Chapter 5 mise en scene

On location

Filmmakers must find existing interior and exterior spaces that suit the needs of their story then alter the location according to the planned mise en scene

Lighting

Help express mood tell a story and can be a character directors often incorporate lighting into the storyboards

Elements of Design

Setting Decore and properties and costume make up and hair style

Lead room

A character who lateral screen movement is tracked by a moving camera on the side of the frame toward which she is moving

Key light

Also known as the main or source light is the primary source of illumination and therefore is customarily set first

Negative space

Application of a parent in balance often used to generate suspense in narrative context featuring someone or some thing who's imminent arrival we anticipate or fear

Soft light

Beams of light are broken up or scattered on their way from the source to the subject this diffusion can be accomplished by bouncing the light we're passing it through a sort of cloudy paper descriptively dubbed diffusion where illumination ends and shadow begins in less distinct

Production Designer

Both an artist and an executive And is responsible for the overall design concepts its individual sets locations furnishings properties and costumes

Rule of Thirds

Breaks the frame of the three vertical sections and three Horizontal sections resulting in a grid grid acts as a guide the filmmakers used to balance visual elements in a frame

Compositional stress

By purposely breaking the rule of thirds and denying our expectation of balance filmmakers can create compositional stress this intentional in balance can communicate many levels of meaning as always depending on the context in which it is used

Backlighting

Can create dramatic lighting effects especially when it is the soul light source one position between the light source in the camera the subject is thrown into silhouette

Three point system

Cast of flattering and natural looking light on actors the system uses three sources of light each aimed from a different direction and position in relation to the subject do you like feel light and back light

Decor

Color and textures of the interior decoration furniture draperies and curtains

motion capture

Computer generated animated layers over life performances can be described as digital make up

Overheads

Diagrams of sets that include actor and camera positions and software that creates three dimensional models of sets in scenarios

Deep space composition

Emphasizes death by placing significant visual and narrative information on two or more of the three planes of depth Foreground middleground and background in such a way that not only emphasizes depth but also conveys information mood and meaning

Headroom

Framing a characters eyes at the level of the upper line cinematographers can quickly and efficiently establish a practical and aesthetically pleasing amount of space

German expressionism

Give objective expression to subjective and usually disturbed human feelings and emotions settings and decor were abstracted by twisting the normally horizontal and vertical world of the right angles into jagged pointed diagonal lighting was deliberately artificial emphasizing sharp contrast deep shadows were often cast in the same distorted shapes found in the set design

top lighting

Light cast on a character from above usually looks comparatively normal as a son or most natural light source is usually in an overhead position

Mise-en-scene

Literally staging or putting on action or scene also called staging is everything we see in every shot every object every person everything about their surroundings and how each of these components is arranged illuminated and moved around

Figure movement

Movement within frame

Kinesis

One of the most efficient ways to analyze mise en scene is the study still images taken from a motion picture so it is easy to forget about movement otherwise known as kinesis

Composition

Organization distribution balance in general relationship of objects and figures as well as light shade line color and movement within the frame

fill light

Positioned at the opposite side of the camera from the key light adjust the depth of the shadows created by the brighter key light feel light may also come from a reflector

Blocking

Predetermined movement of actors that is planned according to the needs of the story

design

Process by which the look of the Settings objects and actors is determined

low key lighting

Produces an image with very little contrast between the dark and the light is used extensively in dramas musical comedies and adventure films

Properties Props and set

Props and set dressing any object handle by actors is considered a prop

decorator

Sort of cinematic interior decorator who is in charge of set dressing supervises a variety of specialists

Direction

The angle of that throw for the angle helps to produce the contrast and shadows that suggest the source of the illumination and the time of day

hard light

The beams of light shine directly from the source to the subject creates a clear sharp order between the areas of Bright illumination and dark shadows hard light is high contrast details are crisp and defined

Lighting ratio

The level of illumination on a subject as compared with the depth of the corresponding shadow

Storyboards

The sketches help guide the cinematographer in at coordinating the camera and the lighting

Setting

The spatial and temporal setting of a film is the environment realistic or imagined in which the narrative takes place

Make up and hair style

The traditional make up used to enhance or alter and actors appearance covers the full range of facial and body cosmetics familiar to consumers often specially blended to comply with camera and lighting requirements

Halloween lighting Or bottom lighting

Versus the normal placement of illumination and shadows on an actress base which distorts the way we see facial features

Previsualization

Visualizing each individual shot and to help them achieve a unified approach to shot compositions can include drawings of planned composition called storyboards

costume

We choose our clothes for a variety of reasons including price fit and comfort but we are also whether unconsciously or deliberately making selections they communicate an image to those around us

Eye room

When a character is looking across the screen she is typically placed on one end of the frame so that her gaze is balanced on the opposite side of the composition

Frontal lighting

When light is aimed at a subject from the same angle as a camera no shadows or cast on the actors face features appear flattened

Prosthetics

Which are synthetic materials attached to an actor's face or body can include artificial skin for aging affects fabricated nose ears teeth and change to help make an active look more like a known figure or the kind of grotesque appendages in the gory lose we associate with fantasy and horror films

Back light

Which is also known as a rim light or kicker provides highlights in the hair along the edges of the subject these rims of light help them actor stand out from the background

make-up artist

Worked closely with the production designer and the cinematographer as well as with actors themselves usually accompanying them to the set and performing whatever touchups are necessary

Prop Master

Works with the production designer to find and select props then maintains each object and ensure as it is ready when the actor needs it for shooting