B. Smilanich
Examining Mise-en-scene
Mise-en-scene...was originally a French theatrical term, meaning
“placing on stage.” The phrase refers to the arrangement of all the
visual elements of a theatrical production within a given playing area-the stage...mise-en-scene in the movies resembles the art of painting in
that an image of formal patterns and shapes is presented on a flat
surface and enclosed within a frame. But because of its theatrical
heritage, cinematic mise-en-scene is also a fluid choreographing of
visual elements that correspond to a dramatic idea, or complex of ideas
--from Understanding Movies, Louis Giannetti
Literally translated [mis-en-scene] means ‘to put on stage’, but
figurative uses of the term have a long history. For the student of
film, a useful definition might be: ‘the contents of the frame and
the way they are organised’. Both halves of this formulation are
significant--the contents and their organisation...[w]hat are the
contents of the frame? They include lighting, costume, decor,
properties, and the actors themselves...framing, camera movement,
the particular lens employed and other photographic decisions.
Mise-en-scene therefore encompasses both what the audience
can see, and the way that we are invited to see it.
--from Mise-en-scene, John Gibbs
Mise-en-scene, then, is the manipulation of staging and action within a shot
during the filming, as opposed to the manipulation of space afterwards in the
editing process. In addition to camera angle and proxemics, other elements
must be considered when analyzing a shot of film.
While by no means a comprehensive list, the audience must consider the
following:
Lighting:
Directors and cinematographers often use the archetypal implications of light
and dark to manipulate the mood and feeling of their film; the orchestration of
light is key in defining tone, setting and character. The lighting of a subject
from above (top lighting) creates a romantic halo effect, suggesting purity or
romance. Lighting a subject from below (underlighting) makes the figure
sinister and frightening, even if it maintains a neutral expression. If a figure is
illuminated from behind (backlighting, also known as edge lighting or rim
lighting), it tends to create silhouettes. When a subject is only half-lit, the
other half still in darkness (sidelighting), the director and cinematographer
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may be suggesting a certain ambiguity, or perhaps a psychological self-division.
An obstruction in front of a light source, leaving the figure in shadowy
darkness, disrupts the viewer’s sense of safety, inciting fear and apprehension.
The most common arrangement in lighting is known as three-point lighting,
where three directions of light are on a scene: from behind the subjects
(backlighting), from one bright source (key light), and from a dimmer source
opposite the key light (fill light).
Other key concepts in lighting are:
high key lighting: bright, even illumination and few conspicuous
shadows; comparatively little contrast between the light and dark areas of the
shot--used most often in comedies or musicals
low key lighting: emphasizes diffused shadows and atmospheric pools of
light; there is a strong contrast between light and dark areas of the shot--used
often in atmospheric thrillers, horror or noir
high contrast: harsh shafts of light and dramatic streaks of blackness
Composition:
Composition is the way the audience’s eye is manipulated to look around the
screen. The key notion is that of the dominant, that area of the film image that
compels the viewer’s most immediate attention, usually because of a prominent
visual contrast, for instance the contrast between light and dark, or a dominant
colour. Often the dominant is determined by intrinsic interest; through the
context of the story, the audience knows that there is an investment in
watching a particular figure or object. As well, movement in the film almost
always creates a dominant, provided that other elements are stationary. After
the viewer examines the dominant, his/her eye then scans the subsidiary
contrasts, acting as counterbalancing devices.
The degree of density in the texture of the mise-en-scene is often
symbolic; a cluttered mise-en-scene may be reflective of the chaotic nature of
the film’s action; conversely, a sparse mise-en-scene may suggest emptiness
(spiritual or otherwise) and sterility.
Framing: the amount of open space within the territory of the frame
tightly framed: a close shot--often suggests entrapment or confinement
loosely framed: a long shot—often suggests freedom
internal framing: the suggestion of entrapment by using a neutral object
(such as a doorway or window frame) to symbolically “confine” a figure
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B. Smilanich
Systemic Mise-en-scene Analysis
from Understanding Movies
1. Shot and camera proxemics. What type of shot? How far way from the
action is the camera?
2. Angle. Are we looking up or down on the subject, or is the camera neutral
(eye-level)?
3. Lens/filter/stock. How do these distort or comment on the photographed
material?
4. Lighting Style. High or low key? High contrast? Some combination of
these?
5. Dominant. Where is our eye attracted first? Why?
6. Subsidiary contrasts. Where does our eye travel after taking in the
dominant?
7. Composition. How is the two-dimensional space segmented and organized?
What is the underlying design?
8. Texture. How clearly can we discern the details? Is the surface texture
smooth, rough, glassy, fuzzy, etc.?
9. Form. Open or closed? Does the image suggest a window that arbitrarily
isolates a fragment of the scene? Or a proscenium arch, in which the visual
elements are carefully arranged and held in balance?
10. Framing. Tight or loose? Do the characters have no room to move around
in, or can they move freely without impediments?
11. Density. How much visual information is packed into the image? Is the
texture stark, moderate, or highly detailed?
12. Depth. On how many planes is the image composed? Does the
background or foreground comment in any way on the midground?
13. Staging positions and proxemics. Which way do the characters look visà-vis the camera?
14. Character proxemics. How much space is there between the characters
and objects?
15. Color values. What is the dominant color? Are there contrasting foils? Is
there color symbolism? What mood do the colors invoke?
Works Cited
Bordwell, David and Thompson, Kristin. Film Art: An Introduction. Sixth Edition. New York: McGraw Hill, 2001.
Gianetti, Louis. Understanding Movies. Sixth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1987.
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B. Smilanich
Camera Movement in Film/Video
much information from Media Images & Issues, Donna Carpenter, 1989
“First and foremost, a film is visual rather than verbal. Thus, the
feelings and ideas communicated by words must be changed to feelings
and ideas communicated by visual symbols.”
-Dr. F. Marcus, How Does a Movie Mean?
Whether considering documentaries or other films, there are two fundamental
rules of filmmaking. The first is LET THE CAMERA DO THE TALKING. If
possible, let the camera show the audience what they need to know; don’t use
words unless it’s necessary.
A skilled movie director composes each shot using basic photographic
techniques...a film is more than simply a series of still pictures, however.
Another fundamental rule of filmmaking is THE MOVIE MUST MOVE.
In any film, there are two categories of movement:
1) movement created by actors or objects in the film
2) movement created by the camera as it films a scene and as the film
moves from scene to scene.
The following are basic types of camera movement:
BASIC CAMERA MOVEMENTS:
Moving Frame or Reframing: The composition of the frame changes as the
camera alters its position in relation to the object being filmed. A romantic
close-up of two lovers whispering may suddenly change its meaning if the
camera pulls back to reveal a long shot full of spectators; what was at first
romantic becomes comedic.
Panning: The word pan is a contraction of the panoramic and is used to
describe the movement of the camera from side to side (horizontal movement) on
a vertical axis to follow the action in a scene; if your head were a camera, the
movement would be akin to you shaking your head “no.” Pan shots are often
used to establish the setting for the audience. A subjective pan is used when he
movie camera “becomes” the eyes of one of the characters. A swish pan is when
the camera moves very rapidly along the horizontal plane so that the image
becomes blurred.
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Tilting: The camera can move vertically up or down on a horizontal axis to
record a person climbing a flight of stairs, for example, or follow an object falling
from a height. The camera swivels upward or downward on a stationary
support; if your head were a camera, the movement would be akin to you
nodding up and down. It may be a way that the director makes a statement
about high and low objects, for instance how a mountain climber feels
overwhelmed by the peak in front of her.
Dollying or Tracking: The camera is mounted on a cart or some other vehicle
so that it can move alongside the subject, and keep pace with it, forward,
backward, or around the subject; the camera can also dolly or track in towards
the subject or away from the subject. Unlike panning or tiliting, the camera
itself physically moves rather than merely pivoting on an axis. In car chases
the camera is sometimes mounted in a car that travels alongside the car that is
the subject of the action; in a party scene, the camera may indicate the roving
intimacy of the gathering by following a character through the crowd.
Zoom (in or out): Through the use of a special lens (named, not surprisingly, a
zoom lens), the camera can appear to move towards or away from a subject
quite quickly. The sense of movement is usually more rapid with a zoom than
with a dolly in or out. Note that the camera does not move, merely the lens.
Crane Shot: Moving shot taken by the camera on a specially constructed crane
which permits the camera to move in and out, up and down, as well as
backward and forward; they are generally used for high angle aerial shots.
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