Research: Mise en scene - Setting and Iconography

Setting

What is setting?

Setting is when and where a film takes place. The setting of film is important because it sets the atmosphere and will help make the audience clear of the theme; aswell as organising events and keeping a clear time structure thoughout, allowing them to follow a clear narrative.

Different types of films are likely to have different types of settings. The setting is determind by the theme, genre and sub-genre that the film has to follow. It is important that the setting is appropiate for the sub-genre of the film as one setting may sutible for one sub-genre of a thriller and not another sub-genre of a thriller.

Typical thriller settings:

• Woods/Forest - These areas tend to be very isolated and there is no clear exit. It is full of shadows and has low key lighting which creates an airy atmosphere. This helps create the emotion of fear into the audience. This is often used in supernatural thrillers and Mystery thrillers.

 

• Warehouse - This is normally maze like and gives the idea of the victim/protagonist being trapped. This creates anxiety amoungst the audience as the victim/protagonist fights their way through the warehouse looking for a way out. This often used in psychological thrillers and action thrillers.

• Large house - This image is taken from 'Scream'. A large house makes the audience feel slight discomfort as a home is considered to be some where safe and is used as an unsafe trapped environment int thriller films. This is often used in supernatural thrillers, religious thrillers and slasher thrillers.

• Deserted land - This is taken from 'The happening'. Deserted land is often used in science fiction thrillers involving UFO and alien invasions. This setting is used to make the audience feel sympathy towards the victim who is isolated and far from society and any form of help.

Iconography

 

 

What is iconography?

 

Iconography is any object that causes significance to a scene. Iconography can be used to give the audience clues about what may or may not happen in the film. An example is in the scream opening a young girl is fiddling with a knife, this then ends up being the same knife she is killed with.

 

 

Typical thriller iconography:

• Weapons, Knives, guns, axes, saws, ect - Used by the antagonist to harm or threaten the victim or used by the protagonist as defense. The type of weapon can be determind by the the type of theme and sub-genre the film falls under.
   
• Blood - This is used is most types of thrillers, from action thrillers, to slasher films. This is used to make the audience see the scene as more realistic and really start to believe the storyline more for the duration of the film.

• Phone - This is often used in thrillers when the victim tries to call for help and for some reason cannot get through to anyone. This makes the feel sympathy for the victim as they feel there is little hope for them.