Since my task is to create a film opening and Mise-en-scène is an integral part of every frame in a film, I deem it necessary for me to know what Mise-en-scène is, and therefore, I am uploading this post, explaining Mise-en-scène, so that I know what the frames of my film opening should consist of.

Mise en scene is a French term meaning ‘everything in the frame.’ Elements that make up mise en scene include:
• Setting and Location
• Props
• Costume
• Performance and Movement

Performance and Movement.
• This refers to the meanings conveyed by actors through their physical performance. Meaning can be conveyed through the following means:
• Facial expression
• Gaze
• Gesture
• Posture
• Body Contact
• Appearance
• Spatial behaviour

Two main types of lightning are;

1. Low Key,
2. and High Key.

Low Key lightning is created by using only back and key lights, it produces sharp contrasts between lit and dark places, and it creates deep and distinct shadows and silhouettes.

Expressive lighting is predominately low key.
• A key light is used with little or no fill to create high contrast and shadow to convey a dark expressive mood.
• Subjects are sometimes back lit only to create a silhouetted figure.
• Expressive lighting may also involve the use of single hue ‘gels’, filters and other optical effects to create a specific mood.

High Key lightning is natural and realistic to our eyes since it is bright and everything is clearly visible.

This involves the use of a key light (the main source of light), fill light and back lighting to create a natural look to the scene (this is called three point lighting).
• Lighting can be adapted to suggest different times of day eliminate shadow and pick the subject out from the background

Three Point Lightening.

Three-point lighting is a traditional method for illuminating a subject in a scene with light sources from three distinct positions. The three types of lights are key light, fill light, and backlight

Colors have many connotations as well and are used to create different environments and give different meanings to objects, people or the frame in general. For e.g. green connotes nature, red can connote danger, threat or love, and blue creates a calm environment and is also used to represent freedom (color of the sky) and water etc.

Facial Expression and Body Language: they are used to clearly show how a person is feeling and when used together they can show the characters feelings, emotions and even the reason behind them. Body language can also indicate the relation between two people.

Costume, Hair and Make-up: They can immediately tell the audience about the occupation and financial status of the characters. They also show what time period the film is set in and they are also used to indicate the personality of the characters. Costumes can also be an identifying tool of certain characters, for e.g. the bat suit or a waistcoat and Sheriff’s badge for the Sheriff of a Wild West village.

Position of characters/objects in the frame: Positioning can draw attention to certain objects or characters; it can also show the importance of certain objects or characters. Furthermore, the positioning of two characters can show the relationship between them.

This sums up my general understanding of Mise-en-Scene and how it is used in Films.