L3 CREATIVE MEDIA
Mise-en-Scene
Mise en scene refers to the props, setting, lighting, colours, costume, positioning and NVC in a shot. This helps a film express its intentions by creating a sense of the time, mood and setting. Mise en Scene can also be used to show a characters mindset - for example, bright colours and lighting for a happier tone and darker ones for a sadder tone.
Elements of Mise-en-scene:
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Setting and props. Props are anything moveable on set, separate from actors, costumes or scenery. The setting is where the props are set.
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Lighting and colour. Lighting is very important within a scene, it can tell us anything from the time to the mood of a character. colour is just as important, since colours can hold connotations to deeper meaning. they're also used to help indicate the time period - for example, a yellow/brown filter means its set in the past.
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Facial expressions and body language (NVC). Facial expressions and body language, also referred to as Non-verbal communication, provide a clear indicator to the mood or how a character is feeling.
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Costume, hair and makeup. Costume hair and makeup are important aspects of Mise en scene as a characters wardrobe can convey their time period, mood, personality, status or line of work. Also very useful during long running, serialised shows, where the actors age faster then the in-universe characters. due to this, their costume, hair and makeup will be altered in attempts to make them appear younger and more suited for the role.
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Positioning within a frame. the positioning of actors and props can tell an audience about their status, intentions or relation to another character in the frame.
This frame is taken from the opening scene of Apocalypse Now. it's a panning shot of our protagonist's bedside table of sorts. through the clutter there's clearly a lighter, small glass of presumably whiskey or liquor, a cigarette case and a spoon.
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Given the previous shots of helicopters and fires fading in and out over the character's uncomfortable expression, we can assume he's been involved in a war of some kind- specifically the Vietnam war. The Vietnam war happened in the 60's, before the national taboo of smoking cigarettes had solidified. You would assume someone who has experienced war to drink as an escape, hence the assumption of it being alcohol on his dresser.
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The addition of a spoon adds several layers of detail. continuing with the notion that our protagonist was involved in the Vietnam war, we can take into account the increase of heroin use amongst soldiers and vets during and after the war. Heroin is a drug typically prepared by heating using a spoon and lighter.
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Before any dialogue, the props used for Mise en scene has told us that the protagonist is a veteran from the Vietnam war, likely with uncomfortable memories from the experience, which he choses to escape from using alcohol and/or drugs.
This frame is taken from the Basement scene in Parasite. The Lighting in parasite is used very specifically to portray a divide in the wealthy and poor of South Korea. This basement
is beneath a luxurious home inhabited by a rich family, and is being lived in by the former housekeeper and her husband, who is hiding from debt collectors. The low key lighting lends itself to the scene's dark and dreary atmosphere. Compared with the high key lighting in the lavishly lit home upstairs, its clear to see the class divide Bong Joon Ho was trying to highlight.
This frame is from Everything Everywhere All At Once. Evelyn's body language (wide eyes, mouth agape, raised eyebrows) tells us she's shocked or scared about something off screen. ​she's also on her knees and handcuffed, highlighting that she's powerless in this situation and intensifying the fear she - and the audience - would feel in this moment.
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This frame is taken from Snowpeircer. Minister Mason's clothes and way of dress makes her stand out against the dim background. She is a person of great authority and higher status to people aboard the train, and her outfit reflects that. The people she's addressing are all crowded together, dressed very similarly in dark, regular clothes, and dirty, suffering from her oppression. she juxtaposes this by being well put together, stood apart from everyone, and clean looking compared to the rest of them.
This frame is taken from dumb and dumber. Lloyd is the oblivious man with his head out the window, talking to a woman who is of higher status than him. he is positioned below her, creating a physical representation for their IQ and status difference.