Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene of Prom Night


Mise-en-scene is a french term describing the arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted. Mise-en-scene is important in the film world as without it you would not have what makes up a scene and it would not look professional or real life. Mise-en-scene also allows the audience to get an understanding of where they are and what they are doing there.

The setting for this film is not one of those that would usually be seen in the genre of thriller films as it is set in a posh hotel, set for a prom night with all the subjects appearing as if they are having a good time and enjoying themselves. This manipulates the audience as you believe it will be a nice night as it is a students prom night but what actually happens is different.

There is a fair amount of iconography throughout the scene. All the students are typically all in gowns and suits. You can also tell that it is party due to there being a lot of alcohol on the scene. Many of them with handbags and tiaras etc. However near the end of the scene  killer appears who uses a fire extinguisher which he smashes through the door with and then pulls out a knife which he intends to use on his victim. There are also guns used by police officers which come in the scene just after they understand the murderer is in the hotel room with Donna. The costume of the killer was dark clothing and his identity is hidden as he is wearing a hat and is in dark light most of the time. This is conventional to a thriller film as the murderer is usually hidden and dark. Although you do see his face at one point where he shows himself behind the victim as she is looking in the mirror. 

There are many facial expressions also throughout this part, the killer himself is very concentrated and serious as he has a task on hand killing the girl. The girl herself is very upset and and crying and her facial expression is very distraught. This may be because she is getting attacked and chased around the bedroom. The positioning throughout this scene is predominately focused on the victim ( Donna ) but at one point we see Donna standing in front of the mirror but as she drops her scarf you see the murderer behind her staring at her with flashing lights in the background signalizing danger.

Throughout the whole of the party there was bright and colorful with lights coming from the ceiling with the back lights being the lamps around the room on the walls and the light from the window being the filter. However in the room with the murderer and victim there was low key lighting, there is no main light but there is only a bedside lamp being the back light and for the filter light you can see a window with police sirens flashing in the background. However outside of the room there is a flashing light that we see when the killer comes out of the shadows when the camera shot is focused on the mirror. 

The target audience of this clip may start to feel for Donna as she is being chased around the room and stalked. They may start to feel distress for her and start to get involved with the film relating to what they would do in the situation. If the Mise-en-scene is applied correctly it will involve the audience and make them feel as if they were there.

This analysis of Mise-en-scene has helped me as when i come to do my own thriller film i will know how to create a scene that will have the effect of a thriller and make it symbolic.