Mise en scene

Mise en scene is a French term which means what is put in to a scene or frame. Whatever is put in or left out really does have a big effect in terms of the signals the scene is giving out. For example; a tree can made to look nice on a sunny day with bright green leaves and children playing underneath it. On the other hand, a tree can be made to look threatening if it has no leaves and the weather is dark. These different types of mise en scene are important in portraying a general mood/atmosphere in a scene. These aspects will add to our understanding as an audience to what is happening in the film or what may lie ahead in the upcoming scenes. 

Elements to consider in mise en scene:

- setting and props

- costume, hair and makeup 

- facial expressions and body language

- lighting and colour

- positioning of characters/objects within a scene