Film Techniques

MIS-EN-SCENE & CINEMATOGRAPHY

Mis-en-Scene

French word that's pronounced (meez-an-sen) 

Originally a theatre term meaning ‘staging’

In film terms it means 'Everything put before the camera'

Mis-en-scene includes -

SETTING

SUBJECTS

COMPOSITION

SETTING

SETTING is where the filmed action occurs.

This can be on a SET(constructed place for filming ).

It can also be on LOCATION – a real place where filming takes place.

SETTING – where filmed action occurs

ON SET – Hogwart’s Hall ON LOCATION -Australia

SETTING

SETTING can be used to imply a time and place or to reveal or enhancestyle, character, mood and or meaning.

The setting can instantly take you, the viewer, to a new but recognisable place.

SETTING

Setting can establish the ‘genre' or type of a film.

See if you can tell what these next film genres are and why?

Mis-en-scene SETTING

What genre is this?Western

Film: Blazing Saddles

What genre is thisScience Fiction

Film: 2001 A Space Odyssey

What genre is this?Fantasy

Film: Legend

SETTING To show a state of mind

We can see in the flectionballet bars, her hair in abun and outfit tells us she is a ballerina. On closerinspection her reflection isstaring right at her.Mentally and emotionallyShe is at odds with herself.

Film: Black Swan

Mis – en – scene SUBJECTS

In fictional film the subjects are usually the characters.

In some films a place, like a city, can also be a subject.

To show character we need to look at actors and their

performance and costume.

Costume

Costume can tell you a lot about the charter straight away. What do the costumes below tell you? Who are they? What time period are we in?

Costume – change in character

At the start of Grease, The character Sandy wears pastel colours and safe clothing like cardigans and her hair is kept straight and tidy. At the end of Grease Sandy shocks her friend with a change of image. We then see her smoking a cigarette and wearing darker colours and heavier make up and her hair is bigger and curlier.

Costume

Again, Sandy is wearing pastel colours and her hair tied back neatly and is dancing beside Danny without touching. This changes in the second picture.

Mis – en – scene COMPOSITION – The uses of space

Composition refers to how lighting and subjects are arranged in relation to each other and to the sides of the frame.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Generally cinematography is the more technical side of film making like lens types and camera type. However it frequently overlaps with mis-en-scene.

LIGHTING

THE CAMERA Movement

Angles

Shots

Lighting3 Point Lighting

Uses three lights to light an object. The lights are called:

Key light 

Fill Light 

Back Light

LightingKey Light

This is the main light. It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow.

LightingFill Light

This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key. To achieve this, you could move the light further away. You might also want to set the fill light to more of a flood than the key.

LightingBack LightThe back light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. Rather than providing direct lighting (like the key and fill), its purpose is to provide definition and subtle highlights around the subject's outlines. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.

Three point lighting exampleFilm – American Beauty

LightingHigh Key

Illumination for a shot. High-key lighting (with everything evenly and brightly lit, with a minimum of shadows) is often used in musicals and comedies.

Here are examples of high-key lighting in The Wizard of Oz.

LightingLow Key

The lighting is used in this example of Edward Scissorhands to create the feeling of loneliness and isolation after he has been removed from his home.

Low Key lighting is used is a lot in mystery's, thriller and film noir.  

Camera Shots - The Close Up

A shot that keeps only the face in full frame. This shot is meant to give us an insight into the characters emotional state.

Here we can see that Tony Stark aka Iron Man is wounded but looks determined. We can see he is trying to call Pepper Potts. There is red lighting around him to signal danger. This is obviously a tense moment. The example: The Avengers

Camera Shots – Close ups

Medium Close up Extreme Close up

Camera Shots – Long Shot

A shot the depicts an entire character from head to foot. Example – Pirates of the Caribbean.

Camera Shots- Medium Shot

Probably one of the most common shots used in film. It is closer than a long shot but further away than a close up. It is usually from the waist up but can be anywhere from the knees upwards.

Example – The Hunger Games.

Camera Shots – Low Angle Shot

The low angle shot is when the camera is low and tilted up at an angle. This shot creates a sense of power. The viewer is looking up at the subject. Many superhero films have this shot to make the character look big and powerful and to show strength. Example – Batman: The Dark Knight.

Camera Shots – High Angle Shot

The High Angle Shot is the opposite of the low angle shot. It is pointed down at our subject. This shot shows the character is weak or at a disadvantage .

Example – Thor

Camera Shots – Dutch Angle

The Dutch angle – also known as the Dutch tilt. Is a shot where the camera is tilted in either direction. It is used to show a disruption to normal routine or confusion. Below Thor has just woken up in hospital after being hit by a car AGAIN and on a different planet. He wakes up confused

Example – Thor

Mis-en-scene & CinematographyConclusion

We have seen then that everything you see on screen, when you watch a film, is meant to be there. It has a purpose.

There are many types of camera shot, camera angle and camera movement.

Costume and setting can work together to show time and place.

That all the different parts of mis-en-scene put together tell a story much quicker than if they had to be explained verbally.

Next time you watch a film try pausing it anywhere and think about what the director is trying to tell you without using spoken words.