Mise-en-scene refers to everything visible within the frame of a shot that can provide contextual information to the viewer. There are six key elements of mise-en-scene: color, costume, props, set/location, blocking/performance, and lighting. Color, costume, and lighting are used to convey meanings like innocence, evil, class, and mood. Props provide context for scenes and influence how actors should perform. Blocking/performance covers actor positioning and movement. Location can be purpose-built or real places.

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/location
 Blocking & performance
 Lighting
Colour:
How is colour used in the 3 below pictures?
Dark colours like red and black have connotations of blood, darkness and evil
whereas light colours like white give ideas of innocence and happiness.
Cruella De Vil wears red because she is a bad character and a killer. Her half-black,
half-white hair tells us that she is two-faced; she pretends to be nice but is actually
evil.
Maleficent’s green skin and black clothing shows that she is witch-like and has bad
intentions. The black crow-type bird on her shoulder signifies night time, which is
seen as the scarier, dangerous time of day.
Costume:
What can we interpret from these costumes?

2. Mise-en-scene
The clothes that the family is wearing look cheap and they could be interpreted as
lower class by viewers because those type of people are known to wear tracksuits
and puffy coats.
The black trench coats tell us that these men are detectives because it is a serious
and conservative item of clothing.
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:
• Torch to point in the suspect’s face
• Voice recorder
• Papers – possibly printed with information of the case
• Evidence bags
• Guns and holsters
• Handcuffs
• Table
• Packet of cigarettes
How would actors be directed to use them:
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)

3. Mise-en-scene
 Performance covers all aspects of the actual acting – gesture, expression,
accent etc
If someone is blurred out in the background it indicates that they are of low
importance or are weak
Lighting:
How is lighting being used to create mood in the following examples?
Low-key lighting uses shadow for a dramatic and suspenseful effect and often
indicates that something serious is happening or is about to happen. The light being
shone on their faces tells us that they’re good characters.
The second picture uses ambient light to show that the woman is good and shades
the man to show he’s bad.
Ambient lighting is natural light