Mise en scene

Everything we see in the camera has been deliberately put there by the film maker for a particular purpose which helps us to understand the story better- the actors, time and location. The five main aspects of Mise en scene help to create a world in which the movie is set.

Settings and Props

• Setting is where the film takes place and helps us understand where and when the film was set. 
• To give the impression a film is set in a specific period in history, particular locations have to be chosen in order to create the right effect. 
• Setting and props are very useful in telling the type of genre. 
• Audience expect to see certain props in different genres of movies, for example of western films we would expect to see guns, boots, horses and native american costumes. 

Costume, hair and makeup 

• This is very important in film making and can show very well the time period in which a movie is set and also the status and position in society of the character. 
• What a character wears can also indicate the personality of a character.
• Makeup can be used to create many meanings in films, for example in horror films fake blood and bruises can be created. 

Facial expressions and body language 

• As well as verbal communication non verbal communication can be more effective when showing a characters feelings and emotions through posture, frowning and rolling of the eyes. 
• To give the full impact of a facial expression a close up shot can be used to emphasise the emotions of the character. 
• Eyes, eye brows and mouth are the most expressive parts of the face and create a meaning with out verbal communication. 

Lighting and colour

• Colour is often used to signify emotions, for example red is associated with anger and danger but also love. 
• Lighting can be used in film making to draw attention to a particular object but can also be used to create an environment. for example bright lights are used to create a clinical effect. Lighting is also used to show characters emotions.

Positions of characters and objects within a frame 

• This helps the viewers to understand when something significant is happening in the film.

The Duchess  

• During class we watched two extracts from The Duchess which helped to show how mise en scene created a world set in the 18th century. 
• Costume, hair and makeup was very important in this film as it created a hierarchy, showing the duchess to have a high position and status in society- she wore very pale makeup to signify her wealth showing she spent her time inside, unlike the poor who worked outside.
• The Duchess herself wore elaborate and extravagant clothing also to show her wealth.
• Many settings are used in The Duchess, from a crowded street to an empty, quiet room. To create a effect of different classes.

My film opening 

• Having watched some romantic crime movies, many of the settings take place cities and houses. I therefore will try and film some of the opening to my movie in the city as it creates a busy and crowded effect.
• Facial expression and body language is used a lot more in romantic comedies than I thought, so I will use more facial expressions rather than verbal communication so show the characters feelings in my film opening, as it also helps to build tension. 
• I would like to make the characters wear darker clothing in my movie opening, because when looking at crime movies not many bright colours were shown but neutral colours and black. With my film opening being a modern day movie I would not need to use clothing to show class or status as much but more to show their personality.