In today’s class, we explored the concept of mise-en-scène, which is all about how everything is visually arranged within a scene—kind of like the overall design or look of each shot. This includes things like the set, where actors are placed, lighting, costume, and even their body language. I learned that these elements don’t just make the scene look good—they actually help tell the story and influence how the audience feels at certain moments.
Each part of the mise-en-scène can add meaning or emotion to a scene. For example, a certain lighting setup or the way a prop is placed can say a lot without any dialogue. Small details like a character’s posture, hairstyle, or color of their clothing can help us understand their personality or mood, even before they speak.
We also went through different types of shot sizes, which are really important for storytelling:
- Extreme Wide Shot – Used to show large spaces or landscapes, often to set the scene. The character is either tiny or not visible.
- Wide Shot – Shows the full body of a character and their surroundings. It’s good for understanding the environment while keeping focus on the person.
- Medium Shot – Frames the character from the waist up. It’s a balance between showing expression and context, and is often used in conversations.
- Medium Close-Up – From the chest or shoulders upward. You can see more of the face and emotions clearly while still catching some body language.
- Close-Up – Focuses tightly on the face or a particular object to show emotion or highlight something important.
- Extreme Close-Up – Zooms in on very small details like an eye or a clock hand. This is usually done for dramatic effect or to create tension.
We also touched on Previs (previsualization) and Postvis (postvisualization). Previs is the stage where scenes are planned out visually before filming begins. This helps directors and DOPs figure out camera angles and movements early on. Postvis, on the other hand, happens after filming. It’s used during editing to insert rough effects and visuals so the scene can be reviewed before spending time and money on the final visual effects.
Overall, this session helped me better understand how every visual choice in film contributes to the overall storytelling. I’m starting to look at scenes in movies with a more critical eye now, noticing the intention behind how things are framed and designed.