This document discusses various film techniques used in image analysis and composition, including: - Different types of shots (extreme close up, close up, medium shot, long shot, etc) and what they are used to convey. - Elements of mise-en-scene including settings, props, costumes, facial expressions, positioning of subjects, and lighting/color. - Examples are provided of how these techniques are used to manipulate the audience and communicate meaning beyond just the visuals. - Students are assigned to analyze the mise-en-scene of a scene from a film or other media for a homework assignment.

1. Lesson Seven
Monday 3rd
October 2016
Media Language –
Image Analysis

2. Preparing Minds
• Pitching your TV drama ideas

3. Image analysis
• We need to understand:
– How images are put together
– How audience decodes meaning
• The decisions creators make about:
– Distance
– Angle
– Setting
– Framing
– Lighting
– Colour

4. Extreme Close Up
• Similar to close up, but usually fits whole
frame
• Focus on certain features within frame
• Done to
create
tension

5. Close Up
• Focuses heavily on face or object, usually
blurring out background to set deeper focus
• Often used to
add emphasis to
scene or image

6. Medium Shot
• Camera focuses on figure from the waist
upwards object with little zoom
• Background has
little detail, very
minimal and usually
slightly out of focus

7. Long shot
• Shows realistic scale of object or character
• Fit subject within
frame without cutting
anything out
• Can include other
events/ objects/
people
in background

8. Extreme Long Shot
• Establishes scene/ mood
• Typically used to introduce location
• Environment is main focus

9. .
Birds eye view
• Overview of setting
• Taken high above ground level
• People/
objects
smaller than
actual size
• Creates
perspective

10. High angle shot
• Camera looks down on subject
• Places audience in privileged position
• Makes
subject
seem weak/
less
important
• Connotes
power

11. Low angle shot
• Camera looks up at subject
• Audience is placed in
inferior
position
• Connotes
weakness

12. Point of view
• Perspective of character
• Audience experiences everything the
character goes through
• Makes audience
feel part of action
• Used so that
audience can
engage with
characters

13. Task
• Complete the “shots” task
• Match the shots to the images

15. Other considerations
• Focus
• Colour
• Lighting
• Pose/ body language
• Composition
• Camera movement
• Editing (cropping/ transitions)

16. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• Clip from the end of the film (final shoot out)

17. Mission Impossible 2
• Opening sequence

18. Learning objectives
• Describe concept of ‘mise-en-scene’
• Use correct media terminology when
discussing mise-en-scene
• Apply the concept to a scene

19. Definition – mise en scene
• From theatre –”what is in the scene”
• Visual information in front of camera
• Communicates essential information to
audience
• Composed by director/ photographer
• Made up of 6 elements

20. Elements of Mise-en-Scene
1. Settings
2. Props
3. Costume, hair &
make up
4. Performance, facial expressions, body language
5. Positioning and movement of
characters/objects within the frame
6. Lighting & colour
Each aspect of mise-en-scene
has connotations and sends
signals about how audience
is supposed to feel at certain
points

21. 1. Settings/ Locations
• Vital to mise-en-scene
• Not just ‘backgrounds’.
• Can manipulate
audience by
building certain
expectations
• Expectations
can then be
subverted

22. Typical settings?
• What settings might you find in:
– Science Fiction?
– Romantic Comedy?
– Horror?
– Western?

23. 2. Props
• Build on setting to create believable ‘world’
• Establish character and place/ time
• Symbols connote additional meanings
• Can also be used in more complex ways to
suggest important characteristics of
particular individuals or key themes

24. Devdas (Samanta, 2002)
Strong flame = Strong character presence/full of life
Shaky flame = problems with character relationships/health
Dim flame/going out = Character leaving/dying

25. Famous props?

27. 3. Costume, Hair, Make Up
• Instant signifier of personality, status & job
• Communicates where/ when set and society or
culture - context
• Certain costumes signify certain individuals (i.e.
Vampire’s cloak, Supersuit etc.)
• Costumes show difference/ similarity between
characters, changes in character/ mood, whether or
not they fit in with setting.

28. Heroes and villains

29. Historical Drama

30. …always?

31. 4. Facial Expressions & Body Language
• Facial Expressions provide clear signifiers of feelings
• A smile signifies happiness
– May get a different feeling if accompanied by scary music
or grim lighting/ set
• Body Language may signify how a character feels
towards another character or may reflect the state
of their relationship
• What meanings/emotions do the
following images convey?

32. IMAGE 1

33. IMAGE 2

34. IMAGE 3

35. IMAGE 4

36. 5. Positioning within a frame
• Positioning (composition) draws our attention
to important character/object
• Positioning indicates relationships between
people
• What does the positioning in the following
images suggest?

41. 6. Lighting & Colour
• Lighting & Colour achieve variety of effects:
– Highlight important characters or objects
– Make characters look mysterious by shading
sections of face/ body
– Reflect character’s mental state/ hidden emotions
(i.e. bright = happy, dark = disturbed, strobe effect
= confused)

42. High Key Lighting
• More lights used
• Lighting natural and
realistic
• Produces brightly lit
sets or a sunny day

43. Low Key Lighting
• Expressive
• Created by using
only a few lights
• Produces sharp
contrasts
• Deep, distinct
shadows/silhouettes are
formed (chiaroscuro)

44. A C
E

45. Red hue
Mean Streets (Scorsese, 1973)

46. Homework
• Choose an image or scene from a TV programme/ film/ game
of your choice
• Write a detailed analysis of the mise-en-scene
• Make sure you mention:
– Settings
– Props
– Costume, Hair & Make Up
– Performance, Facial Expressions & Body Language
– Positioning and movement of characters/objects within the frame
• As an extension, you could also discuss the effect of the
soundtrack
• Deadline: Monday 10th
October 2016