A Level Part of 4 lessons that include mise en scene, editing, camerawork and sound. Change titles to Agency and the text fits :(

1. Media Studies A Level
The Key Concepts
•Media Language - Terminology
•Representation – How people or things are portrayed
•Institutions – companies. The industry
•Audience – Types of consumers, target audiences

2. Camerawork/
Cinematography
Sound
Mise-en-scène
Editing
Film Language
Moving image
Micro Elements

5. Definition: Mise En Scene
A French term meaning ‘what is put
into a scene or frame’.
Visual information in front of the camera
Communicates essential information to the audience
Made up of 6 elements:
Can you guess what they are?

6. The 6 Elements of Mise en
Scene1. Settings
2. Props
3. Costume, hair & make up
4. Performance, facial expressions, body language.
5. Positioning and movement of characters/objects
within the frame
6. Lighting & colour

7. 1. Settings & Locations
Settings & Locations play an important part in filmmaking and are not just
‘backgrounds’.
Settings can manipulate an audience by building certain expectations
(these expectations can then be played with!).
TASK: What settings might you find in:
1. A Science Fiction Film?
2. A Romantic Comedy?
3. A Horror Film?
4. A Western Film?

8. 2: Props
•Props build on the setting to create a believable
‘world’.
•Props can be used to establish character.
•Props can be used as
symbols to connote
additional meanings over
and above their material
presence

10. 3: Costume, Hair &
Make-up•Costume, Hair & Make Up act as an instant indicator of a
character’s personality, status & job.
•It can tell us immediately whether the film is set in the
present and what society or culture it will centre around.
•Certain costumes can signify certain individuals (i.e. black
cloak of a vampire, Spidey’s Spiderman suit)
•Costumes are used to show difference or similarity
between characters, changes in an individual’s character
or mood as the film progresses and whether or not they
fit in with the setting.

12. 4: Facial Expressions & Body
Language•Facial Expressions provide a clear indicator of
how someone is feeling.
•If someone is smiling broadly, we assume they
are happy but we may get a different feeling if
this is accompanied by scary music.
•Body Language may also indicate how a
character feels towards another character or
may reflect the state of their relationship

13. TASK 1: What meanings/emotions do
the following images convey:
•USE specific expressions
plus specific emotion
portrayed
4: Facial Expressions & Body
Language

14. TASK 2: What meanings/emotions do the following images convey:
•USE specific expressions plus specific emotion portrayed
4: Facial Expressions & Body
Language

15. 5: Positioning of Character
and Objects in the frame
•Positioning within a frame can draw our
attention to an important character/object
•A film-maker can use positioning to indicate
relationships between people

16. TASK: What does the positioning in the following images reveal about the
characters/film?
5: Positioning of Character and Objects in

17. TASK: What does the positioning in the following images reveal about the
characters/film?
5: Positioning of Character and Objects in

18. TASK: What does the positioning in the following images reveal about the
characters/film?
5: Positioning of Character and Objects in

19. • Lighting & Colour can be used to achieve a variety of
effects:
• To highlight important characters or objects within the
frame
• To make characters look mysterious by shading sections
of the face & body
• To reflect a characters mental state/hidden emotions (i.e.
bright = happy, dark = disturbed, strobe effect = confused
6: Lighting and Colour

20. 6: Lighting and Colour Types o

21. Low Key Lighting – using only the key and back light –
exaggerates shadows – used in what genres of films?
The Third Man (1949) Apocalypse Now (1979)
6: Lighting and Colour Types o

22. Low Key Lighting – using only the key and back light –
exaggerates shadows – used in what genres of films?
The Third Man (1949) Apocalypse Now (1979)
6: Lighting and Colour Types o
Horror, Thriller, Film Noir

23. 6: Lighting and Colour Types o

24. .
High Key Lighting
Lots of light. Bright environment. High key light is brightest
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
6: Lighting and Colour Types o
used in what genres of films?

25. .
High Key Lighting
Lots of light. Bright environment. High key light is brightest
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
6: Lighting and Colour Types o
used in what genres of films?
Comedies, RomComs

26. .
Over head lighting
Top lit
Why?
The Searchers (1956)

27. .
Over head lighting
Character is Mysterious
The Searchers (1956)

28. .
Back lighting
Why?
The Searchers (1956)
Citizen Kane (1941)

29. .
Lit from Below
Under lit
Why?
Dracula (has risen from the grave?) 1968

30. .
Side Lighting
Why?
My Beautiful Laundrette 1985

31. .
Lighting
•Conveys mood and atmosphere
•Draws attention to particular
characters/objects
•Can create shadows to add drama

32. • Is used to create mood and atmosphere
• Positioning of lights creates different effects
• High key lighting
• Low key lighting

33. .
Studio Lighting
3 point Lighting
•Key light
•Back lighting
•Filler light
3 point Lighting VT

34. .
Lighting & Colour
1. Back light
2. Filler light
3. Key light
• All 3 lights

35. What atmosphere is the lighting creating?

36. .
Low Key Lighting – using only the key and back
light – exaggerates shadows

37. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
What atmosphere is the lighting creating?

38. What atmosphere is the lighting creating?

40. Used for expressive purposes
Can impact on emotions
Can be used Symbolically – additional meaning or
cultural significance
Colour

41. Used for expressive purposes
Can impact on emotions
Can be used Symbolically – additional meaning or
cultural significance
Colour

42. .
Realism versus Creating an alternative environment?
Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Mans Chest Little Miss Sunshine
Colour

43. .
Colour
Aliens (1986)
Director: James Cameron
Colour

44. Colour

45. .
The Island (2005)
Colour

46. .
Hero (2002)
Colour

47. .
RED
Colour
What emotions does red create?

48. .
DANGER
excitement
fire passion
blood fight
sexual connotation
RED
Colour

49. Colour

50. .
YELLOW ?
Colour

51. .
Warmth sun brightness joy
happiness
fun laughter Summer
YELLOW
Colour

52. .
Purple: Wealth, royalty, sophistication, intelligence.
Blue: Quietness, serenity, truth, dignity, constancy, reliability.
Sophistication, elegance, power, rebellion, evil.
White: Purity, cleanness, future.
Green: Nature, fresh, vegetation, health.
Colour

53. .
Black & White
•Budget?
•Creative decision
•To create a certain ‘look’
Seven 1995Raging Bull 1980Schindler’s List 1993

54. .
Black & White
Why do filmmakers decide to make films in black and white?
Opening sequence of Casino Royale

55. .
Black & White
Why do filmmakers decide to make films in black and white?
‘The lack of colour allows Spielberg to be explicit without
becoming tastelessly graphic’
It echoes news reels of the holocaust...
thus establishing historical context and a feeling
of authenticity’.
Boston Review

57. Mise en Scene Analysis
• Use terminology and be specific about why the
technique has been used.
The darkness creates emotion
The low key lighting creates the sense of mystery and fear

58. Mise en Scene Analysis
• Use terminology and be specific about why the
technique has been used.
The darkness creates emotion
The low key lighting creates the sense of mystery and fear
X
✔

60. Mise en Scene analysis:
10 Thing I Hate About You (1999)
http://estream.reigate.ac.uk/View.aspx?id=7377~4y~AqgrJWFi&chapID=11647

61. •DENOTATION – what you see. I denote
•CONNOTATION – what you associate. I
connote
Connotes Implies Conveys Exemplifies
Symbolises Indicates Highlights
Emphasises Represents Portrays
Suggests depicts

62. •DENOTATION?
•CONNOTATION?
Consider the 6 mise en scene elements

63. •DENOTATION?
•CONNOTATION?

64. DENOTATION?
CONNOTATION?
Who is responsible for this image and why have they photographed like this?