Last Tuesday in class we watched the works of Goldfrapp, a series of music videos titled after individuals, collectively known as ‘Tales of Us’.

While we watched them we payed special attention to the use of colour, the first one we watched was in black and white, whereas the next used colour at the end, and the next had soft colours throughout. The one that captivated me the most was the first, because while i say it was in black and white, it is more accurate to say it was in black and grey. The tones were all muted and there were no harsh contrasts. I found this effect beautiful, especially when it was applied to the setting, a gorgeous old house and rolling fields.

I think a lot of people look to using black and white when they want something to be seen as classy or high brow, especially since colour is the default nowadays. By filming in black and white people try and evoke the old, classic feel of old cinema, whereas I think this muted version is much more effective in creating that feel. The music video contained many scenes containing nudity, and some were in sexual contexts, but it never felt gauche or risqué, it always kept that tasteful feel.

I think this came about as an effect of three main elements, the muted tonality of the greys, the use of slow motion, and the song itself, which is quite slow and helps maintain the nostalgic mood. Of course other techniques and effects do come into play, like the way the camera never lingers on the more ‘tantalising’ areas of the bodies, or the physicality of the actors themselves.

Its an effect that I found to be quite beautiful and would be interested in experimenting with in some of my own works.