2013 Post 18- Media Language: Mise-en-Scene

I will be looking at the aspect of Media Language, 'Mise-en-Scene' to gain an increased understanding of what should be included in our short film.

Mise-en-scene involves everything that can be viewed in a scene, including character actions, lighting, location, makeup and costume and props.
 

From the short drama film ‘Husky’, the location is a suburban neighbourhood, this is a realistic setting lit naturally by the sun which adds realism to the drama, making it believable and ‘safe’ for the audience. There is a ‘For Sale’ sign in the foreground, notifying the audience that the woman is here to see the house; she stands in an awkward position with only her head turned to face the building, suggesting that she may be confused or reluctant to enter. Her top is decorative and sleeveless which connotes, with the lighting, that it is summer. Her outfit is fairly ordinary, encouraging the audience to relate to her for a sense of realism.

This is a scene from the short drama film ‘Codename: Simon’(http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2013/10/07/codename-simon/),  here the boy in the foreground is dressed in a suit and his hair is tidy, this connotes a neat child who has a strict upbringing. The black of the suit is very mature, contrasting with the other kids pale blue clothing that is softer and more child-like, their playful actions also represent the carefree lifestyle that children lead which differs from the boy’s straight posture that appears too tense and adult-like here. The playground and natural lighting provide a realistic setting for the audience, one which evokes memories of happiness and play as children are usually found here, but the black gates before the boy leave a strong impact as they are blocking him from entering. The mise-en-scene of this scene is designed to convey to the audience how different the boy is from other children, and that he is not allowed to be a kid but bound by adults.

 



Also from ‘Codeman: Simon’ is this funeral scene. The audience can identify that this is a funeral by the coffins, white flowers and black clothing that signify death and mourning. Even the grass is brown, it is dead, to reflect the dark mood. The characters are huddled under black umbrellas looking solemn to convey to the audience that there is a serious tone to the scene, the umbrellas suggest that it is raining and the sky is dimly lit which also reinforces this dismal mood.

These films all feature realistic neighbourhoods, something that will be seen in our short film. Lighting and costume will be effective at conveying the serious mood to our audience, and our main character will need to visibly stand out.