Todays lesson consisted of the study of Mise en Scene. This french terminology rougly translates to 'Whats in the Scene'. As the translation suggests we spent the hour discussing the ways in which various decisions can impact the scene in question. We were told how their are 5 basic categories which can be manipulated in order to give effect to the viewer.These included:
- Settings and props
- Costumes, hair and makeup
- Facial expression and body language
- Lighting and colour
- Positioning of character
When all of these features are collated a scene is effectively created, although when not collaborated correctly, the results can be disasterous. If these factors arnt to match, it is evident that the viewer will lose interest and subsequently zone out.We discovered this after passing around a piece of paper in groups and each scribing one of the elements of Mise En Scene. We recieved a scene which consequently didnt make sense. Following on we analysed a scene from Skyfall, James Bonds most recent outing. We discussed the effectiveness of Iconology, the act of using famous landmarks or objects which are primarily related to a given area.
We finally discussed how the effect of iconology can aid a films engagement with the audience. For example a Londoner would be engaged by this shot as it shows famous landmarks such as Big Ben in order to portray the location of the scene.