Understanding Mise-en-scene & Mise-en-shot

Difference between mise-en-scene and mise-en-shot

• Mise-en-scene is ‘what’ we see• Mise-en-shot is ‘how’ we see it• Many critics and academics now use mise-en-

scene as the standard when referring to both concepts and subsequently are dropping the term mise-en-shot.

• Understanding these two concepts profoundly improves the film watching experience. (fast food vs. five star restaurant) – What we are experiencing?– Why are we experiencing it?

Mise-en-scene components

• Set design, costumes and props

– What does it tell us about a character? When does it need to shown? When does it not need to be shown?

Back to the Future (Zemmicks, 1985)

1985 Hill Valley (Back to the FutureZemmicks, 1985)

1955 Hill Valley (Back to the Future Zemmicks, 1985)

Mise-en-scene components

• Set design and props

• Lighting

Back to the Future (Zemmicks, 1985)

Mise-en-scene components

• Set design and props

• Lighting

• Character movement (blocking)

Mise-en-shot components

• Camera position/angle and camera movement

Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, 1994)

Mise-en-shot components

• Camera position/angle and camera movement

• Shot scale

Shot Scale Example

Mise-en-shot components

• Camera position and camera movement

• Shot scale

• The duration of a single shot

• The pace of editing

Dance Scene from Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, 1994)

Goodfellas (Scorsese, 1990)

• Rise and fall of mid 20th century American mafia figures

• Widely regarded as one Scorsese’s best films and one of the best movies of the last thirty years

• Scorses, a true auteur, relies heavily on mise-en-shot techniques to tell his story

• Pay close attention to camera work (mise-en-shotand its effects) as well as the costumes, set design and soundtracks (mise-en-shot and its effects)

Assigments

• Provide one example mise-en-shot and one example of mise-en-shot from Goodfellas. Make that each example contains an analysis on the effect of Scorsese’s use of mise-en-shot and mise-en-scene.

• This is a two paragraph assignment. Remember to write concisely. (Three to five sentences per paragraph)