How to Analyse Mise En Scene | Insiders Film School

Welcome to the first episode of the Insiders Film School. Well come on. Where you learn in-depth film analysis one idea at a time. In each video we'll master a single key concept before applying it in a masterpiece film assignment at the end. Sit. So where do we start? We're going to begin with film form, the technical construction of film as a medium, which is split into five key elements that filmmakers use in order to construct layers of meaning. mise-en-scene, performance, cinematography, editing, and sound. And of those, our very first concept is going to be how to analyse mise-en-scene, the visual language of film that encompasses everything you can see. It's the first thing I get my students analysing as it's the most explicit and hard to miss element of film form and often carries the most direct meaning. So if you're completely new to film analysis or you're just looking for a refresher, here's everything you need to know. But before we get started, I want to give a quick shout out to my amazing patrons who support this channel. They also get exclusive access to the latest episode of the Insiders Film School. So if you want to stay up to date, head over to my Patreon page linked in the description. Right, enough intro, let's get started. When you think of a still frame from a film in your mind, I'd be willing to bet it's the mise-en-scene rather than the lighting or the camera angle that you imagined first. That over-the-top bedroom, those smart brogues, the biomechanical passageways, those scars. These are all examples of mise-en-scene, a French theatre term which literally translates to within the stage. In our case, it's going to mean everything within the scene. It's our first port of call in film analysis, as it's the filmmaker's primary tool in show-don't-tell. It's completely visual and arguably the most natural film form element for us to read as we do so in our daily lives as we navigate the world around us. What's more, unlike the other four key elements of film, there isn't really a great deal of specialist terminology associated with it. It's literally say what you see. So, step one in analyzing film is simply, what can we see in the mise-en-scene? The mise-en-scene essentially breaks down into three areas. The setting, the characters and the props. It also technically includes blocking and arrangement of these things, but we'll be covering those in a separate video. Settings come in many forms. They may be real locations creating a more realistic aesthetic. This was one of the groundbreaking elements of Italian social realist cinema of the mid-20th which didn't have the budget to build big studio sets, so they used the world around them. Settings may also be studio stages produced so that every aspect can be controlled. The preferred way of making films in Hollywood at the same time as the Italians were filming on the streets. And nowadays, settings may even be completely artificial CG settings added in post-production on green screen. Whichever it is, these are the things you might want to look out for when analyzing the setting. First and foremost, where is it? Are we in a lush natural environment? A barren wasteland? Or a man-made industrial setting? Moreover, is it representing a real-world location or a fantastical one? Next, consider the amount of space within the setting. Be it the claustrophobic confines of the camper van or the spacious freedom of the wilderness in No Man Land. How is it dressed with furnishings? From the moldy run-down apartment Arthur Fleck lives in in Joker to the lavish interior of the wealthy family in Roma. How is it lit? Is it naturally lit for realism? Or is there artificial light and shadow like we see in film noir for high contrast? Also consider how weather plays a part, including torrential downpours, sweltering heat waves and even... Sorry, and thun... And even... Thunderstorms. Finally, consider color. True of all elements of Mise en Scene, but look out for where color stands out, contrasts or even washes out in the setting. Next up, within the settings, we obviously have the characters. The next element of Mise en Scene that we need to be able to identify for analysis. The overall aesthetic of a character needs to tell you who they are before they speak a single word. It has the power to control how audiences feel about them or tell you their entire backstory or whether they belong in the setting or are alien to it. On a narrative level, it can tell you what role they play, be it the hero, the villain or the teddy bear. Here's what you need to look out for in character Mise en Scene. Costumes. What are they wearing? Try to be specific. Consider color, state of repair, expense. Look at the stark contrast in clothing for these three characters in Blinded by the Lights. How do they reflect their characters? It's also worth considering how they wear their costumes. In the Dead Poets Society, notice how the same uniform is worn so differently by each of these characters. With costume, I'd also include accessories such as Bond's watch and sunglasses, which we'll cover in a bit more detail in props in a moment. Also consider the character's hair. It's color, style, neatness. What can we learn from how much care the character takes in this area? And finally with characters, consider the makeup. Be it a simple corrective makeup to hide blemishes, symbolic makeup to suggest character traits, or even special effect or prosthetic makeup to literally alter a character's appearance. The final area we need to be able to identify within Mise en Scene is props. Items within the cinematic world that either help dress the setting or are utilized by the characters. This includes but is not limited to guns, lightsabers, old phones, new phones, gadgets, polaroids, drinks, footballs, crosses. You get the picture. Some props are synonymous with genre, such as high-tech devices in science fiction. Other props provide additional information about the character or the setting, such as the soulless lab equipment that fills the setting and used by the scientists in E.T. Props are also sometimes a MacGuffin, something that acts as a plot device that drives the narrative forward, such as the government secrets that cause all the action in North by Northwest. So, now that we know what Mise en Scene consists of, we can identify it in films that we are studying. But how do we analyze it? Well, as you'll see with all elements of film form in the coming videos, we basically need to interrogate why did the filmmaker choose for it to look exactly that way? And the answer is, there are many answers. Let's go through some of these now, but in order for this to work, we need to follow a very important rule. Assume every element of the film is intentional. If the character's top button is undone, there's a reason. If the walls are painted blue, it means something. Primarily, we need to consider the symbolic or connotative meaning of what you've identified. What does this tell us about the character or the world they exist in? For example, in Jojo Rabbit, how does the appearance of Jojo change over the course of the film, and how does this reflect his changing attitudes towards Nazism? If a character is wearing green in a green setting, what does this tell us about their relationship to the environment? A great example of symbolic mise-en-scene is in Vertigo, where the costume, hair and props all convey a sense of obsession with the use of the spiral motif. A good exercise to practice this is to work backwards. Watch a scene from a movie and broadly identify what is the emotional impact meant to be. Then look at the mise-en-scene. How does this help construct this feeling? We can see this in the final confrontation in Saint Maud, which feels ominous and nightmarish. This is reflected in the dark, lifeless, desaturated bedroom that Amanda finds herself in as her deathbed. Maud herself is draped in robes, making her look almost nun-like. We see it also in the romance of La La Land. This scene's meant to be romantic. Look at what they're doing with colour. Next up within our analysis of mise-en-scene, consider how it establishes verisimilitude. This means the believability of a film's world, not to be confused with realism. The Lord of the Rings, for example, has high levels of verisimilitude, despite being a fantasy story, because the ruins, the costumes, even the orcs are grounded in a believable world, even if it isn't our own. So when you spot an element of the mise-en-scene, consider, is it there to contribute to the sense of believability or verisimilitude? Next, we need to consider genre. Are the things you spotted there to reinforce genre conventions? In other words, is this an established element of mise-en-scene within the genre that simply wouldn't work without it? Imagine a western without the west or revolvers, or a period drama without ball gowns and tea parties. It may be that the mise-en-scene has been selected to build on established conventions, or in other cases, intentionally subvert from them to offer the audience something new. So, in Serenity, we do get to see what a western looks like in space. Or, in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which is unmistakably a period drama, it introduces mise-en-scene elements from the horror and action genre. Finally, question whether mise-en-scene serves a narrative purpose. Does it allow the hero to repair the disruption, such as Katniss Everdeen's bow and arrow, or Bond's access to gadgets? Is the prop itself the disruption that needs to be resolved in some way, such as the one ring that needs to be taken to Mount Doom? As you can see, there are countless reasons why mise-en-scene may look the way it does. But if you practice identifying what it looks like, what it signifies, and how it serves the narrative and genre, you'll be analysing mise-en-scene like a pro in no time. Now, the best thing we can do with our newfound knowledge is to put it to practice, so in each video I'm going to suggest a masterpiece example for you to watch or re-watch, but first, since you've made it all the way to the end of this lesson, do me a favour and please leave a like on this video, it really helps. The film I'd like you to watch this time is 2013's Snowpiercer by Bong Joon-ho. This was his first English-language film, following the international success of his earlier Korean films such as The Host. As a director, he's obsessive with his attention to detail, and nowhere is this more obvious in every element of mise-en-scene, be it to establish considerable verisimilitude or characterisation or plot devices. Snowpiercer has this in bucket loads. So, watch this masterpiece of mise-en-scene and look out for the following in your trial of analysis. As the characters make their way from the back of the train to the front, how does the setting change? How does this make the spectator feel towards the inhabitants of the upper-class front and the lower-class back? How does the look of Chris Evans' lead character establish him as the hero? How does this contrast with the various villains in the film? What's the purpose of the key props, such as the protein jelly bars or the chronodrug? How does the film blend elements of sci-fi and horror in the mise-en-scene? Where can you see each of these? This is something Bong Joon-ho is a big fan of, genre blending, and you can see this in the mise-en-scene throughout. So, that's the end of your first lesson in film analysis. Learn to spot the mise-en-scene in the setting, the costumes, the hair and the makeup. Then, consider the symbolic, the narrative and the genre uses for them. Super simple. Next time, we'll be looking at how to analyse performance. Remember, my latest video is always exclusively available on Patreon, until the next one comes out. So head over there to keep up with the Insider's Film School. Good luck, and I'd love to hear in the comments what you think of Snowpiercer. Bye for now.