Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene

• Mise-en-scène is a French term meaning “onstage” or “placed in a scene”. It is what we can see in the picture.

Mise-en-scèneMise-en-scène includesincludes:

• Setting

• SetSet

• CostumeCostume

• PropsProps

• LightingLighting

• SoundSound

• BlockingBlocking

The arrangement of all these elements in a particular way have an effect on the spectator

Lets explore these Lets explore these terms…terms…

Setting

It is a fictional or real place where the action

and event of the film or play take place.

Set

It is a constructed setting, for example, on a studio soundstage

The Titanic

The factory in Charlie and the chocolate factory

TaskTask

What settings would you find in:What settings would you find in:

a Science Fiction Film a Science Fiction Film a Romantic Comedy a Romantic Comedy a Horror Film a Horror Film

Costume design

Costume refers to the clothes that

characters wear. It is used to describe

character, to show particular fashions,

or to make clear distinctions between

characters.

Barbie-like clothes for Barbie-like clothes for Reese Witherspoon in Reese Witherspoon in Legally blondeLegally blonde

Christian Bale becomes Batman with Christian Bale becomes Batman with this black outfit in this black outfit in The Dark Knight The Dark Knight RisesRises..

Soldier outfits in Saving private Ryan

Props

Objects that are part of

the sets or tools used by

the actors.

The “Heart of the ocean” The “Heart of the ocean”

in in TitanicTitanic

The apple in TwilightThe apple in Twilight

The “golden ticket” in The “golden ticket” in Charlie Charlie and the chocolate factoryand the chocolate factory

Task Task

What props would you find in: What props would you find in: a Science Fiction Film a Science Fiction Film a Western a Western a War Film a War Film

Make up

Together with costume design and hair

style, make up tells a lot about the

character’s personality, job, etc.

Make up transforms Natalie Portman into the “Black Swan”…

… and Heath Ledger becomes “the joker”.

Sound

Diegetic: music or sounds effects such as

footsteps, explosions, bird songs, church bells,

etc that are heard by both the character and

the spectator.

non- diegetic: music or sound effects not

generated in the filmic world but added to

indicate characters´ feelings, emotions. This

music is only heard by the

spectator.

Blocking

• It is the arrangement and movement of actors in relation to each other within the single physical space of mise-en-scène.

There are 2 types of blocking...

Social blocking: describes the

arrangement of characters to

accentuate relations between them.

SocialSocial blocking blocking in in

“The “The break-upbreak-up”

Graphic blocking arranges

characters or groups according to

visual patterns to portray spatial

harmony, tension or some other visual

atmosphere.

Graphic blocking in Graphic blocking in Jane EyreJane Eyre

BibliographyBibliography:

Corrigan, T. and White, P.; The Film Experience, Bedford / St. Martin's

Bernard F. Dick; Anatomy of film, Bedford / St. Martin's - 2002