In the scene where Dorothy opens her door to Munchinland in Oz the frames were hand colored to allow a smooth transition from black-and-white to color (American Film Institute, 2008).
The lighting used in The Wizard of Oz changes between a dim three-point lighting used in the Kansas scenes which were filmed in black-and-white, then colored in a sepia tone process; and the high-key lighting used for all of the Oz scenes, which were filmed in three-strip Technicolor. Three-point lighting uses a key, fill, and backlight to provide even illumination and control of the shadows. For these scenes the key and back lights are not very bright, and the fill light is dimmer, keeping the scenes somewhat dimly but evenly lit. The Kansas sections are gray and dimly lit with shadowy undertones, even the scene where Aunt Em appears in the Wicked Witch’s crystal ball.
In great contrast the fantasy Oz sections are brightly lit with vibrant colors. According to Goodykoontz & Jacobs, “A high-key lighting design has a very bright light over everything, with few shadows and relatively low contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of the scene” (2014, Section 6.4). These two different techniques define the moods of each section of the movie. Dan Brockett, producer of “The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz”, says “Shooting three-strip Technicolor required very bright lighting, as the film had an extremely slow speed of ASA 5. The MGM stages where the majority of the shooting for Oz were conducted were lit by entire floor-to-ceiling walls of carbon arc lights” (2007, Cinematography). If the whole movie had been filmed in the high-key light the audience would not have the sense of contrasts between Kansas and Oz. The high-key lighting and the bright colors are what give this movie the fantasy element. Even though the film goes back to black-and-white at the end, when Dorothy is home, the three-point lighting is a bit brighter there. This is done by increasing the key and back lighting.
The Wizard of Oz: Behind the Frame (Featurette)
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_wizard_of_oz_1939/trailers/11182872
This clip shows some of the process of converting the movie into a 3D IMAX theatre version. It was interesting that during this process the details of Dorothy’s freckles and the Scarecrow’s head being made of burlap were brought out of the original film.
American Film Institute. (2008). AFI’s 10 Top 10. Retrieved from: http://www.afi.com/10Top10/
Brocket, D. (2007). Cinematography. Retrieved from: http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=24099
Goodykoontz, B. and Jacobs, C. (2014). Film: From Watching to Seeing. (2nd Ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Internet Movie Database –IMDB Retrieved from: http://www.imdb.com
The Wizard of Oz: Behind the Frame (Featurette) Retrieved from: http://www.rottentomatoes.com
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