Mise-en –scene
Mise-en-scene means ‘setting the film’ in French. This describes the set and location of the Film.
Mise-en-scene went against the normal locations of crime movies as the storylines started being created in everyday locations instead of just happening in the ‘wrong end’ of town.
The costume of the character helps describe the character to the viewer, it can tell you about the characters job, lifestyle and class, for example if the character had a long dark coat on then he would probably work as a detective or something like that. Also this can help to tell you what genre the film is, so if the character was wearing a long dark coat then you would assume that the film had some thing to do with detectives so crime.
Also it is normally filmed in a dark street or dark setting so had low lighting, with high contrast; black and white. Sometimes it would be filmed in the rain or with damp streets.
Mise-en-scene went against the normal locations of crime movies as the storylines started being created in everyday locations instead of just happening in the ‘wrong end’ of town.
The costume of the character helps describe the character to the viewer, it can tell you about the characters job, lifestyle and class, for example if the character had a long dark coat on then he would probably work as a detective or something like that. Also this can help to tell you what genre the film is, so if the character was wearing a long dark coat then you would assume that the film had some thing to do with detectives so crime.
Also it is normally filmed in a dark street or dark setting so had low lighting, with high contrast; black and white. Sometimes it would be filmed in the rain or with damp streets.
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| Dark damp streets |
Cinematography
Cinematography is the camera shots and movements, what the filmmaker decides to include in each shot.
The camera movement and camera angle is very important in this, these can make you think different things about the character as you see them in different light. In Film Noir the cinematography usually had some distortion in it, and is very uncomfortable for the view to look at, which makes the view think more as they feel at awkward. So they often use low and high angles, extreme close-ups, and Dutch tilts as well as a few other camera shots.
The camera movement and camera angle is very important in this, these can make you think different things about the character as you see them in different light. In Film Noir the cinematography usually had some distortion in it, and is very uncomfortable for the view to look at, which makes the view think more as they feel at awkward. So they often use low and high angles, extreme close-ups, and Dutch tilts as well as a few other camera shots.
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| Extreme close-up |
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| Dutch tilt |
Sound
The sound in Film Noir usually complemented what was happening, for example if a ‘bad guy’ was to enter the room then you would hear faster, louder music.
There are different types of sound in film; Music, Sound effects, Ambient sound i.e. background sound, and voice-overs. These are all used to create different affect, and some are usually used in some genres more that others.
Some sounds that is used a lot in Film Noir are; Downbeat music, heavy breathing, sudden noises, silence, voice over and everyday sound affects, these all help to create the scene in the film.
There are different types of sound in film; Music, Sound effects, Ambient sound i.e. background sound, and voice-overs. These are all used to create different affect, and some are usually used in some genres more that others.
Some sounds that is used a lot in Film Noir are; Downbeat music, heavy breathing, sudden noises, silence, voice over and everyday sound affects, these all help to create the scene in the film.
Editing
Editing is the last thing that you do when making a film. This is where you pick the best shots that you have and put them together in a sequence, so you would cut from one shot to another and cut out all the unwanted shots and ones that are not needed, then you would add the sound effects and any other affects, you would then have your completed movie.
Film Noir is often told non-linear; this is where the story is told from the end and in flashbacks which means that it would use jump cuts, so where is jumps from one scene to another. As Film Noirs were made cheaply, as they were made as a ‘B’ movie, they would often shot in the daytime but use it as night time using filters, which were cheap, but a good affect.
Film Noir is often told non-linear; this is where the story is told from the end and in flashbacks which means that it would use jump cuts, so where is jumps from one scene to another. As Film Noirs were made cheaply, as they were made as a ‘B’ movie, they would often shot in the daytime but use it as night time using filters, which were cheap, but a good affect.
Narrative/Storylines
In Film Noir the storylines are about crime. Film Noirs usually have a detective, which gets into some kind of trouble, the hero and the femme fetale who normally causes or gets caught up in the trouble. Film Noirs are very dark and depressing and a lot of the time is filmed in dark damp streets.
Characters
The main Characters in Film Noir are; the detective, the hero, and the femme fetale. The detective usually gets caught up in the trouble by trying to help the femme fatale. The femme fetale is usually a beautiful woman, who is cruel and dishonest, but attracts men, she is willing to do anything to get what she wants.
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| Femme fetale |
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| Detective |
Ideology
Film Noirs are about Good Verses Evil, for example East Verses West. There are things that Film Noirs try to tell you, a lot of the time people make the wrong decisions even though they know what the right one is, and it’s obvious it will turn out bad in the end, and the viewer knows this.
