Mise En Scene

Mise En Scene

This is a French term meaning 'what is in the scene'
Essentially it is information in front of the camera for the audience to help them work out what is going on.

Mise En Scene is made up of five elements:

• settings and props
• costume, hair and make up
• facial expressions and body language
• lighting and colour
• positioning of characters/ object within a frame

Types of lighting:

• low key lighting
• high key lighting

Low key lighting is when only the key and back lights are used. It produces sharp contrasts of light in dark areas and also creates deep, distinct shadows.

High key lighting is when more 'filler lights' are used. The light is natural and realistic to our eyes. They are used to produce a brightly lit set or to create the affect of a sunny day.

Iconography is used when describing recognisable buildings in scenes/ the setting of a film etc.