Sunday, 15 January 2012

Mise en scene

Mise en scene translated means 'what is out into a scene/frame.'  There are 5 elements in Mise en scene these are:                  settings and props
                                          costume, hair and makeup
                                          facial expressions and body language
                                          lighting and colour
                                          positioning of characters and objects within a frame

Settings and props
Settings and props are used to reflect the atmosphere of the scene which the filmmaker wants to represent. Sometimes in contrast the settings and props could appear normal; which makes the setting more disturbing and effective as it's contrapuntal to what the filmmaker wants to convey.
Props play more of a part in the action than being just a object in the background, for example a gun on a table in an action scene which hints that it will be used.

Examples of settings and props in ...
A science-fiction film: set in the future, dark and gloomy weather, spaceship, advanced technologic objects, computers, futuristic ray guns/weapons, lasers and furustic transportation. 


A action thriller: modern day settings, underground car park, trains, phonebooths, villians' hideouts/headquatres, areas of corruption, banks, bars, abanned warehouses, cities, knives, ropes, ducktape and other weapons. 

Costume, hair and make-up
Costume, hair and make-up help to give us clues on what kind of person a character will be,  (e.g. the baddie or the hero) the genre of the film and it also helps to determine where and when the film is set.

For example a western will have: cowboy hats, checkered shirts, jeans, cowboy boots, frilly layered dresses for the women, leather or/and jean jackets, natural make-up, tight curls, blood, beards, scars, holsters and guns, corsets, spurs, head dresses, dirt and men with short hair.

A musical will have period costumes, lot of make-up, over the top bright clothes, sequins and 'colour coding.'


Villains are generally dressed in dark colours, black hats, disfigurement, scars, suits and ties etc.
In contrast the hero will have white hats and lighter coloured clothing and natural make-up to show innocence.

Facial expressions and body language
Facial expressions and body language helps to add to the mood of the scene to show if it's tense, relaxed or a scary moment.

For example if a character was frightened they would look wided eyed, bitting their lip, screwed up eyebrows, frowning, clasping on to someone, shaking and they would be jumpy.
If someone was angry they would have a tense jaw, be open bodyed, red in the face, tense stance, tense shoulders and form a fist.


Lighting and colour
Lighting and colour contributes to the mood of the scene and can foreshadow events in the near future.
In horror films there use of low-key lighting and shadows, whereas in a romantic film there will be high-key lighting and top lighting.


Positioning of characters and objects within a frame
Foreground
When the character is in the foreground it brings the character to the main focus hinting that what's happening in the background has less of an importance.
Moving
When a character is moving to a side in the scene it draws our attention as it would realistically.

Balanced
Characters/objects at either end of the scene

Unbalanced
Makes that side of the frame seem heavy, space suggests something is going to happen or another character is going to enter.

Diagonal
Makes the audience feel comfortable.

Gap
Shows the relationship between characters as well as emotional friction.


Pulling focus
Shifting the focus between the foreground and the background this can be used to show an argument.

Deep focus
Both characters are in focus, this lets the audience to choose where to look within the frame.

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