Mise En Scène

In the last couple of lessons we have been learning about Mise En Scène. When analysing a sequence of Mise En Scène, you have to look at how the different elements and techniques work together in order to:

• Tell a Story
• Evoke and atmosphere
• Give the audience information
• Provoke the audience to respond
• Highlight key themes.

In Chicken Run, the sky is red when Mrs Tweedy - the antagonist of the film - enters the Chicken Cage. The sky is red to signify danger. When Edwina is carried off to be killed the sky goes dark and the mood changes the scared. After Edwina has been killed, the Sky behind Ginger reflects her sadness by turning a dark blue. I can use different effects to make the sky different colours in my own film opening. As my film opening is a Horror, I can use darker and more sinister colours such as black or brown.

Also, Mise en Scène is used in the film, The Duchess. In this film, different settings are used to portray her departure from civilisation to pure isolation. The settings that are used are:

• The streets of London.
• The courtyard of Devonshire House.
• The hallway of Devonshire House.
• The bedroom where The Duchess awaits the arrival of her new husband.

The streets of London are presented with brown colours, to give it the look of uncleanliness compared to Duchess' carriage which is pristine. Shen then travels through and archway to the courtyard which is clean and more richer and well kept than the streets. Going through the first archway signifies one more step into isolation. She then goes through another archway into the hallway. The hallway is big and grand, this signifies herself in total isolation. The bedroom where she awaits her new husband is small and dark which portrays her as trapped and isolated. I could use different settings in my Horror film opening, to emphasise isolation from Civilisation like in The Duchess.