Notes on mise en scene

1. Mise-en-scene
What does mise-en-scene mean?
Everything in the scene
What are the 6 key areas of mise-en-scene?
Colour
Costume
Props
Set
Blocking
Lighting
Colour:
How is colour used in the 3 below pictures?
Red coat symbolises blood and death
White dress which symbolises innocent and green
Tint of green symbolises evil
Looks like a wedding dress, symbolises purity
Black and white hair half good half evil split personality
Crow not an attractive bird
Costume:
What can we interpret from these costumes? Costume representscultural code,
allowsaudience toreactdifferentlyto
differentcharacters.
Lowerclass,poor,council
housing
Upper/middleclass,
professional,cleanlyshaven

2. Mise-en-scene
Props:
Option 1 - You have to provide props for a tense police interview between two
officers and one suspected murderer. Decide what props you would incorporate and
how the actors should be directed to use them.
Option 2 – You have to provide props for a romantic meal between two characters
on their first date. Decide what props you would incorporate and how the actors
should be directed to use them.
Props needed:
-Handcuffs
-Hand gun
-Voice recorder
-Evidence file
How would actors be directed to use them:
-The handcuffs on the suspect
-Handgun rested on the table pointed towards the suspect
-Hands around the evidence file
Location:
Can be a purpose built set or a real location
Blocking/Performance:
 Blocking refers to the positioning and movement of actors within the frame,
both in relation to each other and in relation to the camera (which represents
us, the audience)
 Performance covers all aspects of the actual acting – gesture, expression,
accent etc
Lighting:
How is lighting being used to create mood in the following examples?
High key and low key lighting
High key is bright lighting
Low key lighting is darker which creates a more dramatic effect
Ambient lighting is from the sun just natural lighting.
Low key shows danger and shadiness and conveys the mood
Background is dark which can show danger

3. Mise-en-scene
The light is on their faces which shows they are good guys
Right image uses ambient lighting which reflects realism in the scene
Women’s face is brighter whereas the guys is shaded