Written
Blog Essay Mise
En Scène:
Melissa
Tulunay
Screen Studies
Screen Studies
3D
Art and Animation
Term
2
Compare
Composition and Mise En Scène:
A
major factor to making a movie satisfying to watch is to consider the
perspective of the audience. During the production of a film, the crew brainstorms
ideas, ask questions and establish each shot of the film with the guidance of
their Director and Assistant Director. The collaboration of all the different departments
working together make their vision come to life on the big screen. Mise en
scene directly translates to “putting
in the scene”. It refers to all the elements that the crew worked on to put
“everything within the frame that makes
up the frame”. Dominance effects, lighting angles, lighting positions,
camera angles, camera positions, camera focus, camera directions, camera
proximity, colours, lenses, filters, film stock, blocking, subsidiary
contrasts, prop or character density, frame compositions, frame forming, depth
of field, character placement, character positions, character proximities, costumes,
sets, and props. On the other hand, the composition refers to the frame,
and how the Mise en scene appears in the frame. Composition rules and
conventions such as “The rules of thirds”
helps tell the story visually. When the composition and the Mise en
scene unite to create a shot, it will “influence
the verisimilitude or believability of a film in the eyes of its viewers”. Both
components aim to make the movie “look
and feel as intended”.
In
the 2006 movie “The Break Up”, directed by Peyton Reed: this shot was used to
induce feelings of separation and mess. The two actors are positioned in far
proximity to each other displaying the distance they feel towards each other.
The couch is empty in the centre of the two showing that the reason for the distance
between them is unknown or unclear. Warm lights colour the background giving a
feeling of home and safety to the set, but at the front a large shadow covers a
mess on the table expressing a side of chaos and confusion looming towards the
screen. The camera is a wide fitted shot, seated at eye level to the actors.
This gives a sense of familiarity, and connects the audience as if to take a
glimpse into these actor’s lives. This is a good example of Mise en scene
and composition working well together to create a beautiful shot and
evoking the intended emotions.
In
the 2011 movie “Harry Potter the Deathly Hallows Part 2” directed by David
Yates: this scene uses high key light to empathise a sense of being in another
world, after death. However, it does not evoke any emotion of peace for
Dumbledore, any friendliness between the two actors, or emergency for Harry
Potter to snap back to life. It is not believable to the viewer and therefore
does use the Mise en scene and composition elements gracefully.
This scene, unlike the first example does not provoke emotion from the
audience, and is therefore a dull and simplistic scene.
The
cinematic elements in Mise en scene, and composition of the frame
both come together to create a story and a world beyond just the movie screen. The
story is shown to the audience, not told. The movie “The Break Up” uses Mise
en scene to lighting the room to form a sense of warmth and hominess. While
the composition comfortably frames all the many Mise en scene elements
such as the lighting, and the couch to further drive the sensation of being at
home. When you look at a set it is very different from when you look in to the framed
camera. The composition shows you only what you need to see in that frame. Mise
en scene and the composition both hope to make you think and feel
for what is happening beyond the lenses.
My
references:
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