Bouba-kiki effect and how the cinema uses geometric forms to play with our emotions

We may think that simple geometric forms do not have a further use than the mathematical and esthetic one. However, working with geometric forms such as circles, triangles, and squares, the cineasts can manipulate our emotions when we look at them, especially in the animation films. This is called the Bouba kiki effect.
Within the following pictures, which one is Bouba and which one is Kiki?

The majority of people say that Bouba is the purple and kiki is the orange, due to its forms and the words or the words. This was an experiment made by Wolfgang Kohler in Canary islands.
Therefore, this effect is used in the cinema as well. Angular shapes are used when it takes to represent the bad characters whereas the round ones are used to represent the good and nice characters.
For instance, the Disney most charming character is Mickey Mouse, which is represented by 3
circles. On the other hand, Maleficient, the bad which in the sleeping beauty, is represented with angular shapes.

Besides, square forms are used to represent calm and stubborn people, but also self-confident, like the grandfather in the film "UP"



Finally, I really encourage you to watch this amazing video which explains clearly (and in English, of course), how the cinema uses this forms to make us feel different emotions.





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