CREATING THE MOOD: MISE-EN-SCENE - Thur, 7th April

What's on the menu today?

We have looked at both still and moving images to begin analysing the MISE-EN-SCENE, and how the different elements work together in both DESIGN and COMPOSTION to create meaning in film.

It's now your turn to see if you can translate what you have learnt into your own still shot. (Anyone with the equipment feeling particularly adventurous can create a moving image shot with sound instead)

Your task is to design and shoot a mise-en-scene which helps communicate the mood and feel of life in the St George's College.

Task 1 - in pairs
Brainstorm emotions/feelings/ideas you identify with St George's. Try to go beyond simplistic ideas such as "happy" and sad". (eg. enclosed; open; oppressive; liberating; etc.) As many as possible in two minutes. I'm happy for you to write words in spanish at this stage - we can translate them when you feedback to the class.

Task 2 - in groups
From the class list gathered, you can select the ideas and mood you feel most conveys the "essence" of St George's College. Now, you need to plan a shot which can convey this essence. You will need to visualise it and sketch it using the paper provided. You can shoot outside or in class, corridors, but, obviously, no classrooms where other classes are working! Perhaps you will need to walk around first to decide on a suitable location? Fine - but you only have ten minutes to report back to me with your finished sketch.

Consider:

• characters (posture, clothes, appearance, spatial relationship to camera and other objects)
• objects (be realistic here - you can only use things that are available now in class)
• colour
• lighting and shadow (no light kits yet so you will have to use natural or ambient lighting)
• camera position and angle
• (and, if you are shooting a moving image - camera movement and sound)

Task 3 - in groups:
Once your group has had its sketch approved, you can go off and set up/shoot the shot. You will have twenty minutes to complete this. Then meet back in E2 to discuss the success of the shots, difficulties encountered, etc.

HOMEWORK - each group needs to upload their shot to their blogs ready for viewing on Monday, 11th April.

MISE-EN-SCENE (continued) - Monday, 4th April

The object of today's lesson is to extend your growing skills in analysing films as texts, considering, once more, the mise-en-scene and how meaning is created. However, whereas before we have looked exclusively at sill images, we are now going to consider moving images.

So two things we need to consider within the frame of a shot that we have yet to do: 1) that characters and objects may move, changing the relationship between us, the camera, and them; 2) the camera may move, or zoom in/out.

TASK: We will look - again - at the opening of Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954).  Discuss and make notes in your journals on:


a) the mise-en-scene used in the opening credits - what feelings of the "world of the film" are we given through all the various elements?


b) the use of camera movement here. When does the camera start to move, how does it move, what mood or feelings are conveyed through this movement?

After sharing your ideas, you will all write two paragraphs and post them, with a suitable image, or, better yet, a film clip from Rear Window.

MISE-EN-SCENE - Wednesday March 30th

The idea of the next two lessons is to develop a better understanding of how all different elements of a shot, both in design and composition, work together to create meaning. We call these elements the "mise-en-scene", which is a french term meaning "put in the scene".

The first thing to do is discuss the following still shot of The Last Emperor (Bertolucci, 1987), which we have talked of in class. Discuss the various elements within the shot, their relationship - spatial or otherwise - with each other, and the feelings the help create in us, the audience.

Consider:
camera position/angle
characters and objects
set, buildings, landscape
light and shade
colour





After making notes based on your discussions, everyone needs to write a paragraph showing your understanding of the mise-en-scene in this shot. Remember to use all the film terminology you have learnt so far.

Post the paragraph on your blog by Monday, 4th April.