Filmmaking Tips: Negative Space

In our previous blog post we discussed the use of vignettes to help filmmakers isolate the audience’s attention to one particular part of a frame. In this post we’re going to discuss the strategy of using negative space (sometimes called “dead space”) to help you isolate a particular part of a scene.

Using negative space helps you, as the filmmaker, accomplish many technical, creative and story-telling goals. For example using negative space helps with the following:

1. Controls the color palette of a shot
2. Simplifies the shot (removes visual clutter)
3. Adds depth to a shot
4. Isolates the audience’s attention to a particular part of the frame.

The Hong Kong born filmmaker, Wong Kar Wai, has mastered the use of negative space. Many of his films use this stylistic approach to framing in order to accomplish the goals mentioned above. The reason we teach our students this visual strategy is because it often also means that the filmmaker isn’t required to design and light as much physical space, which consequently helps them save money while at the same time allowing them to add production value to their films by focusing only the most essential space of a scene.

Below you’ll find a still image from the Wong Kar Wai film “Ashes of Time“. You’ll notice that this particular shot accomplished all of the objectives discussed in the list above. The negative space in this shot is located on the left side of the frame. All that exists in the foreground is a gradient of red.

If you have a short film were you’ve successfully used negative space to accomplish any of the goals discussed above feel free to post in the comment section below.

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Message by:  Lights Film School
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