Mis-en-scene

Mis-En-Scene

• A french term meaning what is put into a scene or frame.
• Visual information in front of the camera.
• communicates essential information to the audience.

5 Elements of Mis-en-Scene

Setting and Props

• Setting and location are not just 'backgrounds' in films.
• Sets are either built from scratch or a great deal of time is spent to find a setting which already exists. 
• Settings can manipulate an audience by building certain expectations then taking a different turn.

Costume, Hair and Makeup

• Costumes, hair and makeup act as an instant indicator to us of a characters personality status and job.
• It tells us immediately whether the film is set in the present and what society/culture it will centre around.
• Certain costumes signify certain individuals e.g black cloak of a vampire, spideys spider-man suit.

Facial Expressions and Body Language

• Facial expression provide a clear indicator of how someone is feeling.
• If someone is smiling broadly, we assume they are happy but we may get a different feeling if this is accompanied by scary music.
• Body Language may also indicate how a character feels towards another character or may reflect the state of their relationship.

Positioning of character and objets within a frame

• Positioning within a frame can draw our attention an important character/object. A filmmaker can use positioning to indicate relationships between people.

Staging positions can include:

• Full-front: position with most intimacy, character looks in our direction
• Quarter Turn: favoured position of most film makers. offers a high degree of intimacy but with less emotion then full front.
• Profile: more remote than the quarter turn, the character in profile seems unaware of being observed
• Three-quarter turn: anonymous then the profile, used to convey a characters unfriendly or antisocial feelings, for in effect, the character is partially turning his or her back on us, rejecting our interest.
• Back to Camera: Very anonymous, often used to suggest a characters alienation from the world.

Lighting and Colour

• Colours carry certain connotations which may add meaning to a scene e.g red = danger/ passion.
• Can give a scene a particular look. feel or mood.
• Can be used for dramatic effect.
• Lighting and colours can be used to achieve a variety of effects:                                                            - To highlight important characters or objects within the frame.                                                    - To make characters look mysterious by shading sections of the face and body.                          - To reflect a characters mental state/hidden emotions e.g bright = happy, dark = disturbed.

Types of Lighting

Low Key Lighting

• Created by using only the key and backlights.
• produces sharp contrasts of light and dark areas.
• Deep, distinct, shadows/silhouettes are formed.

High Key Lighting

• More filler lights are used. Lighting is natural and realistic to our eyes.
• Produces brightly lit set or a sunny day.

High Contrast Lighting

• Features harsh shafts of light and dramatic streaks of blackness.
• often used in tradegies and melodramas.