Cinematography technique · used in 1 film

High-Contrast Monochrome

Shooting in stark black and white with deep blacks and bright whites and little gray between, so images look raw and hard-edged.

Examples

Where you can see it

  1. Pi (1998) poster

    Pi

    Darren Aronofsky · 1998

    Aronofsky shot on 16mm high-contrast black-and-white reversal stock, aiming for a raw, spontaneous look. The faces and apartment walls look harsh and unsoftened. It makes Max's world feel like a place with no mercy.

    Where to see it: Max's apartment. The black and white make the cramped rooms and his pale face look stark.

Questions

Quick answers

What is high-contrast monochrome in film?
Shooting in stark black and white with deep blacks and bright whites and little gray between, so images look raw and hard-edged.
Which films use high-contrast monochrome?
Pi (1998).
What kind of technique is high-contrast monochrome?
It is a cinematography technique. Related cinematography techniques include Real Locations as Character, Handheld Cinema Vérité, Practical In-Camera Effects.

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