Research Part 4: Mise en scene Codes

In film, setting is the time and place in which the plot takes place. This particular story is set in May 2020 in different locations. The way cross-cutting is used, we know that all the different things involving the different people are happening at the same time. Two of the settings are two different private residences, one is a party, and the other is a science lab.

 

·        Time of day	Afternoon	It was daylight and people were throwing parties, on or-related phone calls, and daytime news.
• Time period	2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.	The date was displayed boldly in one of the first shots. The audience already knew all the different things that happened worldwide during the pandemic, so this foreshadows a possible dramatic thing that may happen because of it.
• Location	Inside homes or workplaces	This shows that this is one of the movies the calmly introduced, or foreshadows where the drama will come from without actually throwing the audience into all of it yet.
• Climate / Season	Spring; it was May	This shows that it was an otherwise ordinary day with nothing special going on to introduce the drama on a fresh slate.
Geography• Landscape or Outdoors / City / Country / Sea / Land /            Desert.		The rest of the plot would be taking place in Europe, which is presumably at least an ocean away from all the characters.
• Culture / People (Moral attitudes/ core beliefs.)	These people were presumably all Americans that believed in the value of friendship/loyalty.	This helps to convey that the drama may arise amongst the friends trying to prove their loyalty or something along those lines.
• Social and Economic status	Upper class	The big houses, labs, and elaborate parties, and expensive clothing/hair/makeup connote that the characters all lead very different lives and have different interests, setting the stage for drama between them.

2.     Set Design

Set design is the physical space where the action takes place. I believe the director/crew used the contrasting set designs to speak to the differences of the characters.

The set design for this movie is very meticulously thought and carried out. In all the different settings the audience are introduced to, they are very complex and telling about the characters in those places.

• In the first picture, audiences can tell that this is the home of a well-organized person. The second picture on the other hand is a well-designed party scene, where the audience sees food, drinks, games, costumes, etc.
• The set design plays a part in giving us impressions about the kinds of people the characters in the story are, and by presenting them as antitheses, or direct opposites of each other, the director creates irony, paving the way for comedy and drama.

3.    Props 

	The invitation box and letter are what start the story by introducing the plot. Just opening the box was a complex process, letting the audience know early on that they should not prepare for a simplistic plot. It builds anticipation because it lets the audience know that there will be a murder and creates more questions than it answers.
	The tablet is open on a game, conveying the comedic aspect of the movie.
	One character uses a hammer and safety googles to open the box, conveying the comedy part if the movie, but also hinting that she did not have the connections the other characters had, signifying that she probably did not know the other people that also got a box, enhancing the drama.

b.     Acting

a)    In film, acting is defined as the performing art where movement, gesture, intonation, etc, are used to bring a fictional character to life. Some of the elements of acting are body language, appearance, actions, role, vocal qualities, facial expressions, and personality.

 

Elements	Definitions	How do the acting elements define meaning from the character and support the film’s genre?
		Document the acting elements of the chosen character.	Indicate the signs and connotations that support the genre.
Appearance	In nonverbal communication, the way someone comes across to the audience; a key feature in the forming of a first impression and visual stereotyping.		The actor’s blazer and serious demeanor connotes that she is a person that takes what she’s doing seriously.
Facial expression	Allow emotion and inner thoughts to be expressed without words by using the face of the actor.		This picture helps coveys the drama genre because it shows that she is conflicted and is trying to process the information that she has just received.
Body Language: Gestures, posture, and body contact.	Communicating using movement or position, including facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body contact by an actor	The actor hits away the hand of her makeup artist when the light comes on.	The way the actor uses touch (hitting the makeup artist out the way) shows that this character cares more about what she’s doing than the way she treats others.
Vocal qualities: Tone of voice, accent, the pace of speech.	The component of speech that gives primary distinction to a speaker’s voice, excluding pitch and loudness.	The actor changes their accent to match that of another character rather than herself. Her voice also gets more breather and she starts talking faster.	The way she deviates from her usual vocal qualities help to convey the fact that she is mocking someone, enhancing the comedic quality of the scene.
Personality
Role	One of the character that the actor plays in a film.		This picture shows connotes that the actor is playing a more chaotic character, making the audience anticipate the comedy or drama that might stem from this character.
Actions	What an actor does to achieve an objective while playing a character.	The character uses his eyes to help him solve an optical illusion.	This helps convey that this character is the smart one of the group, further establishing the differences between the characters supporting the drama.

 

c.     Costume is the clothing and accessories for the characters in a film. Hair and makeup are used to help convey the personality of a character.

Images	Document visual signs by observing the time period, character’s station (social standing), sense of place, color, tone, style, etc.)	What does the costume indicate about the character, setting, and purpose of the story?
Hair and makeup	Subtle and calm, yet professional	The hair and makeup indicate the character is professional, and probably closer to middle aged.
Costume	Governor suit, Scientist suit, Party outfit,	The scientist's coat reveals who he is. The governor's suit is letting the audience see her job.

 

c. Color

a)  Color is one of the elements of a film that tells a story by defining a character or creating a reaction by the audience.

b)    

Codes	Meaning
setting	the place or type of surroundings where something is positioned or where an event takes place.
lighting	equipment in a home, workplace, studio, theater, or street for producing light.
The set design (décor and props)	Primarily used to describe theater productions, it constitutes all the scenery, furniture, props, appearance, and overall look of the stage.
Costume, makeup, and hair	Costume and makeup is an interpretative tool in drama that enhances, describe the actor's appearance during a performance.
Character	a person in a novel, play, or movie.