Learning Objective:
To begin to understand how the technical
aspects make audience meaning,
focusing on:
- Mise-en-scene
- Cinematography
Starter
• What are the 5 main technical aspects?
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Cinematography
Sound
Editing
Mise-en-scene
Performance
Audience Meaning
• All of the individuals jobs within various film departments
collaborating with the director come together to make a
film that an audience will hopefully understand.
• Some films are more obvious than others depending on
their audience e.g. Films aimed at children. Films will
use various ‘codes and conventions’ to send the
message to an audience.
• One of these codes is the technical codes otherwise
known as film grammar…
• Film grammar works in much the same way as English
language grammar. Just as commas, apostrophes and
full stops help us understand the written word, fades,
cuts and establishing shots work to create film meaning
for the audience.
Nothing is done by accident…
• If you were to watch a clip form a film and be
asked why did the director decide on that shot
you probably wouldn’t definitely know the
answer unless you’d spoken to the director and
asked them.
• So we as film students have to deduce what we
think was implied by a particular shot, angle,
choice of music, sound effect, costume design or
editing decision. Remember nothing has been
done by accident - every technical and creative
decision has a purpose.
Cinematography and Mise En
Scene
• Why focus on these two?
• These are two of the most
important areas in sub consciously
creating meaning for the viewer.
Once we understand these, we
understand the way that films
communicate their plot and
meanings.
Mise-en-Scene
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Pronounced “meez ahn sen”, it is a French
term and originates in theatre
Of all the technical aspects mise-en-scene is
the one that we are likely to be most familiar
with. When a film finishes we may not
remember the camera shots or editing but we
can usually recall some elements of the miseen-scene
So, what is it?
Mise-en-scene refers to everything that
appears in the film frame
Elements of mise-en-scene
• What makes up mise-en-scene? In pairs list those
elements that you think are covered by the term
• Location / Setting
• Props
• Costume and Make Up
• Lighting
• Use of colour
• Character positions
• All elements are controlled by the director – accidents in
film are rare!
• Mise-en-scene is crucial in creating the world of the film
and meaning for the viewer
Cinematography
• Photography – the art of capturing a still
image
• Cinematography - The art of capturing a
moving image
• Director Of Photography (DOP) or
Cinematographer
• 4 main components:
• Angles
• Movement
• Positions
• Shots
Analysing audience meaning
• Task:
• Watch this clip from the film ‘Children of
Men’.
• Make notes on:
– Mise-en-scene
– Cinematography