Colour saturation in films

Saturation can also be called a color's intensity. It is a measurement of how different from pure grey the color is. Saturation is not really a matter of light and dark, but rather how pale or strong the colour is. The saturation of a color is not constant, but it varies depending on the surroundings and what light the color is seen in.

The definition of “Saturation” in Film & Video Dictionary

The strength or amount of a certain color present in a television picture; saturation is expressed as the purity of the color. Scene Illumination.

The intensity of the color is called saturation. It is the distance away from the "black body curve" on the CIE diagram. Color saturation on a display device is controlled by the Color control. Apparent saturation of colors in a picture can be effected by the luminance value of the signal. Color saturation is measured on a vectorscope by the distance away from the center of the scope display.

We can use colour saturation to create different feeling for films. Desaturated color is often used to convey poverty or age. In this effect, the brilliance of colors is dulled and darker colors (gray, black, brown) are used. Sam Mendes uses this effect heavily in his 2001 film "Road to Perdition." Saturated colors can be used to accent a particular scene or object. When a color is saturated, it is made more brilliant or brighter. This effect can be achieved from digital effects or colored light cast on an image from off screen. An example of this technique is the Ethan Coen film "Blood Simple."

Reference:

Saturation definition | Film & Video Dicitonary Dictionary. 2013. Saturation definition | Film & Video Dicitonary Dictionary. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.movies-dictionary.org/Film-and-Video-Dicitonary/Saturation. [Accessed 25 August 2013].

Road to Perdition, 2002. [DVD] Sam Mendes, USA: DreamWorks|Fox.

Blood Simple, 1984. [DVD] Joel Coen, USA: River Road Productions, Foxton Entertainment.