How Gen Z Filmmakers Can Use Colour Psychology to Hook Audiences
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
I’ve been working with film and video for over 14 years, and colour has always been my passion, whether it’s choosing the time of day for the perfect light or nailing the right colour balance for any project, big or small. Colour psychology in filmmaking is not just about making scenes pretty. It is a secret weapon to grab Gen Z and Millennial viewers right away. In Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), colours drive the story's emotional chaos, especially in the laundromat fight scene, where reds signal stress and blues hint at hope. This post dives into how you, as a budding filmmaker, can use colour to create videos that pop on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, with practical tips to make your content unforgettable.
Why Colour Psychology Matters for Gen Z Filmmakers
Photo by Pixabay
Younger audiences crave visuals that hit hard and fast. Colour psychology in filmmaking for Gen Z means using bold hues to evoke emotions instantly. Think vibrant reds for urgency or soft purples for nostalgia. Unlike older films, today's content needs to compete with endless scrolls. By understanding colour's emotional pull, you can craft videos that stop thumbs in their tracks. Check out our guide on the three key phases of video production to see how planning colours in pre-production saves time.
Breaking Down a Scene: Colour in Everything Everywhere All At Once
In the laundromat fight scene from Everything Everywhere All At Once, directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert use colour to mirror Evelyn's chaotic emotions. Bright reds dominate as she is overwhelmed, clashing with cool blues when glimpses of other universes appear. This rapid colour shift grabs Gen Z viewers, who love dynamic visuals. To replicate this, try balancing two contrasting colors in your shots to reflect conflict. This is perfect for short-form content. Want to nail your editing? Our post on video watch-time statistics shows how long you have to hook viewers.
Practical Tips for Using Color in Your Videos
Plan Your Palette Early: Sketch out your color scheme in pre-production to align with your story's mood. Creating a film mood board can help brainstorm ideas about colours by collecting images, swatches, and inspirations in one place. Tools like Milanote make this easy with free templates tailored for filmmakers.
Grade for Impact: Use free software like DaVinci Resolve to tweak hues, boosting reds for energy or blues for calm. Search "cinematic color grading" for tutorials.
Test on Platforms: Gen Z watches on phones, so test your colors on smaller screens to ensure they pop. Bright, saturated palettes work best for TikTok. For short-form videos like 15-second clips, lean into high-contrast colours like reds and pinks to grab attention in the first three seconds.
Want to see how top films nail their colour schemes? Check out Cinema Palettes for breakdowns of vibrant palettes in movies like Everything Everywhere All At Once. For more on streamlining your process, revisit our three key phases of video production.
| Color | Emotional Impact | Example in Film/Series |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Intensity, passion | Laundromat fight in Everything Everywhere All At Once (signals chaos and emotional overload) |
| Blue | Calm, introspection | Multiverse transitions in Everything Everywhere All At Once (evokes hope amid uncertainty) |
| Yellow | Energy, attention | Opening family scenes in Everything Everywhere All At Once (draws focus to warmth and beginnings) |
| Green | Growth, hope/envy | Player tracksuits in Squid Game (represents survival and a chance for renewal in high-stakes moments) |
| Purple | Mystery, royalty/drama | Shimmer sequences in Arcane (builds tension and otherworldly intrigue through transformation and addiction) |
| Pink | Playfulness, empowerment | Barbieland settings in Barbie (infuses joy and bold self-expression in dreamlike worlds) |
| Orange | Courage, vitality | Dance scenes in Wednesday (captures bold individuality and energetic moments) |
Avoid These Colour Mistakes
Overusing bright colours can overwhelm viewers, while muted palettes might bore Gen Z’s bold tastes. Inconsistent grading, like shifting from warm to cool tones mid-scene, confuses the mood. Test your footage on multiple devices to avoid washed-out colours. A 2024 study in the Art and Design Review found that strategic color choices can decrease task completion times by 30% and improve readability by up to 40%, so keep your hues intentional to boost retention.
Your Next Steps to Master Colour
Ready to put color psychology into action and elevate your filmmaking game? Start small to build confidence without overwhelming yourself: pick one emotion, like excitement or tension, and experiment with targeted hues such as vibrant reds for intensity or warm oranges for vitality in your next shoot. Grab your camera (or even your phone) and test how these colours shift the mood in a simple scene including maybe a quick TikTok-style clip or a short narrative experiment. Once you've tried it hands-on, dive deeper by analysing films like Everything Everywhere All At Once for inspiration; break down how its bold color shifts amplify emotional chaos, and jot down notes on what you could adapt for your own style. Don't stop there so expand your palette by exploring other Gen Z favorites, such as the shimmering purples in Arcane that evoke mystery or the empowering pinks in Barbie that spark playfulness. Share your color experiments in the comments below; I'd love to hear what worked for you and swap tips with fellow creators. Remember, mastering colour is all about iteration, so keep creating, refining, and letting your unique voice shine through every frame!
