Mise -en-Scene

1. Mise-en-Scene

2. “putting into the scene”—French, play direction • Term used to signify the director’s control over what appears in the film’s frame • Includes: setting, lighting , costume, and behavior of figures • Stages the event for the camera • usually preplanned, but also unplanned (add a line or change in lighting)

3. Realism • Realism varies across cultures, over time, and among individuals • Focus on the functions • can be used to create an impression of realism • Other films may seek to create comic expression, supernatural terror, understated beauty and any # of functions • How does mise-en-scene focus in the totality of the film • Motivations? Developments? Relation to other techniques?

4. Aspects of Mise-en-Scene • 4 general areas: • Setting • Costumes • Make-up • Lighting

5. Setting • Like Melies, filmmakers understood that studio shoots increase control • Some filmmakers choose to emphasize authenticity • Change setting to emphasize and harmonize with lighting, costume, and figure movement • Full size setting doesn’t always need to be built can fill it in • Prop– when an object in the setting has a function within the ongoing action -ex: Indiana Jones’ whip, Dorothy’s Red Slippers • Motifs: prop and color

6. Costume and Make-Up • Can play important motivic and causal roles in narrative • Costume is often coordinated with setting • Integrating with setting, costume functions to reinforce narrative and thematic patterns • Actors rely heavily on eyes– can use eyeliner to bring them out • Can make historical figures, change peoples shapes and faces etc.

7. Lighting • Impact of image—manipulation of light • Lighter and Darker areas to guide our attention to certain objects • Shapes objects by creating highlights and shadows

8. Shadows • Attached shadow or shading– occurs when light fails to illuminate part of an object because o the object’s shape or surface area

9. Shadows • Cast shadow– body blocks out the light and it shows on the surface

10. Features of Film Lighting • 4 features: • Quality • Direction • Source • Color

11. Three Point Lighting • Key • Back • Fill

12. Staging: Movement and Performance • The most familiar cases of figure expression and movement are actors acting • Actor’s performance consists of visual elements (appearances, gestures, and facial expressions) and sound (voice, effects) • Performances again depend on realism of the film (realistic or stylized) • What kind of acting style are we aiming for? • In mass production filmmaking overblown performances are crucial source of audience performance

13. Acting: Functions and Motivation • Performance examined according to function in the context of the film • Performance more or less individualized • More or less stylized • Think of both to create a unique character—not too exaggerated/not to underplayed • typecasting