8. Analysing a scene
Low key lighting: Wood flooring Body language: shows
adds atmosphere connotes a typical she is elegant
and tone to the scary house
scene
Black and
white
wallpaper
fits within
the films
content Clothing: white and Position of characters:
she is put in the Props: piano
pink signifies purity
foreground and centred signifies
and innocence
in the mirror talent and
Editor's Notes
Mise-en-scene is a French term meaning what is in shot? It is the arrangement of scenery and props to represent a place where a film is set. It helps establish what genre a film is through lighting, costumes, props, settings, body language, facial expressions and positions of characters.
Lighting helps the audience assume what type of genre the film is through the way itis displayed. For example there is low key lighting and high key lighting. Different levels of low key lighting creates a mysterious atmosphere which is usually used in thriller films. Colour is also a convention for mise en scene as it associates emotions with different colours. For exampleWhite typically represents purity and innocenceGreen typically represents envy Black represents evil or danger through the darkness Red represents lust/love, anger/danger, blood/violenceBlue represents coldness, sadness or depressionYellow-represents sunshine or happinessPink represents femininity and innocence
The use of costume and make up make actors develop more as a character which creates a forced judgement on how the audience perceive them. The costume may include things like style of dress, garments, accessories and hairstyle. Make-up can make characters either seem more appealing/glamorous or normal (without makeup). Make up in the earlier years of cinema was used to highlight facial features as black and white films could not show every detail.
Location is key when it comes to mise-en-scene as it sets the tone of the film. This can be an outside location or an inside location. Props can help determine the narrative, identity of character and genre. Semiology can come into this as well such as by using to a gun to symbolize violence.
By using facial expressions the camera is able to capture the emotion of the characters. This includes hand gestures and postures which is shown physically or mentally.With non verbal communication the audience is able to assume characteristics about the character on how they are feeling by not being directly told. For example, if a character is scared we can tell by their worried facial expression.
The way characters are positioned within a frame can tell the audience a lot about the character. This includes levels of social status which is shown by the characters are centred and angled. For example, one character could be positioned higher than another character therefore making them seem more important.
