by Jordan Yousry
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Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Filmmaker’s Daniel Rodriguez and Monroe Hayden created something special with Fox: Season II. The season is filled with visual delights that took years to learn through experience and a lot of trial and error. With Rodriguez’s knowledge of filters and camera tricks and Hayden’s knowledge of post-production techniques, the second installment stands out in SkySoft’s filmmaking, making them a double force to reckon with.
When Season II was released, many films in the fantasy/science-fiction genre were focused on the blue/grey color palette. This made everything appear crisp, clear, and clean (and sometimes even cold), but with the premiere of Fox: Season I, and especially in Season II, color made its return. This was made more apparent with SkySoft Stream’s Ultra HD upgrade to their video format for better and crisper viewing during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Like all televisions and screen monitors, you may have to adjust your display settings to experience the best quality SkySoft can give.
*Author’s Note: Keep in mind that some shows/seasons used poorer quality DSLR cameras in their early days and will affect the overall quality.
One of the reasons the color grading in this season has made such a mark is because the use of color evokes emotion and oftentimes drives the plot. In this color grading breakdown, we look at how Fox: Season II used color to tell its story.
Saturation
Melanie Tornroth, Jorgie Mason, and Briana Celia in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
The use of saturation is more of a Monroe Hayden style or signature. If you look back at all her films/installments, you’ll find a lot of this technique is used (some have even argued it’s been overused). The first use of color in Season II is the change in saturation from The Real World to the Dream World. In Fortmount, the colors appear to be normal; nothing unique or exciting, just average like in the scene above. This was done on purpose as a reflection of Daisy’s life. She has nothing that excites her and nothing that drives her to move forward. Everything she does is to please other people or even seem invisible from bullies like Rebecca Spears, but nothing establishes a sense of self; in fact, she struggles with this concept for two seasons.
Melanie Tornroth in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
The second she enters Gan Adan (The Dream World), that all changes as the screen is engulfed with vibrant colors. The browns and greens that inhabit Fox’s and Daisy’s tree surround us with the feeling of life and a world untouched by man, or perhaps untouched by outsiders who could tarnish their romantic incentives. Rather than appearing to be new like the commonly used desaturated blue/grey color palette, this technique evokes the feeling of being fresh, warm, welcoming, and even healthy.
Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
The only time The Real World becomes more saturated with color is the subtle change when Fox visits Daisy at her school. Wherever Fox is, the colors follow her, and the screen seems to come to life just as Daisy becomes more lively in her presence.
The use of color in this context is a metaphor. Although Daisy’s life in Fortmount isn’t displayed in black and white, it is rich with modern-day tradition. In Fox: Season II, color represents the transformation from repression to enlightenment. Both Fox and Daisy change from dark/average to light/vibrant when they connect with the essence of who they really are.
Green
Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Green typically connotes life and vibrance, which only plays to how the Fox franchise explores the idea of “life,” both in Fortmount and in Gan Adan. Even though every aspect of the Dream World is questioned this season by Daisy, it’s under the disguise of appearing real. Being surrounded by a lush forest brings forth an immediate gut reaction to what our eyes are seeing: life, both physically with the environment and emotionally with the birth of a new love. This is the first clue that Gan Adan is real.
Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Pink and Purple
Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Pink and purple are often associated with extravagance, ambiguity, innocence, romance, and overall…harmlessness. So it’s fitting that the season uses this color to represent the romantic connection between Fox and Daisy, especially when things get very intimate and the pair make themselves vulnerable to one another. This is apparent in scenes like the one shown above where they share their first kiss, and more subtly like in the scene below when the couple commits to one another. Keep in mind that the two examples are from scenes that take place during different times of the day. The above kiss takes place during what seems to be mid-day, while the bottom takes place during the twilight hours of the evening.
Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Blue and Grey
Steven Acedo, Terrell Cooper, and Janelle Garcia in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
When the villains take over the screen, it immediately gets darker and appears to be colder - the complete opposite of whenever Fox and Daisy are onscreen. The idea is to instill the viewers with the notion that while Fox and Daisy are full of life and hope, the villains are filled with the opposite: death and doom.
The only other time the color follows this palette is when a dark or sad fate awaits the characters, like when Fox’s parents let her go as a baby, when they die at the hands of Rath, or when Fox spirals down a gloomy path after being rejected by Daisy (implying that she too has a dark side).
Janelle Garcia in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Yellow and Orange
Monroe Hayden and Steven Acedo in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Once Fox gets to Mt. Rizandor, the screen is bathed with yellows and oranges. Using these colors creates a sense of danger and heat. As opposed to the dark and gloomy look, the scene is bright yet the colors convey a sense of uneasiness.
Heat can cause symptoms that can make you delirious, and can induce not only heat strokes but nausea and shortness of breath, along with other health issues. While Fox battles it out with Rath for the first time, we can’t help but feel tense and somewhat exhausted throughout. This is the only season where the finale has this color palette and serves as an example of how dark colors aren’t the only way to convey evil or doom.
Monroe Hayden, Steven Acedo, Terrell Cooper, and Janelle Garcia in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Conclusion
Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Most filmmakers like to stay safe or follow trends, so this technique is rather refreshing whether you’re a fan of the saturation or not. There’s no denying that the use of it does help tell the story in ways many are afraid to even try.
Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season I (2016) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season I (2016) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
The following seasons took a more subtle approach to the vibrant color palette as a way to show normalcy, but the use of saturation as a tool in Season II was still practiced in the following seasons and the season prior. When Fox returns to her true essence, the colors of the world around her become more vibrant, and when Daisy embraces who she is and decides where to stay, that vibrancy is shared between both of them. While Season I was just as vibrant in colors, Season III was more subtle, making Season II the bridge between the two visually.
Hunter Tabiendo in Fox: Season III (2018) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Sheana Turner, Janelle Garcia, Monroe Hayden, Hunter Tabiendo, and Daniel Andrade in Fox: Season III (2018) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
At this point, you’re probably asking yourself: should this technique be used in your film? The answer is not a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Depending on the type of film you’re making and the vibe you’re going for, this technique may not apply to you. Fantasy and science-fiction films have a wider range of options to play with (since audiences expect unique and diverse styles from these genres), but ultimately the decision is yours.
Hunter Tabiendo, Kealoha Nakamura, Daniel Andrade, Jade Vourkari, and Sheana Turner in Fox: Season IV (2019) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Monroe Hayden and Jade Vourkari in Fox: Season IV (2019) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
As presented in the article, vibrant colors aren’t always needed and may not necessarily depict the correct emotion or vibe you want to elicit from your audience. Despite simplifying this technique as ‘saturation,’ messing with the saturation tool won’t necessarily get you the same look. Color correcting, grading, and layering may be needed for your film, so practice this technique a few times on your software at home to find the right balance for you.
Melanie Tornroth and Monroe Hayden in Fox: Season II (2017) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Monroe Hayden, Jade Vourkari, and Sheana Turner in Fox: Season IV (2019) © SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
Color can be an incredibly powerful tool for telling subtle stories and conveying meaning. The beauty of Fox: Season II’s color use is that they did this not as a gimmick but as a way to advance the story. Find your own style that reflects your personality and fill your projects with it. Have fun with the form and don’t be afraid to use colors in different ways.
Photos Courtesy of SkySoft Entertainment LLC.
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*Author’s Note: SkySoft has decided to keep their shows available throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. No shows will be entered into the Vault during this time; however, the company has decided to no longer showcase 365 Season 2 permanently.
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