Mise en Scene

What is included in the Mise en scene?

Semiotics “The Study of Signs”

Denotation – What you can see (The literal meaning)

Connotation – What it suggests (The implied meaning)

E.g. A red rose Denotation = A flower that is red in

colour Connotation = Love, romance,

valentines day

Task 1

Mise en Scene analysis:

We will be watching 4 clips from different TV drama sub genres. Use the tables on the following slides of this PowerPoint to fill in your notes about the mise en scene in each.

Sci-Fi – Dr WhoMeaning produced by these elements. What

do these suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your

examples

Setting Heli-carrier

Decor Consoles, cages, laser skew driver, guns

Costume and Make up

Black clothes, army clothes, suits, dresses, old man make-up, explosion make-up

Figure Expression and Movement

Hope, insanity, depression

Lighting Outside lighting,

Crime – A Touch of FrostMeaning produced by these elements. What

do these suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your

examples

Setting Forest/Park, living room, hallway

Decor Coats and pegs, couches, curtains, fireplace, glass cabinet

Costume and Make up

Police uniforms, detective clothes, citizen clothes, cuts, mud stains

Figure Expression and Movement

Scared, sympathetic, condescending, impatience, chasing, interrogation

Lighting Street lamps, torches, lamp shades

Soap - EastendersMeaning produced by these elements. What

do these suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your

examples

Setting Dining area

Decor Wine glasses, champagne bottles, plates, cutlery, tables, chairs, picture frames

Costume and Make up

East London clothes, glasses

Figure Expression and Movement

Sitting down, eating, story telling, interest, guilt

Lighting Ceiling lights

Historical - TudorsMeaning produced by these elements. What

do these suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your

examples

Setting Streets, great hall, Palace

Decor Horse and carriages, swords, daggers

Costume and Make up

Tudor time clothes, blood

Figure Expression and Movement

Suspicion, anger, pain

Lighting Natural lighting

Costume

Stereotypes

What is a stereotype?

Can you think of any examples?

If you had to design the costume of a youth offender, what would they be wearing?

Countertypes

This is where the representation is purposefully going against the stereotype

How would you dress a gay male as a countertype?

Representations

In your exam you will have to discuss the representation of one of the following things. Keep this in mind as we go through this task.

Gender Age Ethnicity Regional Identity Sexuality Disability/Physical Ability Class and Status

Task 2 – Costume and Representation

You will be shown a series of stills from TV dramas. Answer the questions that are shown before the image.

Do this in quick note form. You will be feeding back your answers to the class.

Does the costume suggest a historical period?

We are going to look at stills from various TV dramas and you have to decide what period of time it represents.

Life on Mars

The 70s(due to cars and costumes)

Sherlock

Modern day(due to costume and cranes in background)

Dr Who

Victorian(due to architecture of houses. Clothes are misleading)

Skins

Modern day(due to costume)

What does the costume represent about the character’s social, cultural and national background?

This time when you are shown stills answer the above question

The OC

Wealthy, sophisticated, etc.

Holby City

Works in a hospital, surgeon (green scrubs)

Shameless

Lower/Middle class (tracksuit bottoms etc.)

What does the costume indicate about the way a character feels, their fortune or status?

This time when you are shown stills answer the above question

Spooks

Serious, agents (leather gloves)

Downton Abbey

House servants

Merlin

Medieval, knights, lords and low class.

Lighting

Task 3

How does the lighting in the scene affect different moods?

Does lighting change? Is it high or low key lighting?

Watch the Spooks Clip on the VLE and discuss as a class.

Figure Expression and Movement

Task 4

Watch Wire in the blood

How does the mise-en-scène affect and reflect the relations between characters?

Consider also the actors performances

Discussion: what thoughts, feelings and emotions are evoked by the actors’ performances?