Polin Love Scenes - a lighting and environment story
Let’s walk through some of choices made for environmental storytelling in all of Polin’s intimate moments. This includes location, time of day, and also sometimes touching on costume choice (that's a much deeper topic!)
Every decision in these scenes feels superbly intentional and tied into the narrative. There’s such a strong teamwork that comes across between the art and writing departments, so I would be remiss not to share some of the things I've noticed.
Note: I was selective with the images so I don't get flagged :)
1. First Kiss
The setting itself, a flowery garden with leaves enveloping the scene, denotes a sense of secrecy but also safety, comfort, and beauty. Gardens at nighttime in the Bridgerverse carry of a message of forbidden love. This scene is about deep trust and care between these two, so it’s very fitting. It feels lush and protective with the leaves framing them. The moonlight is very gentle on them, and there’s a soft warm rim light on Pen (from another light source off cam behind her). This warm light frames her as an inviting figure, while Colin is bathed in moonlight alone. It signifies we’re in Colin’s POV for this scene and many of the scenes going forward. He’s seeing Pen as “warm light” while he’s in cool light — symbolic of his state of mind; lonely, unsure of himself, and adrift. She’s the sun and he's the moon, and he's desperate for some of her light. (Interesting how Colin will later say he hopes to "soak up some of her light"!)
Pen being positioned at a doorway symbolizes they’re going through a gate from which they can’t return from and she's on the other side of it, with him looking in. It’s a liminal space, a space of transition. The entire scene feels very placid and serene. Colin’s body language and face, feels very still and almost stationary, matching the environment mood. This contrasts to how much his world will be knocked off its axis by the end of the scene.
2. Dream
It’s a similar setting to the first kiss, but some things have changed. We now have lit torches bathing the scene in much more warmth and clarity of emotion (he's figuring out his feelings). And there’s a notable wind in the scene with mist. Notice how both Pen and Colin are wearing drapey fabrics — the sash and coat — so they can have movement in the wind. It lends itself to the idea that Colin is literally and figuratively being “swept” away by his feelings, and they’ve come suddenly and all at once like a gust of wind. There’s a stronger sense of cool and warm lights at play; it’s much like what we saw in the First Kiss garden, but more theatrical. These cues drive home the idea that we’re in a dream, this is not reality, but a heightened sense of what Colin felt in the garden.
Notice when they kiss this time they’re in the doorway, not on one side. They’ve met in the transition space. Colin has passed the threshold and they're standing in it together.
The torches imply that Colin’s carrying a torch for Pen. His torch has been lit, figuratively!
3. Carriage
Sammy Bates pointed out in her recent carriage analysis about the interplay of warm and cool light here. In the intro conversation before the confession, Colin is bathed in warm light, but Pen is in cool light, but things switch around. So I’ll expand on it!
Throughout the scene, because we’re in a horse drawn carriage, we have a movement of light throughout the windows much like traffic lights in a car. The movement of light increases the tension of feelings of movement and excitement in the scene. Both of them are “moving” into a new realm with each other, with a frenzy of different emotions. There's activity outside, but they're in their own emotional world. At certain frames, Colin is rim lit from both sides with different temperatures of light. This really makes his face seem dramatically different at times (and why some people have said he looks so different in this scene). Aside from Luke’s amazing facial control, I also think the lighting is causing this effect. Pen is seeing him in a way she has never seen before — desperate and starved and lovesick — so I find it fitting that his appearance is also shifting through lighting.
The space itself is tight and tunnel like, aiding the idea that this is extremely personal, intimate, and private. We feel like we’re intruders in the scene, drawn into close quarters with them. The handycam work immerses us, putting in the moment, unlike the stationary camera we have in other love scenes. We’re meant to feel like we’re experiencing this scene with them, not simply watching. We’re active participants.
4. Mirror
I was initially inspired to write this post because of this scene. The connotations of having their first time in the daytime is so meaningful. The themes of honesty, openness, truly knowing oneself and each other, is a recurring theme of this season. I love that for their first time, one that’s so gentle and tender, it’s in daylight. It speaks of a lack of shame Polin has in this moment, seeing each other completely bare for the first time, physically and emotionally. There’s a deep sense of trust that allows for that. This scene is a celebration of honesty and transparency. The strong backlighting from the sun outside the window makes them feel enveloped gloriously in light while also giving the scene a sense of drama with the strong rim light. Colin literally disappears in the glare at some points, making this scene feel almost heavenly as though they're completely caught up in light and angelic. They're both seeing each other on a pedestal, much like heavenly beings. There’s also a lot of shadowing from the interior, creating a sense of obscurity as well as privacy.
Colorful home for a colorful pair
The color of their new home’s interior feels modern and exuberant while also being deep and moody, perhaps to signify the tense space they will occupy in this home together in just a few episodes. The teal walls are quite saturated and deep compared to other sets which are all more neutral or pastel. It feels like the home of a creative couple, which is so fitting for them. The saturation denotes something of them being against the grain of their times. They’re mavericks, pops of color, in the dusty Regency palette of their time. They’re different. (We also know the greenish hues are a blending of Featherington and Bridgerton colors).
5. Modiste
Pen's in more light as they move toward reconciliation; Colin is seeing more of her intentions
Symbolism abounds in this scene. Firstly, the fact they’re both wearing a dark cloak and coat is so telling. They’re literally and symbolically cloaked. There’s secrets, tension, hidden emotions and feelings that are being guarded. They’re also hiding their true intentions and feelings from each other. They’re emotionally in a dark, shrouded place emotionally. They're not as peace with themselves nor each other. Honesty has been fractured, much like the light in this scene.
The setting is an urban street, a corridor with high walls, providing a concealed setting. Businesses are closed. The whole setting lends itself to a feeling of secrecy and seediness. But as the kiss progresses, they pop in and out of patches of moonlight until Pen is finally bathed in patchy light. It's partial light still, not total clarity yet. Colin is seeing her in a more improved, clearer light now, literally and figuratively. Their understanding of each other, relationally, is moving in and out of uncertainty and more towards a feeling of understanding and congruency.
I would be remiss to mention the curb that Pen and Colin use to gain either power or equality with one another throughout the argument, stepping up at various points. This is probably my favorite use of environment in any of these scenes to tell the story of their dynamic!
6. Wedding Dance
While not an intimate scene per se, Pen’s request to Colin that she’d like to “dance with my husband in the light of day” immediately grabbed my attention. That’s so meaningful because Pen’s secret has already been exposed. Dancing in the light of day at a wedding breakfast is rule-breaking (very Polin, or cheeky as Nicola says), but the idea behind the time of day is that they’d like to embrace each other in front of everyone without shame and hesitancy, and with forgiveness. They're seeing each other fully now, with no more secrets between them, although there are still obstacles left to overcome.
Unlike the mirror scene with its shadow effect, we have full natural day light. The setting is an open floor space. They’re completely in the open now. At the same time, the wedding guests create a frame, a square of intimacy around them as they dance. There is a feeling of lightness and levity with the colors in this scene. Pastel yellows and pinks feel cheerful, innocent, and hopeful, sweet even. The wedding guests dress in a colorful palette with a lot of prints and textures. It's all very cake-like. There's a union of ideas and colors, just like Pen and Colin are blending their different outlooks together after being at odds and on different pages.
7. Final Reconciliation
The final intimacy scene takes place early in the morning, as we can see from the light outside their window. Early day signifies new beginnings, hopefulness, renewal. The candles warm candles signify reignited love and closeness. There's also two of them as the camera opens. Twin flames. Pen and Colin.
There’s an interesting contrast in that Colin isn’t wearing anything while Pen is wearing her robe (LW one as well). He’s the one exposing himself, allowing himself to be vulnerable, surrendering himself to Pen. It’s a reverse from the mirror scene, where Colin has undressed and exposed Pen while he remains clothed. Colin is now free to be fully himself with Pen, free from insecurity. Much like how he undressed her and admired her the mirror, after building her up, now Pen has built him up in return. He is able to be fully vulnerable with her in control, and he surrenders to her out of trust and admiration.
Posted Jul 18, 2024, 6:57 AM UTC