Film Studies Mise en Scene

What is Mise en Scene? This French phrase was originally used in the theatre to refer to the setting, lighting, costume and behaviour of the actors on the stage. It means ‘placed in the scene’ and is now used in film studies to explain all of the elements that make up a scene in a movie. The director uses mise en scene to guide or manipulate how the audience responds to the film. Everything we see in a film is mise en scene but to make it easier the term can be split into different areas. Transformers 2 example next to the board

The importance of Denotation/Connotation Denotation refers to an actual word, place or object – Los Angeles or Romford for example Connotation refers all the images, metaphors, words and associations that flood into our mind when we mention that word, object or place Examples – Los Angeles - glamour, stars, Oscars, palm trees Cinema is a visual medium so relies on the audience decoding the images they see to make sense of the movie they watch. This process relies on the concept of denotation and connotation

Setting and Location The location of the film refers to where it is set geographically and creates connotations which the viewer would expect to be fulfilled. (A jungle setting connotes danger for example) The setting is more specific and refers to where the action takes place. Setting can contribute as much to the narrative as characters do. Examples: Gravity – Above Earth scene Lord of the Rings - Setting

Costume and Makeup How a character is dressed is one of the most important signifiers to the audience to how that character will then behave. The clothes that are chosen for characters will always have social significance. Every item worn will have been specifically selected to create a character. It is not just clothes, but also makeup that help make an audience understand a film, whether that is the make-up of The Joker or more subtle makeup like bruises or bullet wounds Examples: James Bond – Dr No The Joker – Party Scene The Mask – Cameron Diaz’s entrance

Props/Iconography The objects or props that are placed in the scene or used by characters are deliberately chosen to create a certain atmosphere (reality) and may also have symbolic meanings (a divorced man looking at a photo of his ex-wife.) One basic example is that if a character is shown in a room with full bookshelves the audience assumes they are intelligent Examples: Gladiator – My name is scene Halloween – Opening scene

Non Verbal Communication (NVC) An actor/actress doesn’t have to talk to express how they are feeling. A stern face, the way a character walks, stands and body language all contribute to your understanding of that character Examples: Toy Story 3 – Trash scene The Artist – photo-op scene A Fistful of Dollars – Shoot-out Drive - Lift scene

Colour The colour of a film, achieved through the use of filters and lighting, can set the mood of the film, distinguish between the past and present and emphasise certain aspects of a character Examples: Schlinder’s List – red dress Finding Nemo – opening

Set Design / Decor The room in which a scene occurs adds meaning to the character of the film. Furniture can represent a person’s age and class for example. If we see dying flowers in the room this can be linked to the protagonist’s psychological state of mind. Examples: Psycho – Room with birds Fight Club – Ikea scene

Lighting Low Key Lighting – When the scene is bathed in shadows and darkness, to create suspense, tension and unease Naturalistic Lighting – Sense of normality, make the scene as realistic as possible (serious drama films) High Key Lighting – When the scene is extremely bright and highly lit. This represents heat, passion or extreme emotions Examples: The Innocents – Low Key This is England – Naturalistic Transformers - High Key

Your turn Examine this opening montage from the film Up in terms of: Setting/Location Costume/Make-up Props/Iconography NVC Colour Set Design/Décor Lighting