What is Mise en Scène in Film: Definition and Examples

Mise en Scene in Film

How to define mise en scène in film

Mise en scene can be a complex idea to wrap your mind around. It is both highly nuanced and highly subjective. As we break this concept down, however, the basic strategy is simple — how can you create the most "meaningful" image?

Before we get into the nitty gritty, we'll start with a mise en scene definition. Then we'll look at the films of Wes Anderson to see how he has made "attention to detail" a fine art.

Yet there’s no denying the importance of mise en scene in film. When properly used, it elevates film from a series moving pictures to an art form with purpose. Something bursting with atmosphere and emotion that pulls viewers in and doesn’t let go.

For some of the best examples of mise en scene in film, let's take a look at a modern director who has truly created his own signature style.

This is, of course, the Wizard of Whimsy himself: Wes Anderson.

Mise en Scène Analysis

Let Mr. Anderson define mise en scène

From his early film Bottle Rocket to The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson has consistently been a top-notch world builder. This is largely due to the director’s unique method of visual storytelling. Let's watch Mr. Anderson talk us through his approach to filmmaking.

There is an unmistakable "Wes Anderson style" in all his work. Precise detail following the rules of shot composition, absurd characters and vivid use of color theory. In fact, Anderson's active use of mise en scene comes through his rather sophisticated application of colors.

Anderson's worlds are often explosions of color — bright and saturated and expressive. But when you realize that his characters are often depressed, traumatized or even suicidal, these color choices complicate the tone in really interesting ways. Here's a video breakdown that highlights some of the best examples of mise en scene in film, courtesy of Wes Anderson and his color design.

Let's talk about the major mise en scene elements. Then we’ll discuss how Wes Anderson uses them to make movies so original they can best be described as, well: Wes Anderson-y.

MISE EN SCENE ELEMENTS

Mise en scène and production design

Production design is an umbrella term that covers every element to a film's "look." This includes the sets and locations, the props, the characters' costume and make-up, etc. This all falls under the Production Designer's job description.

Here's a video from our masterclass on Filmmaking Techniques that highlights the power of production design.

One filmmaker who has made his entire career from outstanding production design is Tim Burton. His style is unique, striking, and full of personality. Here's a video breakdown of the theatrical mise en scene found in the work of Tim Burton.

Wes Anderson's bread and butter is also production design. In keeping with the dollhouse metaphor, Anderson’s set design depicts how detailed his characters are. For example, bedrooms are designed to be a physical representation of the person who lives in it. 

The Royal Tenenbaums does this very well. When introduced to the three Tenenbaum children, we don't need the narration to know what these kids are all about.

With these sets designed with mise en scène in mind, the characters' worlds are visualized. But this is only the beginning of how mise en scene in film works. We still need to capture these sets onto film and that's where cinematography comes in.

Mise en scene Elements

Mise en scene and cinematography

As you know, the basics of cinematography include everything related to the capturing of images. The type of camera and film stock used, the lighting techniques, or the camera movement, etc. 

One of the most important aspects between mise en scène and cinematography is how you compose the frame. Composition walks hand in hand with cinematography techniques, including the multitude of camera shots and angles.

Being aware of what’s in the frame, and then choosing how to shoot it, is how you control your film’s look. 

And if you know anything about Wes Anderson's visual style, you know that composition plays a major role. Where does he place the characters and objects? What does he show? What does he choose not to show?

Even someone who has never seen a film would recognize one key aspect of Wes Anderson’s composition: symmetry. This video does a great job at reminding us of Anderson's obsession with precision and evenly-balanced frames.

This creates a strange effect. Instead of feeling like roller coaster rides, Wes Anderson films feel like dollhouses. Everything is perfectly set up and staged.

With composition in place, another consideration of mise en scene and cinematography is lighting. The intensity, depth, and angle of your lighting can all greatly affect the mood of a scene. 

The key thing to remember is that lighting is emotional. It depicts a character or situation as joyful or desperate... relaxed or dramatic. In other words, the various lighting techniques will yield various effects.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is vibrant and fun for most of its runtime, and so its lighting is soft and warm. Yet Anderson’s script calls for scenes of violence, and so he adjusts the lighting to match it.

There is a chase scene at the end in which a character is murdered, and the entire scene is shot in shadow.

We've designed our sets, chosen our costumes, decided how to use cinematography to capture the image but the last piece comes down to the actors, their performance, and how they move (or not move) in the frame, otherwise known as blocking.

MISE EN SCENE ACTING

Mise en scene and blocking

The last element of mise en scène we’ll cover is blocking. This, of course, refers to the actors’ performances but also how they arranged in the frame and interact with the environment. Creative blocking can give live and energy to a scene that might otherwise seem stagnant.

Since actors are almost always what the audience is paying attention to, their performance and the presentation of that performance are key. How do we capture their behavior, their body language, or their relationship to other characters in the scene? 

Directing actors in terms of mise en scene also refers to the actors’ placement in each scene. Here is a video of mise en scene examples illustrating how Kubrick, Spielberg and Iñarrítu use blocking and staging in their visual storytelling.

Wes Anderson films are mostly known for their symmetrical shots, but there is yet another lesser-known option.

Actors standing versus sitting brings a certain level of confidence. Actors smaller in view makes them appear weak. There are too many possibilities to count. 

Blocking can have a noticeable emotional effect on an audience when working in combination with the other mise en scene elements. Every director approaches this aspect of their craft differently. 

In this example, Francis Ford Coppola relies on blocking and staging to present shifting power dynamics in The Godfather. 

Coppola is clearly taking a different approach than a filmmaker like Wes Anderson but that's the beauty of it — there is no "correct" way to tackle mise en scene in film. When you understand how mise en scene works, you'll be able to apply these concepts in any project.

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Mise en scene elements in detail

Now that we have a mise en scene definition, it's time to go deeper on how each of the mise en scene elements work independently and in combination. We'll look specifically at common mise en scene elements like props and sets. We'll also cover those elements that aren't so obvious like the effects of shooting on film vs. digital, sound design, and depth of field with mise en scene examples like Mean Girls, Titanic, and Goodfellas. Your deep dive into mise en scene continues now.

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