Film analysis can feel intimidating, especially when you’re getting into fancy French terminology and an academic framework that might feel alien to you. But one of the most accessible entry points to understanding cinema is also one of the most powerful, and it’s called mise-en-scène.
The Media Insider recently broke down this concept in a recent video that’s definitely useful for filmmakers. From these exactly, you can start to learn to identify what’s on screen and understand why it matters.
Check out the video below, then dive into the big takeaways.
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What Is Mise-en-Scène?
“It’s literally, ‘Say what you see,'” The Media Insider says in their video.
You don’t really need any specialized knowledge to understand mise-en-scène, just an attention to detail. Unlike cinematography or editing, which require understanding specific technical language, mise-en-scène analysis requires you to observe.
The term itself is French theater vocabulary meaning “within the stage.”
In film, it encompasses everything visible within the frame. The set design, what actors are wearing, the props they use, the use of color and space and light. Yes, there is some crossover with things like production design, costuming, and cinematography. You can really get into the weeds of whichever of these interests you the most, but mise-en-scène looks at the whole.
And it matters because in film (most of the time), everything the lens touches is deliberate, especially for auteur filmmakers. Every detail in a setting and of a character should work to tell the audience something. Why include it, otherwise?
When I think ofmise-en-scène, I often think of Wes Anderson films, especially his more recent works, in which every frame is engineered down to the tiniest detail. Maybe that works for you, or maybe it feels a bit artificial—either way, he gets every scene looking exactly the way he wants it.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a gorgeous example. You see the hotel in its prime, rendered in bright colors like pink and red and pristine white. This matches the outlook of the young Zero, who starts the story with optimism and youth. Later, you see it in its rundown state, looking brown and dull, carpeted in worn greens and yellows. Some details remain, such as the painting “Boy with Apple.” Zero has aged too, and weathered a lot of heartache. It’s beautiful storytelling.
These are all elements of mise-en-scène doing the work to tell you about the setting and the story being told.
The Media Insider breaks mise-en-scène into three main categories—settings, characters, and props. While blocking technically falls under this umbrella too, they note it deserves separate examination.
Settings
Settings can take multiple forms in film. Sometimes they’re real locations to ground the story. Sometimes films are shot on soundstages where every detail is controlled. Sometimes the story unfolds on greenscreen stages, with CG environments added later, or you can achieve greater artificial immediacy by using a volume.
The video points to Italian social realist cinema of the mid-twentieth century as an example of location-driven filmmaking.
“They used the world around them,” The Media Insider says, because they couldn’t afford elaborate studio sets or custom builds. Meanwhile, Hollywood preferred the opposite approach during the same period.
When analyzing settings, start with basic location questions. Where are we? Are we inside or outside? Are we in nature or a city? What does the impact of mankind seem to be on this setting, if at all? Are we in the present or another time? Is this a real-world location or something from fantasy? What’s the weather like?
How much space is there? Is the setting oppressive or open?
Then you can get into the minutiae of production design. How are sets dressed? Is a character’s home large or small, cozy or rundown, clean or messy? What details can you spot that reveal character? Do they read a lot of books? Is everything brand-new? Do they eat a lot of takeout?
Then consider the cinematography choices, such as lighting. Is there a lot of natural light? Is the space dark and mysterious? Look at the color, or a lack of it.
Characters
Costume design communicates before actors speak.
“The overall aesthetic of a character needs to tell you who they are before they speak a single word,” The Media Insider says. “It has the power to control how audiences feel about them, or tell you their entire backstory, or whether they belong in the setting or are alien to it.”
When examining costumes, specificity helps. Consider color, condition, and expense. Examine how they wear their clothes. Do they keep them clean or rumpled? How new or stylish are the clothes?
What’s the functionality of the costume? Can you infer the character’s job based on what they wear? What about their allegiance?
What does their hair look like? Is it brushed? Has it gone gray? Is it stylish, edgy?
Does the character wear makeup? Is it gaudy or natural?
Props
Props are any items in the character’s world that can be interacted with.
Again, there’s crossover with costume design and production design here, because everything has to be selected and placed. The list of potential props is endless. It could be anything in a character’s home that they would use daily. It could be weapons, communication devices, photographs, sports equipment, or religious symbols.
Some props signal genre. High-tech devices immediately suggest science fiction. Other props reveal character or setting details. The Media Insider includes some clips from E.T., which bring to mind those jangling keys seen at the waist of the government agent in pursuit of Elliot. The keys are everything to that character, and signal someone in charge. His name is even “Keys.”
Sometimes props function as MacGuffins, or essentially empty plot devices that drive narrative forward.
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Now Ask “Why”
Identifying mise-en-scène is the first step. Now you analyze why certain details were included. As we’ve already established, most of the time, whatever makes it into the final film is there for a reason. Even if something is shot by accident, you might be able to glean some meaning from it.
You have some flexibility here to get creative, just as you would in, say, literary interpretation, because artistic works impact everyone differently and don’t always mean the same things to every viewer. That’s part of the fun. But generally, you can rely on a few things to convey story details in specific ways.
The Media Insider points to Jojo Rabbit. The young main character begins the story completely bought into fascism. He wears his uniform proudly. By the end, he has shed that skin as his worldview changes.
What colors appear consistently? Look for visual motifs.
Consider how mise-en-scène creates believability. The Media Insider talks about “verisimilitude” or “the appearance of being true or real.” Is the environment meant to feel grounded or fantastical? The fanciful colors of But I’m a Cheerleader do not feel like the realism in Moonlight.
Are elements reinforcing or subverting genre conventions?
One helpful exercise is working backwards. Watch a scene and identify its emotional impact. Then examine how mise-en-scène constructs that feeling.
Film analysis is all about paying attention and thinking about craft decisions. The more you practice, the more automatic this becomes.