This document analyzes the mise en scene elements in a cave scene from a film. It discusses how the lighting uses infrared night vision to depict the limited light inside the cave. It also notes how a flare is later used as another light source. The location of the dark, cramped cave creates a scary environment and props like bones on the floor add to the fear. Costumes show the characters are prepared for hiking and makeup makes the goblin prosthetics look deformed. Character movements express their states of injury or adaptation to the space, while acting conveys emotions like terror at their situation.

1. Analyzing Mise en scene
Mandisi Sibanda

2. Lighting and Colour
• The lighting used in this scene is to
accompany the fact that they are in a
cave with very minimal light so that is
why infrared night vision.
• Also when the creature appears from
behind the girl the night vision effect
kicks in as a way of seeing what the
creatures are seeing when it is about
to attack.
• In the final part f the scene a flare is
used to express how limited light is
inside the cave leaving the girls to use
any for of light source to see what's
around them.

3. Location
• The location is an important factor as
that it makes the audience
understand and feel the emotions
that girls are feeling inside the cave.
• The cave is dark, cluster phobic and
damp which creates a good
combination for scary scene with the
sound of dripping water through out
the scene.
• Bone and fossils are seen across the
floor through out this scene
presumable from dead people.

4. Costume, Hair and make up
• Costume is important as it tells the audience
why they are wearing these specific clothing
to match the environment. For example in
the descent they wear hiking/climbing gear
like helmets, harness and torches. They are
looking naturalistic wearing minimal make
up.
• The prosthetics used to make the goblins
make them look like a deformed human like
figure which creates a evolutional relation to
the characters.
• Each characters hair is made to look wet and
disfigured to create the illusion that they are
out of their comfort zone.

5. Props
This scene uses many different props to create fear within the scene. For
example in part of the scene when we see several bones scattered across the
floor. This gives the feeling that this cave is deserted. Another prop that was
used was a lighter which was last resort after most the torches were miss
placed or ran out of battery.

6. Moving and Acting
• Movement is very key factor in Mise en scene
especially in this scene as it expresses what state
each character is in, for example if someone’s injured
they might be limping or possible quiet teary.
Movement can be seen most effectively from the
goblins as they move around as if they have adapted
to their location and primitive, because they are
always crawling unlike the humans who have to duck
because of the tight spaces within the caves.
• The acting however is also really good as it tells the
audience what the characters are feeling, thinking and
seeing. In the descent Juno looks terrified due to the
fact the cave is full of bones and in realization that
would be terrifying. Also an example of good acting is
when the actors see one of the goblins for the first
time and are completely clueless that they have been
watching them.