Mise en scene analysis

Exploring all the elements of the message of a hip hop production

Image: screen capture from AZ ‘The come up’ (2005), YouTube

Mise en scene qu’est-que c’est ca?

• Mise en scene analysis originates in film studies

• The term is simply French for ‘put into a scene’

• It aims to describe all the important elements of a shot or sequence of shots from which the viewer derives meaning.

• The goal of assignment 3

The five domains

• 1. setting the scene, objects and spaces• 2. dressing the body• 3. expressing the face and body• 4. Lighting and colour• 5. positioning of humans and objects in the

frame

1. setting and props

• Films can be made in naturalistic settings/locations

• More often than not they are contrived so that the exact meaning is conveyed

• Set dressers deliberately fill the frame with detail to be read.

2. Costume hair and makeup

• In what ways are the body represented to give off meaning, reveal identity?

• are there things which are symbolic?• Are there styles of dress, accessorising that

represent hip hop

3. Facial expression and body language

• How do the ‘actors’ use their body to convey meanings about identity

• About emotional components to what they are doing, what they are saying, where they are

4. Lighting and colour

• Black and white versus colour– Black and white is particularly meaningful –

relating to realness

• Soft colours? Saturated colours?

• Glamorous versus hardedge

5. Positioning in frame

• How far is the camera from the key object/person

• Are humans front on to the camera?/in profile?

• What has the key contrast– The element which receives the most light– The most camera focus

extreme long shot > long shot > medium long shot > medium shot > medium close up > close up > big close up > extreme close up

Image: http://guaeng.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/shot-type/

Mise en scene and the semantic features of the HHN

• 1.setting and props• 2. Costume, hair and make-up• 3. Facial expressions and body language• 4. Lighting and colour• 5. positioning of humans and objects in the frame• How do they contribute to the narrative of the video? How do they

support the lyrics? And contribute to the construction of authenticity•

AZ – ‘The come up’ (2005).

You know the come up, stack get right, put the gun up, laugh, get nice split the blunt up

AZ – ‘The come up’ (2005).1. Medium shotOutdoors derelict building

In the hood/the streetsCriminal activity?

Hip hop masculinity

You know the come up, stack get right, put the gun up, laugh, get nice split the blunt up

AZ – ‘The come up’ (2005).

2. Naturalistic clothing,Casual, informal – conspicuous chain

Authentic member of the streets/hood

You know the come up, stack get right, put the gun up, laugh, get nice split the blunt up

AZ – ‘The come up’ (2005).

3 facial expression – serious – looks at camera and away-uses identifiable hip hop gestures-mimics gun with handshape

Authentic habitus of hip hop – links him to the Old School by using the historical body of hip hop

You know the come up, stack get right, put the gun up, laugh, get nice split the blunt up

AZ – ‘The come up’ (2005).4. B &W very washed out sky – Medium shot is wide, dark foreground

serious, sombre, real

5. The white sky reverses the focus and puts it on the dark clad figure in the foreground

Makes the lyrics appear to be a serious commentary on what is happening to his left. Makes him appear an authentic commentator on life in the hood.

You know the come up, stack get right, put the gun up, laugh, get nice split the blunt up

AZ ‘The come up’ (2005)

You know the saga/who live/who hotter/ who shot at / who at the Ramada/I know about beef before Bambaataa

AZ ‘The come up’ (2005)

You know the saga/who live/who hotter/ who shot at / who at the Ramada/I know about beef before Bambaataa

1. Medium shotOutdoors wasteland, chain fence In the hood - nothing to

do

2. Naturalistic clothing, authentic hood street clothes, caps, do-rags

Displays of hip hop masculinity, street toughness

AZ ‘The come up’ (2005)

You know the saga/who live/who hotter/ who shot at / who at the Ramada/I know about beef before Bambaataa

3. Facial expressions are downcast and solemn

Toughness of the hood, had it hard before their come up!

4. B &W very washed out sky – Medium shot is wide, dark foreground

serious, sombre, real

AZ ‘The come up’ (2005)

You know the saga/who live/who hotter/ who shot at / who at the Ramada/I know about beef before Bambaataa

Tighter shot than previous – focus on the rapper – supported by figure on right looking at him

Makes the lyrics appear to be a serious commentary on the toughness of life in the hood and that both hip hop and crime are the ways out/surviving

Link to Old School – Afrika Bambaataa early starBeef – trouble particularly between rival rappers