Research: Mise en scene: Lighting and colour

Mise en scene: Lighting and colour

What is mise en scene?

 

Mise en scene is a term used to describe the characteristics that are used to set a film and tell a story. There are five elements within mise en scene consists of lighting, setting, costume, body language and facial expression and iconography. 

 

Lighting 

 Lighting helps to illustrate mood and atmosphere within a film. Lighting can also be used to achieve a variety of effects such as highlighting important characters or objects, making characters appear mysterious by shading sections of their face and body, reflecting a character's mental state/hidden emotions and much more.

 

Types of lighting 

 Low-key lighting

 

 Low-key lighting is a type of lighting which is created by the usage of only the key and back lights. Low-key lighting produces sharp contrasts of light and dark areas. When low-key lighting is used, deep and distinct shadows/silhouettes are formed due to this. In a thriller, low-key lighting builds up tension and makes the audience aware that something big may be about to take place such as the protagonist/victim being attacked.

 

 

High-key lighting

High-key lighting is when more filler lights are used, making lighting appear more natural and realistic to our eyes. High-key lighting produces brightly lit sets. High-key lighting can enable the audience to identify main characters such as antagonists/protagonists.

 



Natural lighting 

Natural light is when no lighting has been added and what you see is what you expect to see. In thriller movies, natural light often comes from sources such as fire.

Under lighting

When light comes from below the person. This type of light tends to have disorting effect on character.



 

Top lighting

Lighting comes from above, highlighting the key features of a character. Top lighting often creates a glamorous look in a character.

Back lighting

When the light source is behind the person. If minimal or no light is used, silhouettes.



Low-key lighting is conventional in thriller's to connote mystery and suspense amongst the audience in themes of isolation which shows the character as vulnerable in comparison to the antagonist.