Mise-en-scene: How meaning is made on the screen
Philosophy and film do not mix. This is the impression one has when one sounds out the literature in both fields. Therefore it is with some surprise that one reads that Ludwig Wittgenstein, the renowned Austrian philosopher, was an avid viewer of cowboy movies (Carver, 1995). However, even Wittgenstein did not say anything substantial about the relationship between film and meaning, a relationship which is critical to the understanding not only of film but also of meaning constitution itself and its relevant theories (Ruthrof, 2002).To make light of meaning on screen, this essay shall consider how screen mediated meaning is achieved through 'mise-en scene' on film and/or television. 'Mise-en-scene' is sometimes used as a straight-forward descriptive term but it is actually a concept, which is complicated, yet central to a developed understanding of film. This term is used in film studies in the discussion of visual style (Gibbs, 2002). It is historically to do with directing plays and later became to do with film to express how the material in the frame is directed (imperica.com, 2002). To put it simply, it means staging an action. It refers to the decor, props, costumes
Mogel. 2000. Mise-en-scene & Casting. http://www.dumbassandthefag.com. Accessed 17 Aug 2002. There is potential complexity that the smallest performance decision can generate. An example is the performance of Martin Landau as Leonard in North by Northwest (by Alfred Hitchcock in 1959). Roger Thornhill (played by Grant Cary) has just found out that the woman he has fallen in love with, Eve Kendall (played by Eve Maria Saint), is trying to kill him. Simultaneously, Roger's behaviour is starting to hint to Phillip Vandamm (played by James Mason) that eve is more involved with Roger than he had thought. Meanwhile, Eve is frantically trying to disguise her emotions. Leonard is situated a little away from the others, half facing the confrontation between Phillip , his superior, and Roger which takes place over the seated Eve. The shot in question is a medium close-up of Leonard, lasting for about two seconds, which disrupts the pattern of reverse field cutting between shots favouring Phillip and those favouring Roger.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Kieslowski's Red, Judge Valentine, Colours Red, Planetarium Wilson, Cary Grant, Mulwray Jake's, Orsen Welles, Martin Landau's, Breath Life, gibbs 2002, aug 2002, colour red, judge valentine, lee 1999, bubble gum advertisement, gum advertisement, bubble gum, mogel 2000, film meaning, main characters, according gibbs 2002, 18 aug 2002, colour red props, main male characters,
Approximate Word count = 3023
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
