Wednesday 12 November 2014

Mise en Scene - 8 areas (American Beauty)



Colour
Everything seems to be focused on the red roses in front of the girl in the middle. Most of the colour is simple which could suggest that the family is quite boring and plain. It is a very old fashioned table and the dining room in general is very retro. This shows that the family could be living in the past.

Costume
Their clothing is very smart and they have clearly dressed knowing that they will be eating at the dinner table. The two adults are wearing very plain coloured clothing and the girl is wearing red and also has the red flowers in front of her. This could indicate that she is possibly dangerous and rebellious compared to her parents.

Lighting
The candles are surrounding the girl which focuses the attention on her and can demonstrate that she is being selfish. The lighting highlights the colour red which represents danger.

Body Language/Posture
The Dad is sitting on the edge of his chair and he is clenching his fists which could suggest that he is angry or frustrated at the girl. He is facing her direction and it looks like he is the one talking so this could show that he is telling her off. The woman looks very agitated and scared. She has her hands out in front of her and looks as if she doesn't really know what to do with herself. In my opinion this shows that the Dad and the daughter are having an argument and the mother is in an awkward situation because she is caught in the middle. The girl looks as if she is being sarcastic with her Dad or even as if she isn't paying attention to what he is saying. This portrays the typical teenager who doesn't get along with her family.

Framing
The parents being pushed to the edge of the frame gives the idea that all the attention is on her especially as both parents are looking at her also. This is backed up by the lighting being focused on the girl and all the candles are surrounding her. The only things in the shot are the dining table and people around it which shows that they are trying to keep the scene simple.

Hair and makeup
Hair and makeup is very simple, they seem to be a family that don't try too hard but are very smart and sophisticated at the same time.

Setting and Props
The setting and props are very basic. The dining table and house furniture is very plain and boring which could represent the family. The house looks as if it could be quite old yet big and the vase, lamp and painting along with other things suggest that the family take pride over their possessions.

Facial Expression
The girl's facial expression could suggest that she is being sarcastic or is not happy with what her father is saying. Her father's face looks as if he is quite angry at the girl. As well as his fists being clenched he looks as if he is talking to her in a stern and meaningful way. The woman shows no real facial expression but she does look shocked or scared of the man because of what he might be saying.

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