2. WHAT IS ‘MISE-EN-SCENE’?
“arrangement of scenery and properties
to represent the place where a play or
movie is enacted”
„Mise en scene‟ is directly translated as „putting on
stage‟

4. EXAMPLE
The use of mise en scene is evident in the example below…
This shot of a tree is made to look
evil and threatening through
stripping it of leaves, adding some
birds and ensuring there is a clear
view of both the moon and a
scary house. The fact that it is
shot at night also adds to this.
This shot of a tree is made to look
happy, joyous and definitely not
threatening. This has been
achieved by having a child playing
on it adding a sense of innocence
and ensuring there is a clear view
of the landscape. It is shot in the
day whilst sunny so therefore
complements this.

5. 5 ELEMENTS OF M.E.S
1) Setting & Props
2) Costume, Hair & Make-Up
3) Facial Expressions & Body Language
4) Lighting & Colour
5) Positioning Of Characters & Objects Within A Frame

6. 1) SETTING & PROPS
Settings are used to portray an idea of where a scene may take
place.
For example: BBC Drama ‘Casualty’ is a medical drama and
subsequently takes place in a hospital.
Props are used to once again gives the impression of what is actually
occurring.
For example: BBC Drama ‘Casualty’ is a medical drama and
subsequently use props consistiing of medical equipment like
perhaps a stethoscope.

7. 2) COSTUME, HAIR & MAKE-UP
Costume is a major part of the overall ‘mise en scene’ as what someone
wears acts as a first impression, just in the ‘non tv drama world’. As
people, we form judgements on people from how we first seem them.
This is exactly what is important when it comes to the use of ‘mise en
scene’.
Costume, hair & makeup gives us a clear idea of the characters’
occupation, personality and their status socially.
For example, the BBC comedy drama,
„Big School‟ uses costume, hair &
makeup to present Mr Gunn as being a
P.E teacher whom appears to not be
particularly high up in the social
classes…
If, for example, a young female character wore a
large amount of make-up, the assumption may be
that they are not particularly well off and so may
be branded as a „chav‟.

8. 3) FACIAL EXPRESSIONS & BODY LANGUAGE
Facial expressions act a an indicator of exactly how someone is feeling and what
they may be thinking. Typically we associate smiling with a character being
happy whilst a frown would be associated with sadness. However, the length
of time a certain expression is sustained would determine the state of mind of
the character in question.
For example, in ITV’s detective drama ‘Broadchurch’, with the detectives
attempting to solve a case they are likely to be stressed with a great workload
and therefore are unlikely to be smiling.
Body language is also a gauge as to how someone is feeling and who they are. For
example, if a suspect is ‘Broadchurch’ is trying to hide some information, their
body language is not likely to be open and they therefore would be very close
up and possibly hunched together.

9. 4) LIGHTING & COLOUR
Lighting is used to create mood and atmosphere. If we refer to the
example on one of the first slides with regards to the tree, dark
colour and lack of lighting is used to create a dark, dank mood
with a little apprehension whilst the other picture however is
very bright and therefore distinctly generates a friendly and
joyous atmosphere.
For example, in ‘Dr Who’ a fairly
apprehensive atmosphere is generated by
the lack of intense lighting and so matches
the expectance of how companions may feel
as to what might happen next and what may
be encountered next…

10. 10) POSITIONING OF CHARACTERS
If you wanted to convey a great sense of authority with a particular character
then the character would be situated at the front of the shot and would
perhaps overpower others in the shot.
Relationship can also be represented through the use of proximity. For example,
if 2 characters are far apart, they may not be particularly fond of each other
whilst if two characters are often close together is may show that there is a
good, strong and positive relationship between each of them.
If many characters are spread evenly in a shot and at the same level it would
balance their authority and therefore ensure neither of them have more
focus than the other.