Misc-en-scene and Misc-en-scene Analysis

Misc-en-scene is basically a french word that refers to a picture's composition. This word is pronounced as mizaa-sen and understanding the application of misc-en-scene in our media texts can make them look more effective and better-looking with relevance to the audience. Some common elements of misc-en-scene include:

Settings

Color Palette

Props

Costume, Hair and Make-Up

Facial Expressions and Body Language

Lighting and Color

Positioning of Characters and Objects within the frame

Following is an image and its misc-en-scene analysis:

Setting:

The first thing we notice when looking at this image is the couple and then the background. When our eyes manage to focus on the basic setting of an image/shot, the main purpose of creating the appropriate environment is fulfilled. By looking at this image, we can quickly verify the setting as a romantic one whereby a couple is fully enjoying them self and the sunset in the background.

Color Palette:

Soft orange hues of the sun fill the sky and entire scene in a very effective manner such that the couple stays in focus as they are not lit up with any color, forming a semi-silhouette.

Props:

The props used in this image are the chairs, table, the tablecloth and wine glasses, thus completing a setting for dinner with tidal waves and a soft breeze to accompany them. The purpose of using any prop in an image is to represent the purpose of an image/shot i.e to describe the action. Flowers on the table are a common element seen in most romantic media texts, hence forming a similar ambience.

Costume, Hair and Make-up:

The costumes in this image revolve around the boy wearing an informal white t-shirt and trousers while the girl is wearing a sun dress. This attire is very commonly worn on beaches. While the boy has his hair combed back, the girl has them combed and down, hence signifying that this dinner is somewhat formal and significant. The lighting in this image does not focus on the make-up as a long shot has been taken.

Facial Expressions and Body Language:

Both the characters are laughing and talking, hence signifying  that the environment is quite casual and easy-going and both the characters are at ease with each other, helping the audience in forming their opinion about this couple. Both the couple are at close proximity hence again fulfilling the purpose of the image.

Lighting and Color:

The entire image is lit up by low-key lighting of the sun while the couple remains bereft of any light, hence signifying that the sun is lighting the image only from the back, forming a semi-silhouette which is somewhat effecting the image positively.

Positioning of Characters and Objects:

The table is placed on the right side of the image, hence fulfilling the basic rule of composition i.e rule of thirds. The background is neat and very clear hence not making the image look too crowded in or inactive.

The characters are at close proximity, signifying the close bond that they share with each other. Sufficient head room and nose room has helped the image in giving it a very comfortable look and feel while the placement of eyes of the both the characters is also significant as they both are looking at one another and not in some other distance that could give a distracted feel to the audience.

Lights Analysis

The scene I chose for my lights analysis was a trailer of the movie 'Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince'

The following is the link to the trailer I have chosen.

https://www.12345proxy.com/Go.php/8pCCmvfP/2vxtS311/bkzf53Nk/6rQQiXZY/VvY5eM_2/BXHm7lkn/zxroI4ZP/v_2FlM6O/_2BlcCrT/SyID1I/b12/

                                     

This scene is shot in mid-daylight when the sun is going down with enough light that the image is not over-exposed or looks too blown out. The entire vista shot is lit up with a high-key light on all sides, forming a balanced scene.

                                       

This is another scene from the trailer whereby a low key light has been used with lights coming in from the windows showing the placement of light at a high angle from that of the subject. We can say that it is a low key light as it has tones of grey. As is evident, the subjects are lit up from the faces while the light tones down as the subject is left bereft of light from below. The lights used signify a high key side light with shadows forming on part of the faces.  

                                        

This is a side light whereby shadows are forming on the other side of the scene. The light is placed on a high angle as the light tones down from the lower right of the image as compared to the higher left, too. The side  light has been used on a 45 degree angle, forming a side light.

                                       

This is again a side light with high levels of light on the left. The light is placed on a north-western angle, shadowing part of the old man's body. The light used is a low key light as it shows darker tones of black and tungsten.

This scene is a side light and a black light. We can see that the subjects face is lit on the side while dark shadows cover the other half of his face. In the second scene, a back light or a rim light has been used to outline the contours of the test tube.

This scene shows a low key light being use, showing only a dark shade of grey. As the scene is shot from a high angle, we can see the contours of a city below, however no key light has been used, signifying a gloomy place with little to be excited or happy about.

Working Under Lights

Just like with human eyes, a camera can only capture the images for a movie through light. Whether using available lighting, natural lighting of the surroundings or using professional lighting equipment, every production requires a suitable lighting design according to the needs of the film's story and the director's vision. Every lighting set-up provides a specific mood, emotion and atmosphere to the overall film viewing experience. Without light, it is not possible to see anything, and it is not possible to shoot a film.

Today, we studied lights and how they effect our images in terms of setting, the mood and the atmosphere. For example, a low lighting would create a gloomy atmosphere, while a bright image would lead to the anticipation of a good news. 

In cinematography, we were taught about the 3-point set-up whereby we need three lights to create a good balance between the lights on the subject. This set-up deals with the key light that is the main source of lighting a subject, a back light which is used to light up the contours of our subject and a fill light that is used to scatter or balance the key light on our subject in such a way that all the shadows are filled in with a warm light. 

Key Lights:-

The placement of lights when producing a key light is ideally at an angle of 45 degrees from the subject and at eye-level. Had the lights been placed at a higher angle than that pf the subject, it would have caused shadows on the subjects face, leading to the impact of dark circles under the eyes, wrinkles on the face as all the details are exaggerated in this placement, however, this placement would work best if one wants to give an old, tired look to the subject. Key light is basically of two types, depending on the sort of environment we want to create for our subject. 

High Key Light:

A high key light deals with an overall bright image with no contrast levels whereby the subject is lit up on all sides and evenly through the image, leading to the formation of a balanced image. A basic drawback of a high key light is the exposure compensation of our cameras so as to ensure that the correct exposure is formed. A high key image usually depicts a happy, joyful environment or individual.

Low Key Light:

A low key light deal with an overall dark image with black as the controlling colour. A low key image has high contrast levels and it is usually based on a silhouetted image whereby the placement of lights leads to the flaring of the image around the contours of the subject alone. A rim light may be an example of a low-key image. A low key light usually depicts a gloomy and sad environment and gives a depressing feel to the mood of the film.

                        

Back Light:-

Back lighting, also known as Rim Light, refers to the process of illuminating the subject from the back. In other words, the lighting instrument and the viewer are facing towards each other, with the subject in between. This causes the edges of the subject to glow, while the other areas remain darker. Back lighting helps to provide separation between the subject and its background. A fill flash may be used with a back lit subject to yield more even lighting.

The vertical angle of the back light can change the effect. A low angle could cause the light to hit the camera lens, causing a lens flare. A high angle could cause the nose of the subject to extend out from the mostly-vertical shadow of the head, producing a potentially unwanted highlight in the middle of the face.

Following is my experiment with the back light.

                                         

                                      

Fill Light:-

In television, film, stage, or photographic lighting, a fill light is used to fill the shadows created by the key so that the image doesn't look so dark. The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key. To achieve this, you could move the light further away or use any light-scattering medium such as a diffuser or a reflector. These devices redirect or alter the amount and direction of existing light. Disc or oval-shaped reflectors and diffusers are available  in several different sizes. Portable, they collapse and fold so you can store and carry them in handy carry cases.

Diffuser:-
 In our school premises, we have limited availability of studio lights due to which our ability of achieving a balanced light image with correct exposure. Due to these constrains, we  either have natural daylight to work with or the artificial lights of over-exposure. To overcome this limitations, we can use a diffuser which is a light-scattering medium such as a piece of thin fibre, placed in the path of a source of light to reduce the sharpness of shadows in order to soften the lighting.

Without Diffuser

With Diffuser

Reflectors:-
Reflectors in photography are simply any item used to reflect light towards your subject. Reflectors are either placed on a stand or other support, or held by an assistant to direct light onto a subject. Reflectors are generally held at an equal angle from the light source and the subject. Reflectors, which are available in white, gold and silver surfaces, bounce light onto a subject to fill in shadows and can add highlights and contrast to a subject.
Gold reflectors bounce a “warmer” light onto a subject, giving the subject the appearance of being photographed in the late afternoon or early morning.
Silver reflectors bounce a “cooler” light onto a subject giving a more intense or harsher feeling.
White reflector is used to bounce your key light to 'fill' in shadows on the opposite side, or to bounce a little light anywhere where you want to throw a little light to lift the shadow or add a small highlight. It's obviously not as powerful as a separate fill light.
Black reflector is used to stop light spill or by helping in stopping it from bouncing around all over the place, or sometimes may be used as a 'flag' to stop light from, say like, spilling backwards onto the subject.

Following is my experience with a diffuser and a white reflector.

   Without White Reflector

With White Reflector                                                           

Media Trip to Paragon Academy of Performing Arts

We went to the Paragon Academy of Performing Arts (PAPA) where we met Syed Noor, a legendary director in Pakistan. 

                                                                     

                                                     

He gave us an introductory lesson on camera works, lights, setting, backdrops and the proper location for shooting when making a movie. We discussed professional lights and how these solar powered lights help when shooting outdoors.

He showed us a professional movie making camera and told us about various lens size and how these lens help produce the required focus and the desired impact.

He showed us the sets of 'Shrika' and we asked him about breakable sets and wondered over how they were constructed out of wood. 

He was very helpful in terms of ending many of our problems with relevance to camera shots and lighting. We discussed various camera movements and about the props and the artificial rains.

He promised us future help with equipment when we constructed our own media products and offered to give us tutorials on cameras and lights to assist our final product.

We wanted to see a professional editing and buffing room, therefore, he gave us a tour of the two rooms whereby specialists were already at work on a particular movie, editting and smoothing it down.

Continuity Shots (Cinematography Revisited)

Continuity Shots refer to shots that are taken after a film is completed to insert wherever they are required to maintain continuity. It may be a bridging shot taken from the stock library or a shot inserted in the script afterwards.
There are various types of continuity shots, some of which we studied in our media class to be able to use in our own constructions. Following are:
Establishing Shot is usually a vista shot that covers vast area to show the location of the media product and it usually establishes an overview for better understanding of the shot that follows.Also, it sometimes establishes when a scene takes place. For example an establishing shot in the night may signify a threat or a tragedy to follow.

180 Degree Rule is a camera shot whereby two characters facing each other are shot in such a way that the camera is placed on the same side of the axis throughout the scene. If A is talking to B,the camera is placed on the left shoulder of A, and when B is talking to A, the camera is placed on B's right shoulder so that the same side of the line of axis is maintained.

30 Degree Rule is a camera shot whereby the camera captures the same subject from various positions of 30 degrees.
Cross-Cutting is a camera editing technique whereby two activities occurring simultaneously in two different locations precede one another in order to signify parallel action occurring at the same time.

Match on Action/ Match Cut occurs whereby two shots, when put together, complete an action. For example the first shot captures a race whereby many boys are running while the second shot shows one of the boys winning the race while the rest follow.
Eye-Line Match occurs whereby the first shot establishes a character's position while the following shot establishes the character's action.

 

Axial Cut is an editing  technique whereby the second shot captures the object or character from a farther or a closer point of view than the original one.
Point Of View Shot is one that captures another character or object from a character's own point of view and not of the camera.
Cut Away is a camera editing technique whereby an extra shot, not necessarily of significance to the main action in the film, is inserted in order to prolong the time sequence of the shot.
Buffer Shot are shots that are taken in post-production if a particular shot was not shot perfectly, initially. It is used to disguise any mistake in the film.
L-Cut shots are shots that are synchronized perfectly, however, their transitions are not very well-synced. This may be done deliberately in order to attract the audience more towards the content of the speech rather than the visuals.
Fast Cutting is an editing technique whereby the shot is very fast-paced and usually signifies an action or hyper activity.

Slow Cutting is any shot that  is longer than fifteen seconds. It is usually very slow paced and signifies the ease of the character in whatever action he is performing.

 

                                     

Transitions: Transitions are basically the various techniques in which a certain shot changes to another shot. For example to show a flashback, one might have to use a transition to give the impact of a change in the time sequence.