Mise-en-scène'Mise-en-scène' is a French term meaning

"what is put into the scene/frame"

The elements of mise-en-scène:

1- Settings and props2- Costume, hair and make-up3- Body language and facial expressions4- Positioning of the characters in the scene5- Lighting and colour

1- Settings and props

The setting is the time, place and circumstancesin which a media text takes place. Props are theobjects that the audience see in the setting.

Settings and props in various genres of film

Typical settings and props in a science-fiction filminclude:

- A battle against aliens

- "Sci-fi" technology such as time travel machines

- Travelling space

- Mystical/metaphysical elements

Settings and props in various genres of film

Typical settings and props in an action-thriller include:

- Protagonist point of view

- Battle against better equipped villains

- Weapons i.e. guns

- Car chases/large explosions

2- Costume, hair and make-up

The costume, hair and make-up immediatelyreveal what time period, society or culture thefilm is set in. It also indicate what the character’spersonality is like alongside their status and job.

2- Costume, hair and make-upVillains will typically wear black. We usuallyassociate black with death which workseffectively in films because a black costumewould convey the feel of mystery and danger.

2- Costume, hair and make-up

Accessories such as hats and dark glasses toconceal the face slightly are also effectivevillainous costumes. On the other hand, heroeswill tend to wear lighter colours, even whitebecause it symbolises purity and innocence. Ahero would have nothing sinister to concealunlike a villain.

Costume, hair and make-up in various genres of film

In a Western film the costume will consist of acowboy hat, boots with spurs and boot-cutjeans. The hair and make-up will make the characters lookunkempt to suit the rough, desert setting.

3- Body language and facial expressions

We communicate through body language andfacial expressions. Facial expressions areparticularly important when used in media textswith a close ups and extreme close ups. Theyreveal different emotions towards varioussituations and other characters.

4- Positioning of the characters in the scene

The positioning of characters in the scene is vitalin emphasising the importance of characters.They can be placed in the foreground, middleground or background.

4- Positioning of the characters in the scene

When characters are placed within the framethey give a balanced feel to the shot whereas when they are both placed at the edge of the frame, it indicates distance between them.

5- Lighting and colour

As discussed in the previous post ("Light"), there are various types and sources of lighting that can be used for differenteffects in film.

5- Lighting and colour

Light can create suspense when shading areas of the face of body. It can also reflect a characters state of mind, for example if the light source is bright then the character may be happy, if the light source is dark then they may be distressed, a strobe effect can show confusion and disorientation.

A brief overview of the different types of lighting:

Key LightThe brightest and most influential light which forms sharp shadows and can

be used to highlight a subject or create suspense.

Back LightThis counteracts the key light in order to balance the lighting however if used

alone, a silhouette of the subject is formed which can create suspense.

Low-Key LightingThis is when key and back lights are used together to produce harsh shadows

due to the sharp contrast in lighting.

A brief overview of the different types of lighting:

Reflector/Filler LightThis helps to soften the shadowing that the key and back lights produce- it

reveals the entire subject giving a character an honest or vulnerable appearance as nothing is hidden.

High-Key LightingThis is when more filler lights are used to remove all shadows and this makes

the lighting appear more realistic.

A brief overview of the different types of lighting:

Underlighting When the light source is positioned below the subject- this is often used in

thrillers and/or horrors.

Top LightingThe light source is above the subject which creates a glamorous look.

5- Lighting and colour

Colour:

Colour works on the subconscious mind to create the mood, for example we associate the colour red with danger, passion or love. The first use of colour in films featured in Voyage a Travers l’Impossible (Georges Meliès, 1904)- the frames were hand painted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPYyq9vB6fY

5- Lighting and colour

The next development was the use of two-strip technicolour which used only red and green.

This is a clip from The Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) which demonstrates the use of two-strip technicolour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVrgbxcQhbA

The first full three-strip technicolour was Becky Sharp (1935):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-P_Ira6kgE

In the 1930-1940s colour represented fantasy whereas blackand white represented reality; today the opposite is true.

5- Lighting and colour

Denotation and Connotation:

“Denotation” is the literal description of an idea, concept or object.

“Connotation” is what we associate an idea, concept or object with.

For example: the colour BLUE

Denotation: a particular wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrumConnotation: blue indicates calmness, sadness, depression

5- Lighting and colour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxHdvs01QEA

The opening of We Need to Talk About Kevin uses red as the dominant colour. It is used in a brutal way which suggests that there will be death and violence to follow.