Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene

• This is a french term meaning "in the scene"
• It is everything in a scene apart from camera, sound and editing
• The elements of mies-en-scene are the following:

1. Settings and crops
2. Facial expressions and body language
3. Costume, hair and makeup
4. Lighting and colour
5. Positioning of characters and objects in the frame

Colour - Denotation and Connotation

• Example - the colour red
• Denotation - a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum
• Connotations - anger, danger, romance, blood etc
• Yellow - summer, sunshine, happy, cartoon, bee, pollen
• Green - nature, wickedness, earth
• Blue - ocean, calmness, sadness

The colour black would connote darkness, death, shadows etc.

The colour white would connote blankness, heaven, peace etc. 

Foreground- the part of a view that is nearest to the observer and an object in the front of the camera to make something the most important/prominent feature.

Background- a character/object that appears further from the viewer and from the camera.

Middleground- the middle distance between the camera and the background.

Deep focus- a shot where everything in the scene is in focus

Focus pull- the camera operator swaps from focusing on the foreground, with the background being blurry to focusing on the background, with the foreground being blurry or vice-versa. This is to draw the viewers attention to focus on something. 

Media Language Editing

Language Editing

Speed of editing: 

• During a film, each scene may last a matter of seconds or even continue for minutes.
• The length of each sequence establishes the pace of the film moving the action along.
• The speed of editing will determine the mood of what is taking place on the screen. (fast=action, slow=romance)

Speed of editing - creating pace

If film makers want the audience to feel anxiety and suspense, the editing will be quick - the scenes/ shots changing frequently.

In the clip below, is a clip from a romance film called The Notebook. Each scene tends to be quite long before each cut.

If a relaxed mood is desired, the scenes last longer and change less frequently. For example in a romantic comedy.

Nevertheless a film doesn't have to have any editing. Russian Ark was filmed in one take using a steadicam and digital camera. This required split-second timing and organisation.

• Scenes at the beginning of a film - as it begins to tell its story - must be long enough for us to be able to understand where we are and what is going on. It is also slow to introduce the main character(s).

• As the film progresses, scenes may become shorter as the editing cuts between telling two or more storylines at the same time.

A trailer for the film needs to pack in detail, therefore the editing will be very fast.

Cross-cutting

• To cross-cut is to edit together two sequences that the audience need to know are connected in some way.
• Something is happening at the same time in different locations.
• A character reliving a memory.
• Cross-cutting can be used to very effectively develop a sense of drama. It can be used to create tension, increase anxiety, direct emotion, make subtle links between characters.

Style of editing

• How shots are linked together
• The movement from one shot to the next is called a transition

Basic transitions include:

Straight cut

Fade

Dissolve

Wipe

Straight Cut

• Most common and invisible form of transition.
• One shot moves instantaneously to the next without attracting the audiences attention.
• Straight cuts help retain reality. They do not break the viewers suspension of disbelief.

Fades

• A gradual darkening or lightening of an image until the screen becomes completely black or white.
• It is used to indicate the beginning or end of a particular section of time within the narrative.
• Can show the passing of time.

Dissolves

• Dissolving one shot off the screen while another shot is fading in.
• The audience will be able to see both shots on the screen at the mid-point of the dissolve.
• It is used if the film maker wants to show a connection between two characters, places or objects.

Wipes

• One image is pushed off the screen by another.
• Images can be pushed left or right.
• It is used to signal a movement between different locations that are experiencing the same time.

Drake and Josh - a nickelodeon show uses wipes in the beginning of each episode. It also uses cross cutting in the way that 2 people are in 2 different places and on the same screen.

Continuity editing

• Eye line match - we see a character looking at something off screen and then we cut to a shot of what they are looking at
• Match on action - we see a character start an action in one shot and then see them continue it in the next.

180 degree rule

• The 180 degree rule is a basic guideline that states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other.
• If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line.

Shot/reverse shot

• It is used to show conversations/arguments.

camerawork

Shot types

There are many different angles to take a photo to convey a different viewing and gives off different vibes. When a picture is taken, the denotation of it makes the connotation, and when the denotation is changed, the connotation is too. 

Under angle shot

An under angle is when the camera is placed directly under the object. The effect of this is to show scale. It makes the object looks much bigger because of the position of the camera.





Canted/ oblique shot


 A canted angle is when the camera is slightly tilted to make the photograph look like this. This gives off either fun/ silly vibes or can be quite off putting and discomforting. 











Establishing shot 

An establishing shot shows the entire background. It conveys the time, weather, place and atmosphere. Most establishing shots were used during the classical era of film making than now. 

Long shot

A long shot is used to show scale and size. It's used to show everything that is going on in the shot. It is good to use this when showing a place/ scene and can be used to foreshadow.





Medium shot



A medium shot is from the waist down and is mainly used when someone is speaking. Body language and facial expression is shown. The main focus is on the foreground.





Close up shot





A close up shot is very important when showing facial expression and emotion. Depending on the picture, the shown emotion will vary. For example one can look happy, sad, angry, scared etc. It adds emphasis to a scene and can be looked at to present a persons profile.

  Extreme close up shot

An extreme close up has a resemblance to a close up, however this one heightens emotion more using the eyes and is more dramatic. Nearly no background is shown and a lot of emotion is given off from this image. It makes the receiver of this picture feel quite uneasy and on edge. It connotes invasiveness and exposive.










Over the shoulder shot
The most important person in an over the shoulder shot is the persons face you are able to see, their reaction and emotion shown is the entire point of this shot. 





High shot




A high shot is very similar to a birds eye view but this one is not directly above. It is used to show vulnerbility and lack of authority. 









Two shot 



The main purpose fo a two shot is to show the space between two people and what kind of relationship they have.  You can also see their facial expressions and part of they body language.








Over angle




An over angle is a lot like a birds eye view and a high angle, It sends a message to the receiver with a lot of emotion being shown.








Straight angle
A straight angle is similar to a close up. Except this is straight on, giving quite a formal vibe and realistic, like you are being looked at in the eyes. The facial expression gives connotations.

Key concepts

1) Language
2) Audience
3) Representation
4) Institution 

It is also useful to be aware of Genre (type) and Narrative.


Institution

• Media is a business
• All media produce is to make money
• Media productions are done by organisations to make money
• Disney produce toys because it's easy to sell to children

Examples of institution

• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Disney
• Facebook
• Netflix

Media Language

• How words images and sound is used in media products to create meaning.
• Denotation - what we see
• Connotation - what it means

If  you change the denotation of something, you are automatically changing the connotation.

Representation

How people, places and events are presented in the media.

All representations are bias, whether it's positive, negative or neutral.

Example; Ariana Grande is represented as being a successful, worldwide pop star, however recently social media is blaming her for Mac Millers suicide. Her representation is being debated on and some people feel sorry for her and some perceive her negatively.

Audience

• The people who consume the product
• Who the media product is created for 

Example; Nickelodeon is aimed for children 

                Beyonce's music is aimed for teens upwards