Mise en scène
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The mise en scène is, in layman's terms, Everything you can see in a scene. These usually include:
- Setting
- Lighting
- Colour
- Composition
- Body language
- Facial expression
- Costume
- Make up
- Hair
As a task, we analysed the mise en scène of a Still image of a film. I did this still image originating from Paranormal Activity 4:
The use of lighting is very noticeable and important. The colour blue can usually be associated with calmness or being relaxed, and we can see that this blue shine is being shone onto the protagonist's (of the still image) face and shirt, which is also blue. We can also see that everything else in the room is darkened, making them feel less important, and that there is a bright light at the back of the room, shining onto a dark figure. The contrast of the light and dark figure at the back makes it not only stand out, it makes the viewer feel like the figure is bad. Because that point is the only place that extreme light is coming through, it makes the audience feel that is the only way out, and so by putting a dark figure to block the light, it makes the audience feel like their is no escape for the protagonist.
The setting of a bedroom does make this even scarier or tense for the viewer, as it shows danger in a place where usually on would consider the safest place on earth for them. Its the feeling of invasion into their space, an this makes the viewer uncomfortable.
In the way of clothing, the protagonist is shown to be revealing, with alot of skin showing and that makes us think that this character is vulnerable. The fact that she is vulnerable also ties in with the fact that she is facing away from the door, and so she cannot see what is going on with the dark figure, this makes her even more vulnerable.
Next, is facial expression. We can see that the protagonist is completely engaged with what she is doing on the computer by the look of the facial expression. This makes her completely unaware of what is happening behind her.
For Hair and make up, finally, we can see that the make up is very minimalist, there are not complicated blushes or anything of the sort. This gives the feeling that she is child like or innocent, and so this makes her much more vulnerable.
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