Today's objective was to evaluate how choices of Mise-en-Scene affect narrative elements in a film. We started off class by defining the difference between Affect and Effect. Affect is a verb, and Effect is a noun. We reiterated that film is a blend of narrative and craft. We then analyzed a couple pictures from the movie American Beauty. Our group came the the conclusion that some of the most important components of Mise-en-scene in the picture we analyzed were Dominant Feature, Character Placement, and Camera Angle. The dominant feature of the picture was a man who was in the very center of the screen, taking a lot of space. He was placed right in front and slightly above the camera, and the camera was pointed slightly up at him. We then learned to analyze these craft components to see how they might affect the narrative of the scene. Clearly, since he was placed right in front of and above the camera, the man was supposed to be important. His body posture and position all added up to show that he was the boss.
Learning how to analyze the physical components of a scene will help me to analyze the movies we watch in class, as well as any movies I watch in the future. I will use these techniques when I watch movies now.
Ben, your post definitely hits the big picture moments of our class. A student who was absent would gain a lot from this information. Consider how you can use paragraphs to create further cohesion among your ideas.
ReplyDeleteAs for the other half of the assignment-- where is the extension? I'm glad that you'll use these techniques when you watch movies, but remember that half of your 300-500 word blog post should EXTEND the knowledge beyond the walls of our classroom. How can you be specific in the ways in which you'll use these techniques? Show us here! You may make some adjustments for partial credit, but let me know when you make edits.