FIlmmaking theory
So, ready to learn the in's and out's of what makes a great film? If not then your in the wrong place! In the theory section we are going to focus on the one key feature that all amazing films have in common - the Mise en Scene.
Something to keep in mind:
This level of theory is very detailed and is used as part of our Year 11 and Year 12 Film & Visual Effects classes on the senior campus - so what we are trying to say is don't worry if it doesn't all make sense - you just need the general idea of what is going on. If something is super confusing or you want to know more, have a chat with any of the media teachers or use the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Roughly translated, Mise en Scene means placing on stage which sounds pretty easy right? In reality though, Mise en Scene is a little more complicated then that. The definition we like to use is that Mise en Scene is thinking about everything that you are putting in front of the camera (actors, props, location, sound) and what that is communicating to the audience - see, a little more complicated.
So to simplify things we break Mise en Scene down into 12 elements (11 and 1/2 really, but you'll see why soon). Some of these have to do with how we use the camera, some of them have to do with how we use the props, actors and location and we even have a couple for sound. To start you off and give you a break from reading - here is a video Mr Almond has put together explaining each of the elements and how we can analyse a scene to see how they are used.
So to simplify things we break Mise en Scene down into 12 elements (11 and 1/2 really, but you'll see why soon). Some of these have to do with how we use the camera, some of them have to do with how we use the props, actors and location and we even have a couple for sound. To start you off and give you a break from reading - here is a video Mr Almond has put together explaining each of the elements and how we can analyse a scene to see how they are used.
Long video right? Well there's lots that goes in to Mise en Scene as you can see!
So what does that all mean? Well when we create our film we want use these elements to help the view to see what we want them to see and feel what we want them to feel. Outlined below are each of the elements and how you could apply them to your film - they reference the image that can be found in the video above:
So what does that all mean? Well when we create our film we want use these elements to help the view to see what we want them to see and feel what we want them to feel. Outlined below are each of the elements and how you could apply them to your film - they reference the image that can be found in the video above:
The Dominant Feature |
Ideally in your film you want the dominant feature to be the main thing you want people to be looking at - most of the time it is your main character, but sometimes you might want to draw the audiences attention to something else. To do this you can make the object bigger than everything else on the screen by bringing it closer to the camera, you can change the colour of it (or the actors costume) so that it stands out against the background, or finally you can put the object or actor in focus.
You want to make sure that the thing you are trying to show off is always the dominant feature in your shots. In all the examples below you can see these three features being used. |
The Lighting Key |
The lighting key helps to set the mood of your shots. Low Key Lighting is usually used to help build suspense, there are shadows that bad things can be hiding in. Consider filming indoors or on overcast/cloudy days to help create more shadows.
High Key Lighting is the opposite, if you are making a more up-beat, 'happy' film then you probably want to eliminate these shadows. Consider filming outdoors on bright sunny days out in the open. High Contrast Lighting is a combination of the two and is difficult to capture well - our suggestion would be to avoid this style of lighting or make sure your talk to a teacher first. |
Shot Angle & Proximity |
The shot, angle and proximity all can tell us something about the character or object being viewed. The basic rule is, the higher the camera the more insignificant the object, the lower the camera the more powerful.
This is also true of the proximity - if the camera is really close to the object it is going to make it seem more powerful (and also make it more dominant on the screen) - the further away, the less powerful and less dominant. What are you trying to communicate to your audience? Is this a powerful character? Then use a lower angle shot - it doesn't need to be a low as our example! |
Colour Values |
In almost every scene within a film there is a dominant colour or shade of colours. These colours make up the majority of what you see and in most cases are part of the background. Almost always the dominant feature of the scene will be dressed in a subsidiary colour to help them to contrast with the background - keep this in mind for your film.
Colours carry subconscious meaning for humans, blue is a colour of trust - which is why the police uniform is blue. Dressing your characters or choosing locations with specific colours can help you to communicate with your audience on a subconscious level. A full list of colours and meanings can be found here. |
Dominant Colour: The dominant colour(s) in this scene are the black and whites of the background -
not the red dress. |
Subsidiary Colour: The green of the lead actress's dress is in direct contrast to the dominant reds in the background.
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Colour Symbolism: The dark purple of the actors coat symbolises gloom and sad feelings and can cause to frustration.
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Subsidiary Features |
The subsidiary features of a scene are usually the key things that are happening around the dominant feature. These are usually other actors, extras or other major objects, set items or props in the scene.
Whilst most of the focus will be on the dominant feature - it is important to keep an eye on subsidiary features - normally this is where you will get continuity errors (an actor picks up a coffee cup with their left hand, the next shot it's in their right - as an example, see the video below). Keep an eye out for these issues during your filming. |
Screen Density |
Screen density is all about how much you have packed on to the screen. The more dense a scene is, sometimes the harder it is to work out what or who the dominant feature is. The less dense the clearer the picture becomes - think Where's Wally.
Density isn't linked just to actors - a cluttered background can make life just as difficult as having too many people in shot. Ideally you want to find a balance on the screen so that the scene is visually interesting, but not so packed its difficult to work out what is going on. |
Highly Detailed: There is way to much information here - there is no way of knowing who or what the dominant feature is.
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Stark: There is only a limited amount of information we can gather from this shot - which makes it difficult
to follow the story-line. |
Moderate: This shot is detailed enough so we can tell what is going on, but not too detailed that we lose the story. This should be a focus of your film.
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Composition |
Composition focuses on the way the lines in your scenes translate in to the 2 dimensions of a screen (unless you are filming in 3D - which is unlikely!). Each style can
subconsciously suggest a feeling to the audience, if you are trying to make the audience feel uneasy try tilting the camera and using diagonal composition - if you want them to feel calm try looking for horizontal lines in your location. Remember that everything you film and edit together will be talking to the audience so you need to keep these things in mind. |
Horizontal: This shot is calm and peaceful to the audience helping them to relax, you could use this to catch them off guard!
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Vertical: This shot is also at rest, but evokes a feeling of strength to the audience.
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Diagonal: The lines in this shot are at angles with each other which can convey tension or anxiety.
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Depth of Field |
Depth of field is very difficult to capture on a point and shoot camera or mobile phone, ideally you need a DSLR to be able to control the focal depth.
Depth of Focus relates to how much of the shot you have in focus - the less the is in focus (or only one object/actor is in focus) the easier it is for the audience to identify the dominant feature - the more in focus the shot, the harder. See the examples below: |
Deep Focus: Everything in this shot is in focus which means that the audience will be looking at each of the characters in the scene - making it hard to identify the dominant feature.
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Shallow Focus: The woman in the background is out of focus, meaning that there is less detail for us to identify, giving us more time to study the male who is in focus.
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Character Placement |
Where you choose to place your characters on the screen can also communicate with the audience.
Generally the dominant feature is towards the centre of the screen (or on one of the thirds), putting a character outside of this area, to the sides tends to cause the audience to think they aren't important to what is going on. In the same way as high and low camera angles, putting a character at the top of the screen can show power and strength, where as putting them at the bottom of the screen tends to imply vulnerability. |
Bottom: Whilst the character is towards the middle, the camera angle has him looking up, implying vulnerability.
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Rule of Thirds: This example shows the placement of the tree on the right-hand third of the screen.
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Side: The characters on the outside edges of the screen are not important to the shot.
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Shot Framing |
Shot Framing is closely link to shot angle and proximity.
Tight framing forces your characters to stay in a confined space on the screen leading to a claustrophobic feeling and can help to build tension. These tend to be closeups. Loose framing allows your characters space to move around the screen giving a sense of freedom and openness. |
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Shot TypesWhat really differentiates movies from plays is the way filmmakers manipulate the audience’s field of view. In theater, the audience is in a “wide shot,” always looking at the entire stage and all the actors on it. They are free to look wherever they want. In cinema, however, the filmmaker directs what the public sees and how. While a long shot can show a vast vista of Mount Everest, an extreme close-up can show the silent despair of a child learning that his mother has passed away. These different shots make up the fabric of visual storytelling.
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Camera MovementsA camera exists in a three-dimensional world and can move anywhere along the XYZ axis. This means it can move up, down, left, right, as well as forward and backward. So that the director and camera operator can effectively communicate, there are names for each of these moves.
This means the director can give a series of verbal instructions, and the camera operator knows exactly what to do without anybody having to get out and draw diagrams. These names will also appear in your storyboard |
So you survived the theory component of film making... well done! Now that you have this knowledge, unfortunately movies will never been the same. You will find yourself watching and looking for each of these elements and understanding why the camera was moved in that particular direction, why the shot was framed in that way, why the characters are wearing specific colours. So I apologise for that!
That being said, if you find yourself watching films and becoming more and more interested in the theory, skills and ideas behind film making - you should consider taking up any of our media subjects offered at school. If you have any questions, please fill in the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Next step is the more fun side of filmmaking - the skill development - click on the button below to head to that section of our website or head back to the top of this page.
That being said, if you find yourself watching films and becoming more and more interested in the theory, skills and ideas behind film making - you should consider taking up any of our media subjects offered at school. If you have any questions, please fill in the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Next step is the more fun side of filmmaking - the skill development - click on the button below to head to that section of our website or head back to the top of this page.