Mise-en-scène Case Study

This week, my class and I learned about mise-en-scène, the French word meaning "to put in the scene," which refers to everything the audience can see on the screen, including costume, setting, props, lighting, framing, etc. Learning about mise-en-scène allowed me to understand how a film director uniquely stages the events of a film while keeping the previously stated factors in mind. I was also able to appreciate the magnitude in which directors put effort into producing films behind the scenes (whether audiences realize it or not). To demonstrate our knowledge about this new topic, my class and I first practiced taking a series of shots from specific genres while carefully including appropriate elements of mise-en-scène. Then—as shown below—we researched three stills/frames from TV shows and movies of our choice to analyze their mise-en-scène.

1. Still #1

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

This frame shows a lightsaber duel between protagonist Luke Skywalker and antagonist Darth Vader, and because of the key components of mise-en-scène, this scene is one of the greatest in Star Wars history.

First of all, the costumes in particular are darkly colored and heroic-looking, allowing the audience to understand that these characters are powerful and should be taken seriously. Yet, the specific arrangement of the set design isn't very elaborate and detailed, causing the viewers to focus more on the characters' actions and dialogue instead. However, the important aspects within the narrative are still conveyed such as through the smoke in the background, adding tension to the storyline and establishing a suspenseful tone. This is also conveyed through the use of color, which is restrained with only blues, blacks, and a few other slight colors in the props and set design.

Regarding colors, while observing the lightsabers—a prop the audience is most definitely familiar with—it is apparent that the colors of these props (red and blue) are contrasting colors on the color wheel. In other words, the opposite lightsaber colors can signify opposite sides of a battle, helping people understand the difference in the characters' status. In fact, the color red can signify anger, blood, and danger, hence why the character holding the red lightsaber is considered eviler and "on the dark side." On the other hand, the character holding the blue lightsaber is considered more heroic as a "guardian of peace and justice" since the color blue can signify trust, loyalty, as well as wisdom.

Plus, due to the low-key lighting, the scene is given more of a dark, dramatic tone and draws attention to the subjects. This frame also has intricate blocking and framing, especially since each precise move the characters make and how they are positioned impacts the outcome of the battle. In other words, since a battle scene like this one requires the proper movement to achieve the dramatic aspect of the duel, just a single misstep can alter the whole meaning of the scene.

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2. Still #2

Titanic (1997)

Titanic (1997)

Despite all films incorporating a variety of mise-en-scène elements into their productions, one could argue that some definitely illustrate them the best, one of them including the Titanic.

Whether realized by the audience or not, this still presents several key elements of mise-en-scène including the following: costumes, framing, colors, lighting, music, and set design. With this in mind, if one had no prior knowledge about the Titanic, it is most likely assumed that they would still be able to comprehend the meaning behind this scene by simply taking a look at the still. More specifically, the set design presents an ocean background, allowing the readers to instantly decipher where this movie takes place (the middle of the ocean). Regarding the background, the visually appealing sunset with its beautiful, vibrant colors establishes a romantic tone. After all, this film's genre is romance, so this element adds more meaning to the love story. This is also conveyed with the help of the characters' body language and blocking; they are positioned closely together, displaying their deep affection for each other.

The framing in this scene is exemplified when it appears that the characters are positioned more toward the left side of the screen, allowing the audience to not only focus on them but on the background as well. Plus, the audience can also observe the characters' costumes and how it accurately presents their social status and when this film was set. In fact, Rose's embellished outfit and neatly styled hair prove that she is of a higher socioeconomic class than Jack, who is wearing a more baggy, basic outfit, proving that he is of the lower class. Since this type of clothing isn't necessarily the norm these days, it is evident that this movie doesn't take place in a modern time period. There is also rather dark, low-key lighting which helps convey a more realistic setting. Lastly, during this scene, music—the widely popular theme song "My Heart Will Go On"—plays in the background, further contributing to the film's love story.

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3. Still #3

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Tim Burton, the director of this film, undoubtedly has an iconic, stunning visual style that he adds to his movies which are created through his unique elements of mise-en-scène, some of which are including in this frame.

During this scene in the film, a heavy usage of scenery and props convey the utter magnificence and complexity of the setting, Wonka's Chocolate Factory, the massive, magical chocolate production factory. More specifically, as this film relies mainly on props, it is most likely that in this still, the audience directs more of their attention away from the characters and more on the creative decor that fills this entire scene. In other words, the set design is so elaborate and unique that the audience's first intention is to observe the background. For instance, the set design intended to be made entirely out of candy (such as the chocolate river and huge candy canes) is seen as mouthwatering and appealing to the viewer. Especially for those of young age who love sugar, this setting may fascinate the viewers and can set the frame in a setting that most individuals would want to visit.

However, the aspect of focusing more on the background could also be due to its framing: the characters are not framed close enough to the camera to the point where the audience would automatically be drawn to them. Instead, they may also be more attracted to the vibrant, bright colors that create a playful and fun tone to the scene. Yet, if there was a more limited color palette, this scene wouldn't have been as friendly and would be more serious towards the audience, establishing the wrong message. The film's tone could have also been achieved through the film's lighting techniques where high-key lighting creates a bright setting. These mise-en-scène elements ultimately represent fantasy and imagination that significantly captivates the audience's attention.