Technical Code

MISE-EN-SCENE

Includes: i. Props

ii. Iconography

iii. Costume

iv. Colour design

v. Lighting

vi. Actors

vii. Make-up

ix. Setting

Mise-en-Scene

French for ‘put in the scene’.

All that an audience can see on TV/film is bound by the

edges of the screen. By controlling what actions and

objects are in the frame, a film director creates the mise-

en-scene. All elements within the frame have been

deliberately placed there. They all help to create meaning.

It is your job to describe everything within the frame

(denotation) and to try to explain why the director put them

there (connotations.)

Props (properties) are

used to dress the

set/location so that it is

appropriate to the subject

matter and style.

Props

Iconography

Iconography is an aspect of

genre. We expect to see

certain objects within the

mise-en-scene of a

particular genre, for

example, in a Western, we

expect to see dusty, lonely

roads, saloon bars, cowboy

hats and horses. Such

‘genre indicators’ are called

the ICONOGRAPHY of the

genre.

Costume

Costumes add to a character’s persona.

Colour design

In most films/TV dramas

there is an overall colour

design. Colour conveys

different moods or ideas.

For example, blue/silver

connotes seriousness and

‘hi-tech’ neon or acid

colours connote fun,

pastels might connote

romance.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cLJ1vuUWprA&feature=related

Marie Antoinette – I Want Candy

Lighting

AMBIENT – natural lighting

(e.g. outdoors) emphasises

realism.

ARTIFICIAL – artificial lighting can

suggest an atmosphere or mood

(the lighting in a horror movie is

entirely different to the lighting for

the news.

Lighting

HIGH KEY LIGHTING

Bright, high visibility

LOW KEY LIGHTING

Used to light night shots,

moody shots, etc

Lighting

MOTIVATED – uses

lighting sources from within

the scene (e.g. headlights,

fires, street lights, etc)

Actors

STARS are an important part of the drama. They

create expectations in the audience and they help to

identify a genre. They also create issues of

representation of culture, masculinity and femininity.

With what genres do you associate these ‘stars’?

Ricky Gervais Timothy Spall Billy Piper

Make-up

Make-up and prosthetics

are used in most films to

create the characters.

Setting

Some sets are made in studios, sometimes they are

made ‘on location’.

Analyse this frame (PICCLAMS)

From: Merlin (BBC)

Analyse this frame (PICCLAMS)

From: Dr Who (BBC)

Analyse this frame (PICCLAMS)

From: Gladiator