Cinematic choices and Mise-en-scenes

For a written text, the author’s written choices shape the narrative effect.

For a film, the collaborative cinematic choices shape the narrative effect.

Choices

• Camera use
• Character’s costume
• The script
• What goes into the image
• Props

List of elements:

-Characters

  - introduction

  - mannerism

-Plot

-Story

-Setting

-Dialogue

-Conflict

-Point of view

  -conflict

  - rising action

  - resolution

- Tone

- Title

The more specifically you can analyze craft, the more specifically you can analyze the text!

Mise-en-scene- French Terminology

Literally: the placement in the scene building blocks of an individual image

Dominant Feature:

The dominant feature is the object that our eyes are immediately attracted to and can be created by any number of techniques

Size: The size of an object may draw our attention to it.

Colour: In color films, the dominant is often achieved by having one color stand out from the other.

Focus: Placing one object in sharper focus than the rest of the shot can also create a dominant.

Lighting key :

High key: Feature bright, even illumination, and few conspicuous shadows. High key lighting is often used in musicals and comedies.

Low key: Features diffused shadows and atmospheric pools of light. Low key lighting is often used in mysteries and thrillers.

High contrast: Features harsh shafts of light and dramatic streaks of blackness. High contrast is often used in tragedies and melodramas.

Shot/ Angle/ Proximity

Bird’s-eye view: This shot type can be disorienting and make the object seem very insignificant.

High angle: This angle reduces the size of the object, it can make the object seem harmless and insignificant.

Eye level shot: Is the clearest view of an object.

Oblique angle: Shot on an angle, suggests tension or transition. This angle is used in the example.

Colour Values

Dominant color: The dominant color is the color most seen on the screen.

Subsidiary color: What other colors are found on screen? Do they contrast with the Dominant Colour?

Colour symbolism: Are the colors used because of their symbolism? Do they reflect the characters personalities or traits?

Subsidiary Feature: After taking in the dominant feature, where does the eye go next? The Subsidiary Feature in this shot is this shot is the “Bad Guy” in the foreground of the shot, he is slightly out of focus with his back to the camera.

The Colour Value of his costume blend with the set design which helps us to focus the main character of the scene, who’s costume contrast against these colors helping to make him the Dominant Feature of the scene.

Screen Density: How much of the visual information is packed into the image? Is the scene STARK, MODERATE OR HIGHLY DETAILED?

Whilst there are a significant number of items or objects in the background of this scene, the image is not very dense because the focus limits the viewer to take in only two main objects.

The density of this shot is also helped by the Colour Values used, the dull room helps also us to focus on the two main objects.

Composition: How is the two-dimensional space of the screen segmented and organized? What is the underlying design? The object in the frame can be placed to help the audience to connect.

Horizontal: Horizontal compositions seems visually at rest and suggest placidity or peacefulness.

Vertical: Vertical compositions seem visually at rest and suggest strength.

Diagonal: Diagonal (or Oblique) compositions seems dynamic and suggests tension or anxiety. This composition is used in the example.

A depth of Field: On how many planes are the images composed? How “much” is in focus?

Deep focus: Allows all planes to be in focus at the same time.

Shallow focus: More commonly, shallow focus only one or two planes are in focus.

Character Placement

Top: The area near the top of the frame can suggest power, authority, and aspiration

Bottom: The area near the bottom of the frame tend to suggest subversive, vulnerability, and powerless

Sides: The left and right edges of the frame tend to suggest insignificance as these areas are farthest from the center.

The example has our protagonist towards the top of the frame implying power and authority. The antagonist closer to the bottom implying vulnerability or powerlessness.

Shot Framing: The framing TIGHT or LOOSE? Do the characters have no room to move around, or can they move freely without impediment?

Tight: Shots, where the characters are placed on the edges of the frame and have little room around within the frame, are considered tight.

Loose: Longer shots, in which the characters have room to move around within the frame, are considered loose and tend to suggest freedom.

The example has loose framing, the characters have the ability to move around within the frame without going outside the shot.  

Diegetic Audio: is a sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film.

Character voices, sounds made by objects in the story, music coming from instruments in the story space are all examples of Diegetic Audio.

It is important to note that diegetic audio can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside of the frame (radio playing, family member playing an instrument, thunderclap)  

Non-Diegetic Audio: is a sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action.

Narrator's commentary sounds effects which are added for the dramatic effect, mood music/ soundtracks are tracks are all examples of non-diegetic audio.

It is important to note that just because you cannot see the source of the sound, that doesn't make it a Non-diegetic audio. If the sound fits when the environment (birds squawking in the forest scene, car horns near the busy road) it should be considered Diegetic Audio