Film Research Part 5

Research Part 5: Mise en scene Codes 

 

1. Setting 

1. Define setting in film? 

2. Where is the story set? 

3. Describe the setting of the film? 

 

Elements	Denote each element noticed in the film opening.	Indicate connotations that support the genre. How does the setting elements indicate or support the genre and storytelling of the film opening? Provide codes to support your answers.
Time of day	Daytime (but in a dark setting)	To give a more dramatic and ominous feel to show how the narrator (George foreman) feels about that day
• Time period	Mid to late 1900’s	To let the audience know that this was some long time ago, may result in nostalgia to draw them into the movie.
• Location	A boxing ring inside a stadium	This was chosen because it makes for a great opening that will get the boxing fans watching this movie excited.
• Climate / Season	N/A, it’s inside a stadium.	N/A
Geography• Landscape or Outdoors / City / Country / Sea / Land / Desert.	A city somewhere in Houston, Texas	This gives a sense of a southerner feel to let us know that this is a poor area
• Culture / People (Moral attitudes/ core beliefs.)	Black culture	This element makes people more inclined to watch it so we can learn more about our culture and history.
• Social and Economic status	Poor	Made to give a true underdog story and resonate with people struggling with the same economic challenges as Foreman.

 

2. Set Design 

• Define set design in film. 

A field in film that focuses on the environment where the film unfolds 

• Document and describe the set design for the film opening. (Add 2 images.)  

A boxing ring surrounded by people watching the ongoing fight between the main character and his opponent. 

• What connotations do you read from the décor? 

Intense, and suspenseful  

• How does the set design illustrate support the characters, story, and/or connect audiences to the film’s genre? 

The set design introduces the audience 

• Indicate the signs and connotations that support the genre.  

 

3.Props 

1. Select props that are genre significant to the film opening of the film. Document how they support the genre and storytelling.  

 

7. Acting  

1. What is acting in the film? 

 

, the performing art in which movement, gesture, and intonation are used to realize a fictional character for the stage, for motion pictures, or for television.  

 

What are the elements of the acting?  

plot, characters, diction, thought, music, and spectacle 

 

 

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	appearance or voice part of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts.	Our character appears ungroomed and shaggy looking	To make him look poorer and more old fashioned so it becomes an underdog story
Facial expression	Humans use their facial muscles to communicate nonverbally with one another. A facial expression is one or more of these actions or positions of the muscles beneath the skin of the face.	Our character is making a bit of an angry and hurt expression	This shows the audience that he is going through something and that the hits hurt to an extreme level
Body Language: Gestures, posture, and body contact	non-verbal communication that includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movements, and touch.	With Body language the characters can express there boxing skills making them look professional dangerous.	With the professionalism the character will look like a pro boxer which is the genre of the movie
Vocal qualities: Tone of voice, accent, the pace of speech.	The sound quality of a person’s voice.	In this story our character is grunting	These grunts show that our character is getting hurt badly.
Personality	Personality is what an actor adds to a character to make them look authentic	Our character is a fighter we know this because despite the pain he keeps punching until the uppercut	This resonates with the audience who likes a fighter and someone who never gives up in the face of adversity.
Role	An actors part in a movie or play.	The role our character has is just to be George foreman who was a real person	The audience could possibly already be fans of George prompting them to like it even more.
Actions	The role of the character determines expected acts.	Our character is simply fighting in a boxing match which has higher implications.	The audience is immediately put into the action as the characters fight in a boxing match.

 

3. Based on your understanding of casting, do you think the actors selected to play the film's characters were good choices? List (2) actors and (2) reasons why? Costume, hair, and makeup. 

 

Since this movie is based on a true story having an actor who looks like the boxer makes it look convincing. 

 

1. What is costume in a film? 

The clothe style that the actors are wearing in the movies. 

2. What is hair and makeup in film? 

The way actors physical looks in the movie. 

3. List 3 genre factors that influenced the costume design in this film? 

The time period since its based in the 80’s, the fact that they are boxers and the fact that they are African American 

4. Give a general description of the costumes used in the film in the table below.  Select main character. 

Boxing attire. 

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	The 2 actors in the opening hair were made to look llike hair from the 1970’s	It indicates the time period
Costume	They are dressed like boxers	To show the genre.

 

8. Color 

1. What is the definition of color in the film? 

The use of color can evoke a mood or set the tone for a film.   

2. Indicate how color was used in the opening of the film. E.g., setting, lighting the scene and characters, costumes, etc. (Create a table to organize your information.) (Add images of each to support your answers. 

Color was used as way to demonstrate the seriousness of the movie 

Codes	Meaning
setting	Setting is where the movie is happening and from the opeing it was in a boxing ring.
lighting	The amount of color used in the movie and the lighting is dark
The set design (décor and props)	The decor and props used are the boxing ring/ arena.
Costume, makeup, and hair	The costume used are boxing gloves shoes and pants. While the makeup had blood and sweat
Character	The two characters were the two boxers fighting one of which is George Foreman

 

3. How does color support the film genre? (Look at the tone of the setting, characters, etc.) 

The dark color signifies the main character eventual death 

9. Composition 

1. Define composition in film. 

At its core, film and video composition is the arrangement of visual information within a camera frame 

2. Define blocking in film. Document an example in the film opening and why did the producer direct the characters.  

It's about directing your audience's eyes to where you want them to look, and what you want them to feel 

3.  

 

4.  Define framing in film. Document an example in the film opening and why did the producer direct the characters. 

the way elements are arranged in the frame.  

 

 

5. Define depth of field. Document an example in the film opening and why did the producer direct the characters.  

 

the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. 

 

10. Lighting 

1. What is the lighting in the film? 

the direction, quality, source, or color of light. 

2. Document if the film opening established low-key or high-key lighting. 

The opening establishes low key lighting. 

3. Select an image from the film opening to analyze. What type of lighting is used? How is lighting used in the opening of the film, and what tone does it communicate meaning? 

The lighting here is very dark and gloomy to indicate that the character is in a deadly scenario. 

 

11. Tone  

1. What is the tone in the film? 

the overall mood or atmosphere of a film. 

The tone created in this movie is gloomy and we can tell by the lighting on the crowd since its so dark the scene is also being played in slow motion making it look terrifying.