Mis en scene

Mise-en-scene, a French term, refers to the visual elements of a theatrical presentation within the stage. It is a crucial aspect of the director's creative process, encompassing setting, costumes, lighting, and props. The director's control over these elements allows them to create events that capture the audience's vivid memories. Mise-en-scene is recognized as a vital part of the director's creative work by both filmmakers and cinema historians.

A movie's costume plays a crucial visual role in creating realism and strengthening the story. To ensure authenticity, directors examine materials, colours, and fashion trends. The relevance of costume as a component of mise-en-scene increases when the filmmaker manipulates it to serve unique purposes. It may allude to one's social standing, mental makeup, and personal growth. As a component of the cohesiveness of the movie, clothing also serves as a prop. Items such as Dracula's cloak and necklaces with crosses can play important roles in the movie's events and influence how the audience interprets the whole thing. As part of mise-en-scene, the director has control over the visual aspects required for successful filming. This control is exercised through the selection and placement of costumes.

    

The Nun(2018)                                                                                             Dracula(1931)

Beyond clothes, the setting of a movie affects time and location, making it a vital visual component. It contributes significantly to the general plot of the movie and gives the filmmaker creative control over its many elements. The setting may be created to include plausible, implausible, or impossible settings, and it can be chosen from natural or manmade destinations like lush countryside or desolate alpine ranges. Since the location may enrich the story, it follows that the director can also exert influence over props like a shower curtain or a bottle of medicine. The director takes control of his work by choosing, building, and arranging setting components, displaying skill and imagination in the mise-en-scene.

A story's use of cinematography is essential to making the action and characters clear to the audience. To create the ideal ambiance, lighting can be directional, meaning that its brightness and direction can be changed. Directional lighting falls into five primary categories: frontal, side, rear, under, and top. Shadows are eliminated by front lighting, character traits are highlighted by side lighting, edges are illuminated by back lighting, attention is drawn by top lighting, and objects are distorted by under lighting. You may use these categories singly or in combination to get different kinds of effects. Comprehending the distinct mise-en-scene elements, such as the background, clothing, characters, and figures, aids viewers in comprehending their intended purpose. Although lighting has the power to draw attention to or blur a scene, it is only one tool in a filmmaker's toolbox.

An intriguing and realistic picture is enhanced by its props, which draw viewers in with mystery and action sequences. Because the villains have ordinary murder instruments and are cold-blooded, they are more formidable than the protagonists who lack weapons. Props that link individuals and locales and function as enigma codes, such as a briefcase and smartphone, are essential. There is a sense of urgency and suspense that is heightened by these Pulp Fiction-esque aspects.

Lathrop, G. and Sutton, D. (2014). Elements of mise-en-scene. [online] Available at: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/latinxscreens/files/2021/02/Elements-of-mise-en-scene-G.-Lathrop-and-D.-Sutton.pdf.

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