Color Script
Color plan for a story or a game
Also known as: Color keys · Color story · Color palette plan · Color design game · Mood color plan · Color arc
Definition
A color script is a sequence of small, simple images, one per scene or moment, that plans how color and light change across a film or a game. Used first in animation, it shows the mood and emotional arc through palette: for example warm and safe at the start, cold and tense in the middle, bright and open at the end. In games, a color script helps different levels or biomes keep a clear identity and stay consistent as a whole.
In production
Paint each key moment as a tiny color sketch with the dominant hue, light direction and contrast, and view them in a row. Check that neighboring scenes differ enough and that the progression has a purpose. Keep a limited set of colors per scene with an accent for the focal point. A color script also helps lighting and VFX artists, since it sets the mood of each area.
Learn Color Script in
Tools that use Color Script
See also
Color Temperature
Warm and cool light measured in Kelvin
Color Grading
Final color and contrast look of the image
Muddy Colors in Digital Painting
Dull, grey-brown colors after painting
Mood Board
Collected references that set the look of a project
Value Structure
Planning lights and darks before color
Design Language
The shared rules that make a world feel consistent