Mise-en-scene

CINEMATOGRAPHY

LIGHTING

LOCATION

The location or setting of a scene is generally used to enable the audience to gain insight into the characters
The locations used within a film also have the ability to signify genre
Some locations are used to denote the time period in which a film is set
Some settings, when combined with certain props, can identify class, nationality and emotional status

PROPS / SET DESIGN

Any objects used in a film are called props. They are used to continue the meaning that has developed through the other elements used.
Props help to fill in the character's back story and assist with moving the story forward
Think about how props can help establish location and the time period in which the scene is set (are the characters travelling by horse and carriage or car?)
Props can often inform a social or occupational status. For example, a journalist will have a notebook and pen, a solider will have a gun and supplies.
It is important to remember that a prop can tell the story just as much as the characters and locations do

COSTUME / MAKE UP / HAIR

The costume and make up of a character can denote the time or place that the film or TV show is set in
Often costume can be used to show narrative progression , for example, a drug addict in a film could be shown as gradually getting more disheveled and unwell as the film progresses
Certain types of costumes are identified closely with certain genres
Will often give the audience an indication of a character's personality, social status and job
In particular genres (horrors/thrillers) costume, hair and make up is used to unnerve and scare the audience or make them feel uncomfortable with a particular character

ACTING / BODY LANGUAGE / MOVEMENT

The body language of a character within a scene is a clear indicator to how this character is feeling
The eyes of an actor can be particularly important within a scene to draw the audience's attention to a certain prop/feature, as we often follow the actors direction of sight
The way a character conducts themselves and moves their body can suggest certain traits about that character. For example, a character who is clumsy and slurs their words would be seen as drunk
The performance of an actor can help the audience understand the way the character is feeling within a scene

SPACE / POSITIONING / COMPOSITION

The composition of a shot refers to how everything within the frame has been placed to create meaning and often walks hand in hand with cinematography
If a director chooses to position a character or an object in the foreground of the shot we know that we should attach importance to this character or object.
A moving body or object against a stationary background will immediately draw the audience's attention
If characters or objects are positioned evenly within the frame this will give a balanced feel to the shot. All figures at one end of the shot would make it appear imbalanced.
A director would use space and positioning of characters to indicate relationships between people to reflect the emotions between characters

Mise en scene from a Hollywood Director/Producer's POV...

Camerawork & Cinematography

The camerawork and photography create meaning and communicate messages through:

framing – medium shot, close-up, long shot, medium close-up, extreme close-up,
medium long shot
establishing shot or lack of (to locate or disorientate)
overhead, point of view (POV), two-shot, over shoulder shot, associated POV
angle – high, low
height – high, low, mid
level – straight, canted
movement – static, pan, whip pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, hand-held (Steadicam®),
zoom, aerial
composition – aspect ratio, rule of thirds, depth of field (deep and shallow focus),
focus pulls
colour – warm, cold, black and white, multi or monochromatic palette, exposure, filters
visual effects – green/blue screen, computer-generated imagery

Use the below terminology when deconstructing these clips...

MID SHOT or MS

CLOSE UP or CU

EXTREME CLOSE UP or ECU

OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT or TWO SHOT

Lighting creates meaning and communicates messages through:

Often used in a scene to represent everyday life.
A scene with lots of dialogue and interactions will probably feature a series of close ups and possibly extreme close ups.
If ambient lighting is inadequate, the Director can manipulate the lighting to have greater control over how the scene looks.
Using this system will make the facial expressions or emotions of characters clearer.
Emphasising these and having the characters well lit will enable the audience to focus on the drama and relate to the characters reactions.

High key lighting is generally quite homogeneous and free from dark shadows.
It is achieved by using more or wider fill lights.
The lighting could be described as more mundane or normal.
It encompasses an even lighting pattern and avoiding dark areas in the frame.
Everything looks relatively bright with little to no shadow at all.
Common convention of the Romantic Comedy genre.
A director might use the three point lighting system to generate high key lighting when there was poor ambient light.
Usually used to suggest an upbeat, lighter mood. Generate feeling towards a location or situation.
Used to make the scene look more ‘real’ to our eyes.
Extreme high key, overexposed lighting could be used in fantasy or science fiction genres to make something look fantastical or mythological.

Low key lighting is normally used to create shadowy areas, while accentuating the contours of the subject.
It will be achieved by using only the key light and the back light, or perhaps even only one of the two.
There will be no filler light.
It creates strong contrast between light and dark areas of the shot
This level of lighting is commonly a convention of the film noir or horror/thriller genres.
The effects created by this level of lighting are often used to unnerve the audience.
It tends to heighten the sense of alienation felt by the viewer, as the effect can often be unnatural or mysterious.
Shadows by definition have connotations of suspicion, and can generate an ominous, eerie feeling.

Consider how the lighting of a text might generate a feeling of temperature.
Different temperatures have different connotations. Reds, yellows and browns could be described as warm. Blues are cold and spooky etc. Greys are washed out and depressing.
Filmmakers use filters on their camera lenses for a variety of reasons.
They may want to take out some of the reds and yellows to give a more naturalistic ‘washed out’ alien or creepy effect.
Or they might heighten the reds and intensify the colours to create a feeling of warmth or homeliness.
This in turn could influence the tone, style and mood of the scene.

LIGHTING AND COLOUR

The lighting and colour of a scene helps to create mood and atmosphere
Light can often be used to guide the audience's attention by lighting a particular object or character within a scene
Shadows can be used to build up suspense by allowing characters in the scene to lurk in them
Colours have many connotations that can be used to support the idea of a particular mood within a scene - dark colours could connote a scary or spooky atmosphere, where as brighter, warmer colours could suggest comfort and ease

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