Mise-en-scene: A recap

MISE EN SCÈNE

The construction of visual media texts is usually very carefully planned. Everything we see on the movie/TV screen, or printed on paper, has been placed before the camera. The important word here is placed and so we must ask ourselves why and to what effect?

This idea is termed mise en scene; the elements of which are:

• Setting – including scenery, props, furniture and other set dressing.
• Costume and make up
• Lighting – intensity, source, colour and direction
• Figure, expression and movement

Things to watch out for and consider

Setting

• Where/when does the action take place? What details of the setting indicate this?
• How, if at all, does the setting indicate genre?
• Does the setting indicate mood? If so, how?
• What does the setting suggest about the characters? Their status? Culture? Occupation?
• How do props (moveable parts of the setting) contribute to the sense of place? And
genre?

Costume

• Does the costume suggest a certain historical period?
• How does costume indicate genre?
• What does the costume suggest about the characters’ background?
• If the characters significantly change their costumes during the narrative, what does this indicate about their changing feelings/fortunes/status?
• What do the costumes suggest about the way a character feels about themselves? The
impression they want to make on others?

Lighting

• What kind of mood does the lighting create? Are different techniques used to create different moods?
• How does the lighting indicate genre?
• Does the colour of the lighting change for different scenes? If so, to what effect?

Figure expression and movement

• Where are the characters positioned within the frame? Does this reflect their
importance? Feelings? Relationships with each other?
• What thoughts, feelings and emotions are evoked by the actors’ performances?