In What We Do In The Shadows (2015), Taika Waititi utilizes both color scheme and costuming to emphasize the film’s main comedic tropes. The film follows four vampire roommates living in modern New Zealand. As expected, most of the humor in the film results from the absurdity of vampires engaging in the normal world. Throughout the film, both color scheme and costuming play important roles in defining the identity of the group.

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The stark contrast between the color scheme of the group of vampires in comparison to the rest of the world around them is key to the comedy throughout the film. The majority of the film takes place in the vampire’s house, which, just like its inhabitants, is antiquated. The walls are peeling and stained; an amusing variety of art pieces adorn them, ranging from Renaissance-style portraits to deer heads. Dark lighting further exaggerates this dull color scheme that permeates the house. And the wardrobe of its residents matches - except for a few small outliers, their clothing consists of white, black, and a few splashes of red (Clement). These colors that unite the group of vampires also disconnects them from the rest of the world. When the group goes to a local dance club, Boogie Wonderland, the colors in the lighting and costumes around them oppose the tones set in the rest of the film. Suddenly, disco balls and neon flashing lights swirl over the crowd, hitting sparkly dresses and white medieval blouses alike (Clement). This contrast in color scheme helps define the characteristics of the group, which, in turn, creates the humor of the film.

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In the same manner that colors and costumes build the group’s identity, they also differentiate between the personalities of each vampire, from which more humor arises. The clothing of each individual ranges from a floor-length robe for 8,000-year-old Peter, to fancy blouses and neck scarves for 18th century “dandy” Viago, to newly-turned-vampire Nick’s red jackets. Costuming reflects the core of Deacon’s jealousy for Nick replacing him in his role as the “young, bad boy” of the group. Throughout the film, Deacon repeatedly complains of Nick “wearing the same jacket as [him],” even citing it as a reason for Nick’s banishment from the house (Clement). The more modern colors and styles in Nick’s clothing present a threat to Deacon, who previously dressed the most modern, sporting fur coats and netted shirts. The costuming creates each individual’s identity; their style not only represents external facts like their age, but also reflects their internal psyches.

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When considering a comedy film, one does not often rank costuming or color scheme as important to creating the humor, but What We Do In The Shadows would not be funny without them. They create the identity of the cast. Their costumes define their personalities; the coloring differentiates their group from the rest of New Zealand. All humor in the film results from the creation of these identities.

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