Film Studies: Mise-en-Scène, Cinematography, and Editing

Mise-en-scène

"Putting into the scene"; it refers to everything that appears in the film frame, including setting, lighting, costume and makeup, and staging/performance.

Four general areas of mise-en-scène

Setting, costume and makeup, lighting, and staging (includes acting and movement).

Props in film storytelling

Props can generate comedy, become motifs, or provide narrative information about characters.

Lighting influence on mise-en-scène

It shapes objects with highlights and shadows, affects the mood, and guides audience focus.

Three-point lighting

A setup using a key light (main source), fill light (softens shadows), and back light (separates subject from background).

High-key vs low-key lighting

High-key uses even illumination and minimal shadows for a soft look, while low-key emphasizes contrast and shadows for drama and tension.

Costume and makeup in mise-en-scène

They reflect character traits, support themes, and sometimes act as motifs; makeup can highlight expressions or transform actors.

Color in setting and costume

It can evoke emotion, serve as a motif, or indicate themes (e.g., red = passion or danger, yellow = joy or imagination).

Role of staging and performance

It includes the movement and expression of actors and objects, shaping how a scene is perceived emotionally and visually.

Extreme close-up (ECU)

To focus attention on a tiny detail, often for emphasis, symbolism, or foreshadowing.

Medium shot (MS)

Characters from the waist up; balances facial expressions and body language.

Rule of thirds

A compositional guideline that places points of interest along a 3x3 grid to create pleasing visuals.

Focal length vs depth of field

Focal length affects the size/proportion of the subject; depth of field determines what's in sharp focus.

Long take

A shot that remains on screen for an extended duration without cuts.

Rack focus

Shifting focus from one subject to another within the same shot to guide attention.

Four primary functions of editing

Graphic relations, rhythmic relations, spatial relations, temporal relations.

Continuity editing

A style of editing that ensures spatial and temporal consistency, often following the 180° rule.

Match on action cut

A cut that carries over a single movement between shots to maintain visual continuity.

Elliptical editing

Editing that omits parts of an action, making screen time shorter than story time.

Montage sequence

A series of shots edited together to condense time and convey information quickly.

Overlapping editing

Repeating part of an action across cuts to prolong a moment on screen.

Four types of film sound

Vocal (dialogue/narration), environmental (ambient/sound effects/Foley), music, and silence.

Diegetic sound

Sound that originates within the film's world and is heard by characters.

Asynchronous sound

Sound that doesn't match what's happening visually at that moment (on purpose or not).

Sound fidelity

The degree to which a sound is faithful to its source.

Foley sounds

Custom-recorded sounds that sync with onscreen actions, like footsteps or rustling.

Functions of film sound

Creating awareness, expectations, rhythm, characterization, continuity, and emphasis.

Semantic/syntactic approach to genre

Semantic = surface elements (characters, settings); Syntactic = deeper structure/conflicts.

Determinate space genre vs. indeterminate space genre

Determinate: location is central (e.g. westerns); Indeterminate: location is flexible (e.g. rom-coms).

Rites of Order vs. Rites of Integration

Order = hero restores external order (e.g. westerns); Integration = internal resolution, social harmony (e.g. musicals).

Classical Hollywood musical

Song/dance numbers integrated into the narrative, often to express emotion or advance plot.

Utopia in the musical genre

Musicals express harmony, community, and emotional fullness through performance.

Genre cycle

A group of films with similar conventions released over a short period, often sparked by a hit.

Four stages of genre evolution (Schatz)

Experimental, Classical, Refinement, Baroque/Self-Reflexive.

Genre hybridity

The blending of conventions from two or more genres to create a new, hybrid form.

Difference between a cycle and a cluster

Cycle = clear trends; Cluster = loosely related films without a dominant model.

Ritual vs. ideological views of genre

Ritual: genres resolve social anxieties; Ideological: genres reinforce dominant social values.

Horror musical

A hybrid that combines musical elements (song/dance) with horror conventions (monsters, fear, spectacle).

Fusion and fission in horror characters

Fusion = one being with conflicting traits (e.g. Dracula); Fission = one splits into multiple identities (e.g. werewolves).

Significance of visual excess in horror musicals

Both genres rely on spectacle and heightened visuals, often leading to parody or camp.

Four stages of horror narrative plotting (Discovery arc)

Onset, Discovery, Confirmation, Confrontation.

Horror reflects societal anxieties

Through shifting definitions of 'normalcy' and monsters that embody cultural fears (e.g., suburbia hiding threats).

Intertextuality

The idea that texts are understood in relation to other texts; meaning is created across connections.

Horizontal vs. vertical intertextuality

Horizontal: links between similar texts (e.g., genre); Vertical: links with external media (e.g., press, fan work).

Polysemy

The concept that media texts can have multiple meanings depending on audience interpretation.

Transmedia storytelling

A narrative dispersed across multiple media platforms, each contributing uniquely to the story world.

Difference between transmedia and traditional storytelling

It invites active participation and expands the narrative world across formats like games, TV, and social media.