Film Language: Mise-en-scene

Remember the mnemonic that will help you recall the different aspects of mise-en-scene: CLAMPS.

• Costume
• Lighting
• Actor (placement and movement)
• Make-up
• Props
• Setting

Mise-en-scene blog task

Complete the two tasks for mise-en-scene in the Film Language booklet:

1) Find a distinctive still image and write an analysis of the mise-en-scene. Use each of the aspects you've learned in the lesson.

2) Find three film extracts on YouTube from films of different genres (e.g. horror, sci-fi, costume drama). Embed them in your blogpost and write a comparison of the mise-en-scene in each.

Mise-en-scene analysis.

Costume

The costumes of the actors in this image are very colourful. The actor on the left is wearing a purple blazer with a white opened shirt and the actor on the right is wearing a red top. By the individuals in this picture wearing these items of clothes, it shows that they are different and stand out. It also shows that they may portray a sense of craziness as do not conform to the normal presentation of adults. They more resemble children which can show that their actions and personality is very in your face, carefree and brisk. 

Lighting

The lighting casted around these actors are more around their outfits and around their faces instead of being on the actual face. The lighting is also black and white on the actors but their outfits, props and makeup are in bright colours. This could show that they present their personalities through the outfits that they wear and makes it predictable what they are going to be like. Also, the actors face on the left has more dark shadows and is more dark than the character on the right which can show that he has more of a dark personality and background. 

Actor

The actors have completely different facial expressions. The actor on the right has a very humorous face which can show that she doesn't takes things seriously. Also, it can portray that she masks her emotions with being sarcastic and jokey but her eyes look very melancholy which could highlight that her actions are over the top to put on a front. This contrasts with the actor on the left as his face is very serious and daunting. His face is also unpredictable, it is unclear whether or not he is angry, bored, contemplating or concerned. Although, from all these expressions it is very clear that he is evil yet content and devious yet playful. This could show that he has split personalities and his actions are unpredictable. Also as he is facing forward and the female actor is facing to the side it symbolises that he is the one in control of their relationship and he takes things more hands on.  

Make-up 

There is alot of makeup on the actors that is colourful and messy. This resembles the type of thing that a child would do and therefore symbolises that the actors are very child-like and playful. Although, on the actor on the left he has a tattoo that states "damaged" across his forehead. This highlights that he is mentally unstable and also he has plenty of scars on his face which could illustrate that he gets in alot of fights and may be a bit of a trouble maker.  

Props

The actor on the right has a bat that has the words "Good Night" written down it. This shows that she has a sense of humour and has a ludicrous personality as the bat is being used to cause damage and danger. She also has a gun that she is holding carelessly which suggests that her actions are carefree and she doesn't think about the effects of her actions.

Setting

The background is very dark which shows that the actors have a dark background and can show the audience that they present intimidation and can show that they are unsettlingly and sinister.

film extracts

This drama is based on a true story and has a very natural feel through the way it is portrayed in the film trailer. This is because the costumes of the people are very natural and represent something that people would normally wear on holiday so the audience can relate more to what is going on in the film. What the main actor's/actress wears in the trailer does change when the tragedy happens ad their clothes become more ragged and damaged. The lighting in this trailer is very light and realistic. This is because the family are on holiday so therefore there will be alot of sunlight which makes the scene bright. Although, this does change when the tsunami happens as the lighting starts to get a bit more dark in some scenes like when they are in the hospital. This could symbolise that something bad is happening/happened and sets the mood and atmosphere. The actors are in different positions in the trailer. At the start, the mother is relaxing reading the book, the young boys are with the father in the pool and the older boy has gone to get the ball when the tsunami happens. As the older boy is on his own this could symbolise strength and that he is confrontational. The make-up in this trailer is very natural at the start but after the disaster the make-up used then becomes bloody and dirty. There are scars, cuts, blood and dirt on the people in the film. This shows the outcome of what has happened and the damage that it has caused to everyone. There are alot of props in this trailer which all represent a deeper meaning and helps the viewer to see and understand what is happening more clearer in the trailer. A few of these crops is a book, ball, pictures, trees, debris and etc. The setting of this film is very calm in the start of the trailer and is in a beautiful, exotic place but after the tsunami happens the setting become more disruptive as there is alot of damage that has been done to nature. There is alot of broken down trees, cars and alot of people severely injured.

This sci-fi is based on a son setting out to save his father after their aircraft crashes on earth. Contrasting to "The Impossible" trailer, the costumes in this trailer are very scientific and futuristic which could show that this is not a realistic film and represents the amount of action that will be happening. The lighting in this film is very bright and vibrant to show that this is another kind of world/ atmosphere than what is meant to be earth and brings attention to the details that have been crafted in this film. The actor's in this trailer have a very strong stance, look strong minded and show willingness. This was annotated through the son going out and fighting all of these different species of animals and also both of the actors being strong through the crash and the after effect of the crash. The make-up in this trailer is natural which makes them look serious but also, the actors do have a few blotches of blood on their faces from the result of the incident which gives the film a little bit more of realism instead of being too unrealistic. The props used in this trailer are very futuristic as these types of props are most likely in process of development in real life but are being used in this film already which highlights that this film is based in the future and brings attention to the type of film that it is and the type of things we could expect to see through the use of the type of props. The setting in this trailer is very advanced in terms of how earth is now and is set in space first and then on earth. The setting in this trailer shows the audience that this film is not something that would happen in real life and is a difference to the film trailer "The Impossible" as this is a very realistic setting and film although, there are similarities as this film also has a disaster that causes the main characters to split up which causes alot of drama.  

This horror film is about a haunted son who goes into a different type of world as he is abducted by evil spirits and his father has to get him back. The costumes in this film are natural but quite old fashioned compared to the film "After Earth". This builds suspense as this makes the mood of the film quite airy. The costume on the spirits are very dark and worn out which highlights to the audience that there is a dark atmosphere and setting which makes it very insidious. The lighting in this film is very dark compared to the other two film trailers as this film is a horror and therefore the atmosphere has to be set and as the lighting is dark, it highlights the morbid and abnormal activities that are happening. The actors move quite cautiously throughout the film trailer which shows that they are on edge and that something is wrong. Their faces also portray fear and terror through the numerous facial expressions shown in the trailer which again suggests that there is something uneasy happening in the film. The make-up in this film is also very natural like the other two film which shows that this could happen in real life and therefore creates fear in the audience. Although, the make-up is different for the evil spirits as there make-up is very scary in the trailer and quite dark which presents them as more intimidating and fearful. The props in this film are normal day-to-day things that are seen in real life although, there are abnormal props in the trailer which is orientated around demonic things which makes the reader feel tense. The setting in the trailer is in a old fashioned house which is different from the other two trailers as they are more outside throughout the film. This therefore could mean that the problem is within the house and shows the viewer that the house and people in the house are the main focus of the film.      

Research - Film Noir

Film Noir

Focusing on the genre’s distinctive lighting style. Find a YouTube clip that fits the film noir genre and embed it alongside your research.

Found information about film noir: Film Noir is a film genre often classified as providing dark or fatalistic interpretations of reality, meaning "black film" in French it is a cinematic term predominantly used to describe Hollywood crime dramas mainly for those that emphasise the moral ambiguity and sexual motivation seen within them. The term is applied to the films of the late 1940s to the early 1950s that often portrayed a rough or criminal underworld and cynical characters. Films seen within that era were often noted for their use of harsh, expressionistic lighting and stylised camera work which was often employed in urban settings.

Stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s film noir has always been associated with the low key lighting seen within the genre's films as often being weak shades of black and white. Although film noir does mean "black film" the emphasis of light and dark is deeply shown by the high key and low key lighting used within the films of that genre which makes it appear as being very accurate and precise.

One of the key features of film noir lighting is the intensity of the darkness which is provided by the low key lighting of the shadows, due to the single light source used to create a film noir film it is often easy to create a superb cinematic lighting. The use of stark, high-contrast lighting is the most noticeable visual feature of film noir. The shadowy noir style can be traced to the German Expressionist cinema which has greatly influenced film noir.

Film Noir Film Focusing on:

Blood Simple (1984)

Plot:

Texas bar owner Julian Marty, who is generally regarded as not a nice person, hires shady private detective Loren Visser, who is able to obtain what Marty requests: evidence - in this instance, photographic - that his wife, Abby, and one of his bartenders, Ray, are having an affair. As Ray and Abby realize that Marty has found out about them, it allows them to plan for their future away from Marty, while be up front with Marty about the situation. Marty, in turn, decides to hire Visser once again, this time to kill Abby and Ray, and dispose of their bodies so that they won't be found. The out in the open affair and the contract hit lead to some actions based on self interest, and a standoff of sorts between the four players, which is compounded in complexity by some wrong assumptions of what has happened, with an innocent bystander, another of the Marty's bartenders, Meurice, potentially and unwittingly adding to the scenario.

Blood Simple is a 1984 American neo-noir psychological crime thriller film written, edited, produced and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It was the directorial debut of the Coens and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director, as well as the feature film debut of Joel Coen's wife Frances McDormand, who subsequently starred in many of his features.

The film's title derives from the Dashiell Hammett novel Red Harvest (1929), in which the term "blood simple" describes the addled, fearful mindset of people after a prolonged immersion in violent situations.

The film was shot in several locations in the towns of Austin and Hutto, Texas over a period of eight weeks in the fall of 1982. The film spent a year in post-production and was completed by 1983.

Film Language: Lighting

Film Language: Lighting

Answer the questions for each:

1. Identify examples of high and low-key lighting.
2. Say which depict top, back or under lighting.
3. What effects are created by the lighting in each image?     

The lighting used in this image is low-key lighting as there are shadows casted around the females face. Used in the image is back lighting as the light on her face is coming from the back of the female. The effects coming from the lighting makes the female look mysterious as there are dark shadows casted around around her face and also she is mainly in the dark. 

The lighting used in this image is low-key lighting as the female is mostly in the dark. The lighting used looks like it is coming from the top as she is looking up and also the light casted in her face is at a high point. The effect that this has is that it makes the female look memorised and glamourous. Also, as her face is only visible, it is the focus of the image and therefore makes her stand out more. 

The lighting used in this photo is high-key lighting. The lighting looks like it is under lighting, top lighting as the actors face is clearly visible and there are shadows on his face but that is what makes it realistic and shows that it is in the day time. The effect that this has is that it portrays a sense of realism and makes the actor look manly and like a warrior. 

The lighting used in this image is low- key lighting. The lighting looks like it is coming from the top of the character which highlights the actors face but it also casted in the shadows. This creates an effect of mystery and seriousness as the shadows casted on half of the actors face and on his outfit highlights that this film is about secrecy and makes other things more visible where the light hits like his badge, the gun and the rain. 

The lighting used in this image is high-key lighting. The type of lighting looks like it is top lighting, under lighting and also a filler light being used because the female is visible. The effect that this has is that it shows that the female character can clearly see what is approaching her and it creates suspense as the audience become curious of what she can see as they are able to see her face properly and clearly see that she is in fear. 

The lighting used in this image is high-key lighting. This is shown as the actors' are clearly visible. The type of light used in this image looks like a back light from behind the blinds as it creates a silhouette on the actors' faces. The effect that this has is that it makes the image look realistic and also clarifies that it is a sunny day to the audience. 

The lighting in this image is low-key lighting. The type of lighting used in this image is back lighting as there is a silhouette and shadows casted infront of them. The effect that this has is that it makes the image and people in this image look scary and unpredictable. This is also because you can not she the actors faces and can not clearly figure out the weapons they have or the person laying on the floor.  

The lighting used in this image is low- key lighting. This is because there are strong shadows casted against the wall and also a shadow on the left hand side of the female's face. The type of light that may have been used is a back light and the effect that this has is that it creates curiosity and also a bit of mystery as the females face looks concerned and scared. 

High- key lighting is used in this picture. The type of lighting used looks like top lighting as there is a shadow underneath the individuals chin. The effect of this is that it looks very realistic and makes the reader feel like the person in the image in praying or doing something heavenly as the lighting is very bright and shows her face very clearly. 

The lighting used in this image is low-key lighting. It looks like there is back lighting used in this image as the person presents a bit of a silhouette and also there light coming from behind the actor. The effect that this creates is fear and makes the actor look sinister as he is standing in darkness in a challenging, strong stance. 

The lighting used in this image is high-key lighting. This is clear as the actors are seen very clearly with little shadow casted. The type of lighting used looks like there is under lighting, top lighting and back lighting. This is because the image is very bright and also where the shadows appear suggest that the lighting is in those positions. The effect that this has is that it makes the actor and actress look very lifelike and that they truly share a romance is real life. 

Film Poster Analysis

Film Poster Analysis 

• Look at the following film posters and decode the information you are given using the following questions. For each question, explain what aspects of film language helped you answer the question.

1. What do you think the film is about and what might the storyline be?
2. What genre(s) do you think the film belongs to?

3. Who do you think is the target audience?

The film poster portrays to me that the film is about a man that has made a robot but it has turned against him and now he has to defeat it. This is because i have viewed at the top of the screen the caption that says, "Man has made his match... now it's his problem." The genre looks like it is sci-fi as the buildings and transport looks very modernised and also the way that the lighting and colours are presents a theme of a futuristic storyline . In addition to this, there is a sense of film noir portrayed through the poster as the woman is smoking and also her hair is styled of that century when film noir was evolving, Also, as they are in the dark and the shadows the cast around the characters show that there is some film noir in there. I think that the target audience is adolescents/ adults because the font presented on the poster is very serious and in addition to this, the characters are quite serious which could symbolise that the film is for more of a mature audience. 

This film poster makes the film look like it is a comedy as the characters' facial expressions are very amusing and show that this film isn't to be taken seriously. The film also looks like a spoof of numerous existing horror movies as the slogan on the character on the right is "i love dead people" which is a parody of the famous slogan in "The Sixth Sense" "I see dead people" and also the two characters in the back on the left hand side of the poster is a parody of "The Exorcism" but it is obvious that this is a spoof as their facial expressions are presented in a jokey way and therefore it is predicted that the movie will be a parody of numerous horror films. This film therefore is a comedy/spoof. The target audience for this film is adolescents/ adults and horror films are normally for an older audience which it therefore can be predicted that there will be scenes in the film that are only directed towards and older audience.

This film poster portrays to me that the film is about someone being isolated/ becoming lonely because of a major situation and whilst doing so, he finds himself. This interpretation was made because the person is standing by themselves looking on wards towards a big city which could represent that they are maybe going to look for a job or facing the world by themselves. The film genre looks like a drama as the colours in the poster are quite mysterious and maybe represent that the character in the film will experience ups and downs throughout. Also, the caption on the poster "Profoundly Beautiful" "A Real Masterpiece" and "A Joy" all connote that this person will be experiencing alot of things during this film. I think that the target audience is more dedicated towards adults as this film seems very serious and also it looks that there will be alot of deeper analysis and interpretation in the film which maybe only adults will understand.

This film poster shows me that this film may be about a little boy discovering something in a deep hole. It looks like whatever he finds he keeps on talking to it/ visiting it as the film name is called "I'm Not Scared" which shows that the young boy may keep on returning to see what he finds. The genre that this film may belong to is a thriller as the word "scared" shows that something un edging will happen throughout the film, also the caption under the title of the film "The award winning thriller..." indicates that this is a thriller. I think that this film is targeted for teenagers/ adults as thrillers are more for an older audience.

This film poster makes the film look like it is based on several perspectives on characters as on the left of the poster and on the right side of the poster there are a male and female pair which could illustrate that there is a storyline about them and in the middle of them is a single male but another character is engraved in his jacket. This could illustrate that the male is on the hunt for the character in his jacket as the person is distant and shows that his objective is to kill. Also, the male and female characters on the left side shows that the guy is the main character as he is presented first and is maybe going to save the female next to him and on the right side of the poster, it shows that the female character is the main character as she is presented first and as the male is holding a gun it could show that he is helping her through her mission. This genre of film looks like neo-noir as it is not a typical film noir poster and therefore is a modern version. The target audience i think is more for adults as there looks like there will be high accounts of violence as there are numerous guns in the poster.

 

This film poster shows me that the film will be about pirates and the storyline will be about the pirate getting into trouble and also having to save his friends. This was interpreted as the female is next to the second male in the poster and not next to the pirate which could show that the pirate's romance is not going to be with the female and therefore he will most- likely have to save the female and male character in the poster. The genre of this film looks like an action/adventure/ fantasy as the colours and images are quite animated and it is quite gloomy which suggest that there is mystery and adventure. I think that the audience for this is 12+ as pirates are normally associated with children but as this is not an animation i think that it is not for children below 12 as there may be a bit of scary scenes in the movie.

This film poster looks like there will be a lot of romance and also rebellion. This is because the film title, "Bridge and Prejudice" may mean that the female character is getting married but may be going against her family's wishes as they may put expectation/ stereotypes against the female and she does not abide by their rules. The genre of this film looks like a comedy/ romance and the target audience looks like it will be aimed at a 12+ also as this film looks like this is a fun film but as the caption at the top of the poster says "... So Sexy," This may show that there may be a few inappropriate scenes and therefore for slightly older children.

This film poster portrays to me that this film is to do with some form of physical activity as the female is wearing a sports bra which may indicate that the male on the left is training her. Also, it looks like the two form a close bond as they are positioned closely to each other which may be out of the ordinary as the film name is "Million Dollar Baby" maybe the two characters are of a different class, the male is non tolerant to anyone, except maybe the male character on the right, or the female is only interested with the males financial status. As the film poster is casted in the dark the genre looks like it is a drama. This film also looks like the audience is a 15+ (for teenagers and adults) as it looks like there may be scenes in there that are directed towards an older audience.