#young royals cinematography

[gulliblelemon]

The difference in lighting temperature between the corridor and the Headmistress' office at the end of episode 3 in season 1 is stark. The corridor is warm and orange, and the office (even though she has a lamp with a warm bulb in it) is cold and blue.

Something something Wilhelm going from somewhere good and warm to somewhere bad and cold.

[sillylittleflower]

young royals cinematography edits

colors in young royals season 1 by Bri on youtube, music: choral by Matti Bye

cinematography season 1 and 2 by Bri on youtube

@youngroyalsarchive

[kruemel8]

Mentally I’m still here.

[absent-o-minded]

Tiny YR S3 Analysis

Just wanted to compare the parallels between these two hand holds in 3x05 and 3x06:

(Please ignore the shitty screencaps, I tried my best)

In terms of composition, these shots are identical. A hand-hold centre to the frame, in a car with the camera placed in the middle. However, they're underpinned by different narrative contexts.

Here, the first shot from 3x05 is drenched in darkness. The actual lighting inside of the car is dim enough to obscure both of their suits, which almost blend them into the seats and so it becomes hard to distinguish between the two of them - The only focussed light is on their conjoined hands. Notably, the actual touch itself is tentative, almost like the bridging of an awkward divide on the way to the palace. Neither of them are sure what the touch actually means. Even their sleeves fall over their wrists and interfere with the actual act, so we only see the bottom half of their hands. Simon reaches out first and places his hand in the open sliver between the two seats before Wille accepts and laces their fingers together. It's an assured squeeze that reads as: "I'm not sure what will happen. I'm nervous." "I am too."

This scene has garnered a lot of analysis for its parallel to the Kristina x Wille car scene in S1 where people have commented on the reversal of blocking - Wille now assumes Kristina's position and Simon equally assumed Wille's. We now know that this arrives before the birthday explosion, and so it's also a touch that signifies confronting the inner workings of an oppressive environment (the palace). It's nerve-wracking and cautious and consolidating, but it's also doubtful. We, as spectators, pick up on visual and physical cues and so we begin to see the hand-hold as an visual indicator that the unity between the two characters is about to be disrupted.

~~~~~

However, the shot in 3x06 reads entirely differently. The first thing is that the shot is bathed in light. It's a bit like an embrace, contrasting the previous presentation of a cold backseat, Simon and Wille are literally basking in the sun. Most importantly, there is a light flashing on Wille as it seeps in from the windows, illuminating his spot as a person who is newly free. Simon sits to the left with the natural light (no abundance of light) because Simon has always strived to be free. He has never turned away from the light. As he said earlier in the episode: "I never gave up on us. I gave up on the royal court." For Simon, the issue was never the fear of being free, but the constraint of not being free. For Wille, fear hung over his shoulders just like a King's robe would. Being free was an aspiration, never a reality.

But that has all changed. The light is let in. It stands similar to a spot-light, where Wille finally lets the sun hit his body and not have it scorch him, but rather enlighten him.

The actual act of holding hands is no longer bridging an uncomfortable space; It's an assured togetherness. It is the two of them acknowledging everything that has happened and knowing that a future for the two of them is no longer a "possibility", but a truth. It's giddy and confident and safe.

It's also the final touch of the season, and so it had to speak louder than dialogue ever could - Which I think that it does. Throughout S1 and S2, we understood that physical touch was always done in private, or if not, it was done discreetly with the knowledge that it was fleeting. S3 saw the transition from private to public, but not without the fight to touch and not have it be seen as a revolution. To just let it be what it is. And THIS is what the show has been working towards for 3 years. It can all be summarised with this simple, final hand hold in a sunny car that's racing towards a future that finally, finally resembles their dreams. It's not overtly revolutionary, it's not a grand gesture; It's just theirs.

[youngroyalsedition]

So lovely was the loneliness Of a wild lake

Edgar Allan Poe, "The Lake - To -"

[littlebabywille]

renaissance paintings

[young-royals-confessions]

Not only the wilhelm shots in the trailer but the whole cinematography is gonna leave us speechless this season 😍 I mean look at the lake shots, I actually have no words

[paperiee]

Alone

[anaxibiaclark]

We can all agree that the cinematography for Young Royals is exceptional and breathtakingly beautiful. The way they use lighting and shadows to fit the atmosphere of a scene and how camera angles also play an integral part in how a scene impacts a moment between characters. Because of these elements and more we get to see how a story unfolds before our eyes.

However, there is one piece of cinematography that I feel doesn't get enough credit. It's during the horror movie night scene where the dialog from In The Tall Grass is used to represent silent dialog between Simon and Wilhelm.

It's when Wilhelm slyly places his pinky on Simon's knee and Simon slyly places his pinky on top of Wilhelm’s hand.

In this scene we get a close up shot of Simon smiling at Wilhelm with the dialog from Cal (in the movie) saying, "I'm getting a little freaked out here. What are we gonna do?" This transitions to a shot of Simon intertwining their fingers even more.

Then we get a close up shot of Wilhelm, serious face and all, with dialog from Becky (in the movie) saying, "We're gonna get out of here. We just need to keep our heads." At which point it transitions back to them holding hands and adding a slight squeeze.

This scene ends with Sara catching them in the act and Wilhelm fleeing the room. Which shows an interesting transition to their first kiss.

My reason for pointing this out is because we get to see Simon and Wilhelm "freak out" in their own way. Simon is opening himself up to someone he didn't expect to be interested in him and Wilhelm is going through the motions of something new and completely unfamiliar to him. Funny enough, Wilhelm is the one that's not quite keeping his head because his anxiety in getting caught, got the best of him.

BONUS: We also get dialog representation for August. When Wilhelm leaves the room we get a close up shot of August looking towards Wilhelm's fleeing form with dialog from Cal saying, "Just stay where you are, okay? Don't move." I feel this was the director and crews way of letting the audience know that Wilhelm and Simon were not going to be interrupted during their first kiss.

And of course, the movie interrupts the second kiss that Simon goes in for.

Anywho, this is me just gushing over how wonderfully beautiful the cinematography is in Young Royals. I am so looking forward to November. I can't wait to see what masterpieces they come up with for season 2.

(Side note: I don't know how to make gifs, so my apologies for not adding visual examples.)

[melodrqmas]

there’s so many scenes in season one of young royals where wilhelm is literally and deliberately, as in can’t-blame-it-on-their-height-difference, looking down at simon. and the examples that first come to my mind are all of instances where wilhelm is calling some sort of shot: 

the party scene, my beloved, where wilhelm is telling simon to duck because he’s glowing - the rainbow glowstick is an allegory for queerness, lisa told me herself.

the piano scene, where wilhelm attempts to sever any romantic connection the two have and decides, for himself, that they are going to ‘forget about it’ 

and - admitedly, this one is a reach - the first time, which wilhelm both initiates and later denies being a part of - without warning simon

so, is it presumptious of me to have hopes in the form of a detailed shot list for season two? sure. but one of my biggest wants for the next season is a parallel of these aforementioned scenes, but with roles reversed, with simon looking down at wilhelm. not even in a sexual context (although it would be very meaningful to a potential narrative where simon regains agency after having it been stripped away by the video, as suggested in this post).

i just think something in this vein would do a good job of visually conveying that wilhelm and simon are equals, that title and status doesn’t matter in the word that they’ve created for themselves, that not everything is on wilhelm’s terms anymore. because, ultimately, that’s the only way the two can get back together.  

[marymekpop]

I will only look at you forever. I will only make you happy. I will only love you.

Will you be my queen?

[kruemel8]

[filmparadiso]

Young Royals (2021-)

— dir. rojda sekersöz

[youngroyalsedition]

Changing my mind slightly about the camera work and directorial choices. The light, oh the light! So many scenes are sunlit and beautiful against all of this angst.

Prince Wilhelm YOUNG ROYALS | 3.05

[littlebabywille]

my favorite shots in season two

[justfriendsbestthings]

If we are one thing in this fandom then it is obsessed with hands