Illuminating Emotion: The Role of Lighting in Shaping Atmosphere in Kubo and The Two Strings (2016)

This study examines the role of lighting in creating atmosphere and conveying emotions to the audience in the film Kubo and The Two Strings (2016), an animated film produced by Laika Studios. The film uses stop-motion technique. In this film, lighting is not just a technical element, but it functions as a narrative tool to support the development and expression of emotions, characters, and story themes. This study uses a qualitative method, which is content analysis of several key scenes in the film that show variations in lighting such as color, contrast, and light intensity. The results of this study show that warm lighting is closely associated with memories, hope, and love. Meanwhile, cool lighting represents sadness, danger, and the supernatural world. This study also finds that lighting is used to differentiate between two distinct realms, the human world and the spirit world. The lighting in this film also reflects the emotional journey of the main character, Kubo. In conclusion, the lighting in this film not only enhances the visual aspects of the story, but also plays an important role in conveying meaning, emotions, and the atmosphere of the narrative. This study is hoped to contribute to the field of animation, especially in understanding lighting techniques as a visual language in cinematic storytelling.