GrissomFREAK
CSI Level Two
I felt that this particular aspect of the show deserved to be mentionned -and I hope this is the right place.
I believe that among the many reasons why CSI is so successful and appealing to viewers all around the world, cinematography / photography / visuals rank pretty high (after of course Grissom's breathtaking hottness
)
They're part of CSI's uniqueness. CSI is a synonym for beautiful cinematography IMO. Indissociable.
Blame CSI for me being a screencaps maniac
I mean, let's face it, it's such a pleasure to watch this show. It's fun, it's original, it's riveting, it's innovative, it's instructive ... and there's always this one shot that sticks with you, and all you can think of is 'whoa!'
Here's a few aspects of cinematography that make CSI one of a kind:
- 'blue scenes'. Blue has now become the landmark color of the show, as opposed to Miami's orange
- (extreme) close-ups, or when facial expressions replace dialogues, and profiles (EDIT thanks happy_me_11 how could I forget about the profiles?!)
- CSI shots (another landmark of the show), or how to get a closer look at the world, and see things that you wouldn't normally be able to see
- Aerial views of Las Vegas shown in between scenes to mark a transition (LV at night, when graveyard shirt starts, and at dawn, whe shift's over), sunrises and sunsets, traffic, The Strip ...
- backlighting, shadow lighting, and the use of light in general.
Love those scenes where the only light there is comes from the flashlights.
- dark scenes (+ night shots). Darkness plays a major role on CSI. Almost as important as the characters themselves. Used to reflect the storyline, the mood the characters are in, and it gives CSI its unique atmosphere (haunting, creepy and oppressing)
- angles and camera moves
- contrast
LV = neon lights, blinding, aggressive colors, warmth, 'yellow' desert
Lab/interrogation room/offices = cold, dark
I believe that among the many reasons why CSI is so successful and appealing to viewers all around the world, cinematography / photography / visuals rank pretty high (after of course Grissom's breathtaking hottness
)They're part of CSI's uniqueness. CSI is a synonym for beautiful cinematography IMO. Indissociable.
Blame CSI for me being a screencaps maniac
I mean, let's face it, it's such a pleasure to watch this show. It's fun, it's original, it's riveting, it's innovative, it's instructive ... and there's always this one shot that sticks with you, and all you can think of is 'whoa!'
Here's a few aspects of cinematography that make CSI one of a kind:
- 'blue scenes'. Blue has now become the landmark color of the show, as opposed to Miami's orange
- (extreme) close-ups, or when facial expressions replace dialogues, and profiles (EDIT thanks happy_me_11
how could I forget about the profiles?!)- CSI shots (another landmark of the show), or how to get a closer look at the world, and see things that you wouldn't normally be able to see
- Aerial views of Las Vegas shown in between scenes to mark a transition (LV at night, when graveyard shirt starts, and at dawn, whe shift's over), sunrises and sunsets, traffic, The Strip ...
- backlighting, shadow lighting, and the use of light in general.
Love those scenes where the only light there is comes from the flashlights.
- dark scenes (+ night shots). Darkness plays a major role on CSI. Almost as important as the characters themselves. Used to reflect the storyline, the mood the characters are in, and it gives CSI its unique atmosphere (haunting, creepy and oppressing)
- angles and camera moves
- contrast
LV = neon lights, blinding, aggressive colors, warmth, 'yellow' desert
Lab/interrogation room/offices = cold, dark
