect, to breathe life into Kya's surroundings and make her experiences relatable to the audience.
Kya's photography allowed her to be placed within her environment, for which Morgan described using a format camera sensor with Panavision's prototype lenses designed specifically for the movie. “We did shoot the movie on wide lenses most of the time with the 14 mm and 28 mm being my favorites. We wanted to keep the camera close and be with Kya in order to draw people into her world,' Morgan notes (James).
This framing then changes as Kya grows older and finds her footing and eventually her peace and a sense of confidence that she lacked earlier.
Kya in her home and natural environment is presented in stark contrast with the rest of the human, elitist society, which is represented by the dull courtroom and prison. The glaring absence of marsh sounds in the background, during these scenes, emphasises this contrast between the town and the marshland, and conveys how out of place Kya feels. This eerie silence also solidifies the sinister and unnatural effect that modern urban-industrial life seems to have on Kya, as someone who was born and brought up in the marshes, in the warmth and protection of Nature.
All in all, the mesmerizing, ethereal aesthetics brings the movie to life and establishes the environment and Nature as a significant character in the film, as well as a reflection of Kya's soul. The serene landscapes are perfectly captured to provide the audience with a rewarding experience.
So, grab yourselves some popcorn because this movie deserves some attention!
Works Cited:
James, Daron. “How ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ Production Designer & Cinematographer
Captured Nature's Challenging Splendor.” Motion Picture Association, 15 July 2022, https://www.motionpictures.org/2022/07/how-where-the-crawdads-sing-production- designer-cinematographer-captured-natures-challenging-splendor/.
“The Marsh Atmosphere in 'Where the Crawdads Sing' and the Editing and VFX Relationship
That Helped Shape It.” We'll Fix It In Post, 9 Mar. 2023, https://wellfixitinpost.com/the- marsh-atmosphere-in-where-the-crawdads-sing-editing-and-vfx/.
Where the Crawdads Sing. Directed by Olivia Newman, Columbia Pictures, 2022. Netflix app.
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