Have you ever heard the film theory, “If It’s Purple, Someone’s Gonna Die?”

If you closely observe the use of this color in various films, purple is like an announcement of “death” or “the end.”

Remember Bernardo in West Side Story? Or how in The Sixth Sense, Anna, dressed in iridescent violet, finds her husband murdered?

What if I tell you, in cinema, a frame dominated by red and a frame dominated by green aren’t trying to communicate the same thing to you?

Research has shown time and again that colors communicate more than their visual characteristics, beyond how we perceive them. They also exhibit olfactory, auditory, and sensory characteristics that heavily impact our perception. Therefore, in visual language, colors tap into the viewer’s different senses.

Color principle divides all colors and their respective shades into different combinations and palettes. In this article, let’s explore one of the most classic color combinations—the analogous colors — and how you can use them to make your storytelling better.

The Color Wheel

To properly understand what analogous colors are, it’s important to understand the color wheel.

The Standard Color Wheel

Above is a standard color wheel. We all know that the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Most colors can be made by mixing these colors in varying ratios and combinations.

The position of colors on the color wheel is not arbitrary and is fixed. The colors on the wheel are either monochromatic (shades of a single color), complementary to each other (any two colors opposite to each other on the color wheel), triadic (any three colors that are equidistant from each other on the wheel) and finally analogous (colors that are next to each other on the wheel).

Each color combination exhibits its own characteristics, beyond the distinctive characteristics of each color.

What Are Analogous Colors?

Hue is the visual identity of any color, and the color wheel is a continuum of infinite hues. Analogous colors are those placed next to each other on the color wheel but share one hue.

In the example above, the primary color is green, and the hue range extends to blue-green on one side and yellow-green on the other.

In this painting, using an analogous palette of green, the range stops at yellow on one side and blue on the other, because orange and purple are in the hue of red, while green falls under blue.

What Is the Impact of Analogous Colors on a Viewer?

Analogous colors symbolize harmony. Here’s how they influence the viewer’s perception.

Emotional Impact

Warm analogous colors like reds and oranges stimulate passion and enthusiasm, warmth, and energy.

Cool analogous colors like blues and greens can stimulate both tranquility and coldness, depending on how they’re used.

Symbolizes Cohesion and Unity

Since these colors blend into each other without losing their identity, analogous colors represent cohesion and unity. They can represent multiple ideas sharing the same belief or depict related emotions.

Overall, they provide a certain symmetry in a visual.

Visual Comfort

Since the colors share the same hue, analogous colors are not overwhelming. In fact, when used in visual language, they communicate complex emotions with a sense of comfort.

Hollywood Films That Have Used an Analogous Color Palette

Let’s understand how analogous colors impact our minds psychologically by analyzing their use in the following iconic films or series.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

This sci-fi film employs neon-drenched oranges, yellows, and reds, contrasted with cooler blues and teals.

While the warm analogous colors aim to evoke a sense of dystopian decay and environmental collapse, the cooler analogous colors emphasize loneliness and technological sterility.

Inception (2010)

Inception employs cool blues, grays, and purples to blur the boundaries between dream and reality. These analogous colors create a cerebral tone that complements the film’s intricate narrative structure, while the purples make us chase mystery.

The muted palette also evokes a sense of detachment, reflecting the surreal nature of its dreamscapes and psychological themes.

Avatar (2009)

Analogous blues, greens, and teals breathe life into Pandora’s bioluminescent world, blending seamlessly to evoke an otherworldly yet organic environment.

Together, they symbolize harmony between nature and technology—a central theme of the film.

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Using a vibrant palette of lush greens, golds, and yellows brilliantly used to encapsulate the opulence and excess of the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby juxtaposes luxury with emotional emptiness.

Ozark (2017)

This series strategically employs analogous blues and greens to build tension and coldness in the narrative. By using analogous hues typically associated with calmness in unsettling ways, it instills fear and depicts gore in an unusual but extremely effective way.

Colors determine the vibe of the narrative and trigger emotions in your viewers. When used in visual language, they are almost like individual characters who are constantly communicating with the audience.

And analogous colors weave a vibe that’s smooth, pulling you in without screaming for attention or overwhelming you. They can get you in a mood without you even realizing it! Try it on your next shoot.