1. Understanding the importance of details and the meaning of detail in film.

2. Mise-en-Scene: the totality of expressive content within the image. Includes but not limited to: settings, props, lighting, costumes, makeup, actors, their gestures, the camera’s actions, angles, and cinematography. Simply put: it is the form the filmed image takes on. It is EVERYTHING that is within the frame! When we consider that what we are seeing on screen is visual information, we attempt to make sense of all this information all without being aware that we’re taking it all in. In this class, it is going to be very important to pay attention to what is in front of us on the screen, and MORE importantly, why we are seeing it!

3. ACTIVITY! Take your hands and put them together to create a rectangle you can see through. (you’ve created a frame!) Notice how things that were in your field of vision are now either contained within the boxed rectangle or outside the frame. What is within the frame? (mise-en-scene) What makes up the COMPOSITION of the image within your hands? Write it all down. EVERY LAST DETAIL of it.

4. Elements of Mise-en-Scene It is important to evaluate all the visual information you have in front of you. Then you can take that frame and move it from our hands onto celluloid and create a shot!

5. The Shot: the basic element of filmmaking A shot is a series of frames that runs for a uninterrupted period of time. Essential aspect of movies where angles, transitions, and cuts are used to further express emotions, ideas, or movements. In production, a shot is the moment a camera starts rolling until the moment is finished and camera is turned off. In editing, a shot is the continuous footage or sequence between two edits or cuts.

6. Subject-Camera Distance & Why It Matters In general, the closer the camera is to the subject, the more emotional weight the subject gains. Or how it SEEMS to be…telephoto lenses. Ring Ring! An empty living room and the soundtrack provides a phone call. Without locating the phone, the ring ring may seem relatively unimportant. But when the close up shot of the telephone appears, suddenly the phone call becomes significant!

7. The Close up Shots Close Up Shot - shot isolating an object in the image, making it appear relatively large Extreme close up – might be of an eye, or mouth, or nose.

8. The Medium Shots Medium Shot – shot taken from medium distance, usually from waist up. ¾ shot (medium long shot)– takes in human body just below knees Full shot – shot of the entire body.

9. The Long Shots Long Shot – appears to be taken from a distance. Remember how lenses can create the illusion of distance and closeness. Extreme Long Shot – showing object/person at vast distance surrounded by great amount of surrounding space.

10. Camera Angle Eye Level Shot Angle – the camera places us at the character’s height – we’re equals. Unobtrusive.

11. Low-Angle Shot We’re looking up at the subject(s); sometimes to exaggerate shot’s subject.

12. High-Angle Shot We’re looking up at our subject(s). Possibly suggesting a certain superiority over our subject(s).

13. Composition The precise arrangement of objects and characters within the frame. Relationship of lines, volumes, masses, and shapes at a single instant in a representation. Relatively static. Unlike Mise-en-Scene where its not so much about PRECISE ARRANGEMENT but rather about the relation of everything within shot(s). When using both terms, one can discuss the compositional elements within a selected mise-en-scene of a particular shot(s). Quite similar when painter’s refer to composition. Arranging shapes, character bodies, textures, lighting all contribute to the director’s cinematic style. Huh? But cinema is a moving art. So to a certain extent, almost every composition is fluid. Confused? You’ll begin to understand the difference the more we use the terms!

14. Analysis of a Frame. The Great Gatsby (2015)