There were two main interpretive requirements for the grading. Firstly as the film’s narrative was punctuated by chapters based on the cycle of the seasons, it was important for Carolina and Henrika that the passage of time should be reflected in the visual appearance of each chapter e.g. ’Summer’.
As JIBRIL largely takes place within the confines of a Berlin prison, the subsequent challenge was how to provide that reinforcement through grading in a subtle yet effective way, whilst at the same time keeping the grading operations as simple to manage as possible.
Another requirement that built on the same concern of reflecting the interplay of the time-passing on the reality of the characters – one living outside in freedom and the other as a captive, both DOP and director asked me to ensure that the appearance of the character’s complexions and skins also changed in respect to the evolution of the story and the passage of the seasons.
Would the solution be an ‘inside look’ and an ‘outside look’ both shifting over the course of the seasons? Given the time constraints, a more simple approach was definitely preferred.