Mise-en-Scène
Mise-en-scène comes from French and means “put in the scene.” It first appeared in stage plays. In film, it means everything that is placed in front of the camera. The director can use the camera position, lens, lighting, and set design to control the space, distance, and feeling of the scene. These choices help show emotion and build the story world.
Actors:
The movement and position of actors show the relationship between characters. When actors change direction or stand close or far apart, it tells us how they feel about each other.
Location:
The setting creates mood and supports the action.
Set design:
The set includes objects and backgrounds in a scene. It can show the mood or give more information about the story.
Lighting:
The brightness, direction, and type of light change how we see a scene. Light can guide our eyes to important parts and show emotion through colour and depth.
Shot blocking and camera placement:
Blocking means planning where actors move and where the camera is placed. The camera’s position and movement can change how we feel about the characters’ power or relationship.
Layout (Composition):
Composition means how things are arranged inside the frame. By changing camera angle and framing, the director can make the scene more emotional or symbolic.
Space depth:
Space depth means the distance between people, objects, and the background. It tells us about the mood and focus of the scene — deep space feels open, shallow space feels close and tight.
Film style:
Film style is how the movie looks — black and white or colour, clear or grainy. The choice depends on the story and atmosphere.
Costume:
Costumes show who the characters are. The designer chooses colour and style to match the character’s personality and the film’s tone.
Hair and makeup:
Hair and makeup help actors become their characters. They can show age, injury, or fantasy looks. Like costume, they are key parts of visual storytelling.
Research Activity 1
1. Settings & Props
The witch is in a dark room with smoke, bottles, and a big pot. Later she goes to the forest house. The red apple is the main prop.
2. Costume, Hair & Make Up
The witch wears a black cloak and has a long nose and wrinkles. Snow White wears light clothes with puffed sleeves and has clean skin and soft hair. The two characters look very different.
3. Facial Expressions & Body Language
The witch smiles in a bad way and hides her face. She moves slowly and carefully. Snow White looks kind and happy. She opens the window and trusts the old woman.
4. Lighting and Colour
In the witch’s room, the light is dark and green. Outside, the light is warm and bright. The red apple looks strong in colour and shows danger.
5. Positioning of characters/objects within the frame
In the lab, the witch is always placed in the centre or slightly above the cauldron, showing control and dominance. Later, when she meets Snow White, the witch stands lower in the frame while holding the apple up. This positioning makes Snow White look innocent and pure above her, while the witch seems sneaky and manipulative below.
6. What role does the shot choice (Cinematography) play in the scene
The scene uses many close-ups and low-angle shots to highlight emotion. The close-ups of the witch’s face increase tension and horror. When she lifts the apple, the camera tilts upward, making the object look powerful and dangerous. Dissolves and cross-cuts between the apple and Snow White’s face build suspense.
Research Activity 2
Two characters lie on a hotel bed. The setting is simple, with a bed, slippers, and a suitcase showing they are travelling. The man wears a dark jacket, and the woman wears an orange sweater and a blue skirt, which makes them look like normal people. Both are quiet and still, looking up with no smile, showing they feel lonely and unsure. The light is warm and soft, with brown and beige colours that create a calm but sad mood. The camera looks down from above, and they lie side by side in the middle of the frame. The space around them is empty, showing emotional distance between them. The mise-en-scène makes the scene peaceful but full of quiet sadness.
Research Activity 3
The young Mrs. de Winter sits while Mrs. Danvers stands beside her. Their relationship looks cold and tense. The young woman seems nervous and small, while Mrs. Danvers looks strict and powerful. We can see this from the way they are placed in the frame — one sitting and one standing. The dark clothes of Mrs. Danvers make her look serious and dominant, and the light dress of the young woman makes her look innocent and weak. The lighting is low, with shadows between them, showing distance and fear. The mise-en-scène uses height, costume, and lighting to show power and control in their relationship.
Research Activity 4
High Key Lighting: The scene is bright with few shadows. It feels happy and safe, often used in comedy or romance.
Low Key Lighting: Strong contrast between light and dark. It creates tension or mystery, used in horror or thrillers.
Natural Lighting: The light comes from the environment, like sunlight. It feels real and soft, often used in documentaries or realistic films.
Extreme Long Shot: Shows a large space; the character looks small.
Long Shot: Shows the full body and the background.
Medium Shot: Shows half of the body; good for dialogue.
Close-Up: Focuses on the face or detail to show emotion.
Extreme Close-Up: Focuses on a small part, like eyes, to show strong feeling.
Pan Down: The camera moves down to show power or control.
Pan Up: The camera moves up to show weakness or growth.
Zoom In: Focuses attention on something important.
Fade In / Out: Used for beginning or ending.
Cut: A quick change between shots to create energy.
Wipe: Replaces one image with another to show change.
This scene shows a young girl standing in a busy street. It is a medium shot with a straight-on camera angle. The girl is in the centre of the frame, and the crowd and buildings are behind her. She wears a red scarf and a yellow coat, which make her stand out from the brown background. The depth of field is shallow — the girl is clear, but the people and buildings behind her are soft. The colour palette uses warm and muted tones, like brown, beige, and red, creating a dry, dusty feeling of the city. The lighting is natural side lighting, coming from the right side. It makes one side of her face bright and the other side in shadow, showing her worry and fear.