‘Mise En Scene’: Setting the Stage
‘Mise en scene’ comes from the French “setting the stage”. It is a term used in both theatre and film to describe what the audience is seeing. In the case of theatre, that is everything on the stage. In film, it is everything that the camera can see. Certain directors create distinctive ‘mise en scene’ that establish their “style” as creators. A director famous for their stylistic choices is Wes Anderson.
Elements of a ‘Mise en Scene’
Many elements go into creating the ‘mise en scene’ to express a story’s sense of time and space, mood, and sometimes, a character’s state of mind.
Set Design
Set design is the setting of the scene and the placement of that scene’s objects (also know as ‘props’). The most essential aspect of set design is to show the audience where the action takes place. In theatre, a set can be a mixture of painted backdrops, furniture, and props. It can be as abstract or as realistic as the production wants it to be. In film, the production must decide whether they want to shoot on location or in a studio.
Lighting
The intensity, direction, and quality of lighting can influence an audience’s understanding of characters, actions, themes and mood. In theatre, lighting is first and foremost used to illuminate the action on stage so that the audience can see what’s happening. Lighting is also used to convey the setting: warm light could represent a hot climate. In film, lighting can be manipulated through the use of natural and artificial light.
Space
Space in a ‘mise en scene’ refers to how objects exist in the view of the audience. In theatre, productions are limited by the size of the stage. In film, cameras can be used to manipulate the depth, size, and proportions of objects which help to add further dramatic meaning to the shot.
Composition
Composition is a lot like space, but refers to how objects, actors, and space are organised on stage or in the camera frame. In theatre, directors can play with different levels and bringing the actors closer and further away from the audience. In film, directors and cinematographers must find a balance of symmetry in their composition.
Hair & Make-Up
Hair and Make-Up is an integral part of a ‘mise en scene’ as it helps to establish time period and character traits and personality. A change in make-up can show a change in the character. Simple make-up is often used to help pick out the performers facial feature under bright light but make-up serves other uses such as: creating special effects like cuts and bruises; helping a performer appear older; and changing facial features through the use of prosthetics.
Acting
Different styles of acting can show historical and cultural nuance. In theatre, there are many different styles of acting that can be utilised. In film, actors tend to adopt a more naturalistic style (largely influenced by Konstantin Stanislavski’s method of acting).
Other Elements of a ‘Mise en Scene’ in Film
Filmstock
This is to do with camera and film choice and can affect if the finished product is in black and white or color, fine-grain or grainy. This visual aspect adds another layer to the story-telling.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio is the size of the rectangular image. Each aspect ratio yields a different way of looking at the world and is basic to the expressive meaning of the film. Some directors might play around with using more than one aspect ratio in their production.
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