Friday 27 September 2013

Mise en scene notes


The arrangement of everything that appears in the framing of the shot, the actors, lighting, décor, props, costume – is called mise-en-scène. 


Décor

Décor refers to the decoration or decorative styles, comprising mainly of the set and props used in a movie. The director must be savvy to fathom how objects may bear significance in a deeper level, while also emphasising themes, creating meanings, and provoking thoughts.
For example An early scene from The Graduate opens with a close-up of Benjamin Braddock alone on his bed. Behind him is a fish tank, which may symbolically represent Ben’s entrapment in a life that he doesn’t want. Later in the movie, Ben finds himself at the bottom of a swimming pool, thus further elaborating on that concept.


Lighting

Unarguably one of the film elements that has the greatest power to evoke emotions, lighting must be manipulated by the director to accommodate his or her desires for the movie. The two broad types of lighting approaches are: low-key lighting and high-key lighting.

High-key lighting is often seen in romantic comedies and musicals, encompassing an even lighting pattern and avoiding dark areas in the frame. Everything looks bright with little to no shadow at all. High-key lighting has little dramatic effect, and it is often used in a scene with no tension.

Low-key lighting is often seen in horror movies and thrillers, comprising of a lighting pattern that has both bright and dark areas in the frame. The chiaroscuro (Italian: bright-dark) technique, long used by painters, is characterised by strong contrast, often employed to unnerve the audience.


Costume

The obvious purpose of costuming is to dress an actor according to his character. Lawyers wear suits, nurses wear scrubs, and a drifter could wear worn out shoes, ragged shirt, and baggy pants.
But, more than that, costuming can also be used to establish someone’s hierarchic level. Regimentals, for instance, bear the status of the person who wears it. And even the color may distinguish an enemy from a friend

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