’.FILM ANALYSIS - MISE EN SCENE

NEVER FORGET! ! NOTHING YOU SEE IS EVER ACCIDENTAL IN A FRAME!!!

Session Aims

• 1. By the end of this session you will understand the meaning of Mis en scene.

• 2. You will be able to breakdown the names of the elements of ‘Mis en scene’ shown in this presentation and identify some examples of each.

• 3. You will understand why composers use Mis en scene in their filming and why it is used in a specific way and nothing accidentally ‘gets in there’.

• 4. You will be able to analyse various film clips to uncover how elements of ‘Mise en scene’ create a certain atmosphere, portray ‘characterisation’ and evoke thematic concerns.

‘Mise en scene’- A French term meaning - ‘to put into the picture’ or otherwise known as ‘everything that is put into a picture or in front of a

camera’.

Elements of Mise en scene –

- Settings and Props

- Costume, hair and make up

- Colour

- Lighting- Positioning of characters and props within the frame

- Facial Expressions and Body language

Settings & Props

• Are especially arranged by the director to create a certain environment.

To enable conflict (of whatever type) and to unveil characters' motives and personalities while also raising an audience's expectation of the genre of the film . (E.g. science fiction films have certain settings and props like perhaps flying cars or futuristic outfits or hairstyles like the video clip below.) Double click on the ‘hi’ or if watching the slideshow the video will load in a few seconds.

Q. What time period is this image portrayed to be in? Identify specific elements of Mise en scene that convey this. (Many times most or all the elements of mise en scene are in the same frame so it is okay to mention other elements like the ones below when answering this or any other question.)

Q. What image or personality difference does this clip bring

out between the 2 main characters?

Q .Identify what aspects of Mise en scene show these

differences and how?

Costume, (Style and quality of clothing), Hair & Make Up

• 1. Costume, (their style and quality) and hair and make upoften portray, whether genuine or not, a character's social or economic status, and aspects of their personality.

2 .This also conveys what time period the film or play is set in - (the past, the present or the future) and the beliefs or cultural ideals that society were centred around at that time. ‘Retro’ clothing and lack of technical props such as cell phones or tablets would probably be clues that the film setting was fairly old.

deColour• Colour has many connotations/symbols or connections with other

meanings. Eg. The colour red is often used to depict heat – the heat of passion/romance - anger, love, hate or war with its bloodshed.

• • In contrast to red, a scene with really dull grey or black background

colours could represent a polluted environment or a war zone. It could also give the viewer a feeling of ‘loss of hope’, or ‘despair’. (See the video clip at the end of ‘the café bomb blast’.)

• Please note however that colours may have different connotations according to different cultures. E.g white in some nationalities, like the Chinese may mean ‘death’ and not ‘purity’ as Westerners often believe it means. It is important to be aware of which culture the film is based on.

Lighting• To highlight important characters or objects within the frame• To make characters look mysterious by shading sections of the face &

body• To reflect a character’s mental state/hidden emotions (i.e. bright = happy,

dark = disturbed KEY UPPER FRONT LIGHTING ON THE LADY’S TURNED

FACE & GOWN AND MAN’S FOREHEAD

SHOULDERS & FOREARMS HIGHLIGHT PHYSICAL INTIMACY

LOW NATURAL BACKGROUND LIGHT CREATES SHADOWS AND

CAUSES VIEWERS’FOCUS

TO BE ON THE CHARACTERS.

FILLER LIGHTS WITH LITTLE OTHER LIGHT PRESENT CAUSE THE INSIDE SETTING TO

APPEAR MYSTERIOUS AND CAVE LIKE –

REFLECTIING ALSO THE COOL

EMOTIONALLY DETACHED MOOD OF THE MALE TOWARDS

THE GIRL.

OUTSIDE NATURAL LIGHT WHICH IS LIGHTER THAN THE INSIDE, CREATES

AN EERIE AND UNCOMFORTABLE ATMOSPHERE INSIDE THE DWELLING,

CAUSING VIEWERS TO FEEL TENSE AND CURIOUS.

OBVIOUS (OR HIGH KEY) LIGHTING:• More filler lights are used. Lighting is natural and realistic to our eyes• Produces brightly lit sets or a sunny day (right)

High key lighting on the main character draws attention to her coy expression, glowing face and well manicured nails. The addition of filler and natural daylight throughout the whole classroom could portray the character’s optimistic mood and a feeling of a comfortable classroom environment.

TYPES OF LIGHTING

• SUBTLE (OR LOW KEY) LIGHTING:• Created by using only the key & back lights• Produces sharp contrasts of light and dark areas• Deep, distinct shadows/silhouettes are formed• Example: Horror Films or 1950 ‘black noir detective crime films’.

Q. How does the distance of the two characters and the smoky dimly lit room make you feel? Q. What atmosphere does it create? What type of tension is created and why? Join all the previous questions together by referring to distance, dim lighting and vision and tension and you should be able to answer in a more complete way.

Positioning of characters/objects within the frame-

1. A film maker can use positioning of characters or props including film angles to indicate the nature of relationships between characters. These could be healthy or unhealthy relationships, intimate or ‘cool’ relationships.

2. It can also be used to draw attention to certain characters. To give some background information to the movie still below, character #1 has fallen off a high building and the other character #2 has grabbed him.

Q. Based on the ascendant position of character #2 along with bright high key lighting on him, who would you infer has the dominance in this relationship? Character 1 or 2? How is character #1 presented in this relationship and what elements of Mise en scene show this and how? Be specific.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS & BODY LANGUAGEFacial Expressions provide a clear indicator of how someone is feeling. These can convey a character's mental or emotional state of mind towards themself, their family, other peers, authority figures or society in general in any one of those combinations.

If someone is smiling widely, we would assume that they are happy but we may get a different impression if the setting was isolated and a threatening music track was playing in the background!

Body Language may also indicate how a character feels towards another character and the state of their relationship.

* Please note however that composers can present characters a certain way to trick viewers into believing a stereotype. Be careful here! Things are not always as they seem with costume and body language. Eg. For those who know the play of Shakespeare's Hamlet, the eternal question is …was Hamlet really as crazy as his costume, behaviour and language led everyone around him in the royal court to believe? (This question is not expected to be answered )

• Body Language may also indicate how a character feels towards another character or may reflect the state of their relationship

Turned away and down ward looking eyes

Folded arms

Note the distance between their bodies

and faces

Awkward angle of neck in an effort to

engage with the lady.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS & BODY LANGUAGE CONTINUED

Q. What is the emotion that these characters feel for each other? Q. Which elements of Mise en scene show this emotion (name three) and how do the elements work together to convey the emotion that’s shown? Be specific .

Remember that as long as you can prove your interpretation with examples, techniques and explanations your perspective is absolutely valid.

Why is Mis en scene important in films?

• To portray certain settings in order to uncover truths or sources of conflicts among characters and/or their environment in order to cause viewers to consider similar issues in their own environment.

Q . Write down what you think happened and what aspects of mis en scene make this shot look so realistic.

Note- The piled up

rubbish on the side walk. What does

that indicate about the economic climate?

Note –The inclusion in

the frame of takeaway coffee.

As you look at the video of this scene

(next slide), think about various mise

en scene elements such as props that make this film futuristic yet

contemporary in terms of

themes.

Look at Mis en scene elementsthroughout this video clip.

Screen_2013_04_05_23_57_52.wmv

Name 5 elements of Mise en scene that you have learned throughout this clip and how each element contributes to your feeling of what the setting is, the economic and social climate, the atmosphere and any thematic concerns the composer may be raising. Don’t forget the ‘how’ . (Describe the film techniques and their effects etc in your answer)