Elements of Design
During the process of envisioning and designing a film, the director, production designer, and art director (in collaboration with the cinematographer) are concerned with several major spatial and temporal elements. These design elements punctuate and underscore the movement of figures within the frame: setting, lighting; and costume, makeup and hairstyle. Choose a scene from movieclips.com and in a three to five page paper (excluding the APA title and reference page) analyze the mise-en-scène.
Respond to the following prompts:
Identify the artists who were involved the production: the director, the production designer, and the art director. What are their roles in the overall design process? This might require additional research...
Explain how lighting is used in the scene. How does the lighting effect our reaction to, or our understanding of certain characters? What sort of mood does the lighting evoke? What is the effect of this on the story the filmmaker is attempting to tell?
Describe the setting. What does this setting add to the film's story? How does it inform our understanding of the characters? How does this setting reflect or add to the film's overall mood?
What can costuming tell us about a character? In what ways can costuming be used to reflect elements of the film's plot?
How can hairstyle and makeup help tell the story? What might hairstyle and makeup reveal about the characters?
What is your opinion regarding the mise-en-scène? Do the elements appear to work together in a harmonious way? Does the scene seem discordant? Do you think the design elements are congruent with the filmmaker's vision for the scene?