Cumbers's Blog

Costume, Props, Setting, Mise-en Scene | January 28, 2010

Apart from sound another important element we have to focus on and research, if necessary, is the Mise-en-scene which includes the props we will use, the setting and costumes. When coming up with an idea for opening sequence of a thriller, we thought about the props we would use and obviously where we were going to film it (the location); however we discussed this further and finalized the props, costume and setting after coming up with our idea.

Mise-en-scene
Even though costume and props are included in the Mise-en-scene, we are going to talk about them separately. As our task is to create an opening sequence of a thriller we decided a good but different location to film our thriller is on a train station platform and on a train, also incorporated in this idea we may do some filming down a poorly lit alley. We have decided to film at a train station, near where we live because this setting is easy to access and it has the mysterious effect which we need, especially when its dark. The Mise-en-scene will need to be extremely effective to add tension and suspense to the thriller. The lighting we will use will be quite dull and dark and at times we may have the setting pitch black which allows the audience to feel what we the characters are feeling, also to add to the mystery and not tell the audience what is happening. The protagonist of the thriller will be a little mysterious boy, at a point in the opening sequence he will be filmed down a poorly lit alley way as I have said; the lighting here will be dull which will add to the effect and elaborate to the audience how poorly dressed and scruffy he looks, also add to the mysterious effect that the boy brings.
The colours we will use when filming will be fairly dull, dark and plain to add to the puzzling atmosphere that the lighting shows, plus helping convey an enigma. In a previous blog entry we discussed the sounds from past horror films soundtracks that we may use, adding to this we may add other sounds to symbolize something (an object) or how someone is feeling. Sound effects like heavy breathing denote the sense of loneliness and fright to the audience when heard in a thriller. High pitched screams and shouts will also make the audience jump or feel threatened especially if the sound is heard when a black screen is being shown. We will use sound effects and noises like these in our opening sequence.

Costumes
There are six characters including the dog in our opening sequence. Four of the characters are friends who are on a trip out when the event of finding the little boy occurs; this will mean they will be wearing just their normal clothes (casual) to keep the thriller slightly more realistic. The young boy in our narrative needs to be shown as poorly dressed, so will be wearing; dark bottoms and a white top which is dirty and torn. He will have makeup on his face which will show dirt and the poor conditions he may live in. As part of the four friend’s costumes they will be wearing coats, scarves and gloves to show the weather is cold, however the little boy will just be wearing a t-shirt and ripped trousers.

Props
We are not planning on using many props throughout our opening sequence but this may change as we film it. The main props which we will use will be; a dog (could also be said to be a character), a music box, 4 mobile phones and dog treats. Props can be used to explain certain situations to the audience without dialogue or actions, an example of this can be a large gate showing the audience that the protagonist is trapped and has no way of escaping.
Below is images taken of the props we will use:

The Dog will be used by the young boy throughout the opening sequence; it will portray the effect that the little boy has no friends or family to talk to and his dog is his best friend. The four mobile phones will be used by the four friends at key points in the clip, for example; when two of the friends split up from the other two friends to investigate the station and to see if there is an exit. The mobile phones will play a significant part in adding tension to the atmosphere as the friends may find out they have no signal and this is a way of showing they are trapped with no escape and represents the reason of why a prop is used. The music box will be used by the little boy in the second part of the opening sequence; the two friends are searching for an exit on platform ‘they are walking down the poorly lit walkway when they hear a little child’s voice and a music box. They peer round the corner and see the little boy sitting at the end of the walkway. They can see that the little boy is holding a music box and singing along to it.’ Using a music box will create a daunting atmosphere which we need in our thriller; it is also a unique prop which is not commonly used in previous thrillers.

The Mise-en-scene especially the props help establish and insert into thriller conventions. The first thriller convention which we feel is followed by the Mise-en-scene is ‘A narrative pattern of establishing enigmas which the viewer expects to be resolved’, the lighting, colour and sound used establish enigmas which the viewer expect to be resolved, however as our task was only to complete the opening sequence they will not be resolved, many enigmas are still formed through these aspects of the Mise-en-scene though. The props also add enigmas, for example; when the protagonists find out their mobile phones have no signal, it will make the audience wonder what is going to happen next? Also when they hear the sound from the music box, they first would wonder where the music is coming from and if it is a music box or someone singing. Another thriller convention used in the Mise-en-scene is ‘Extraordinary events happening in ordinary situations’ this is used in the clip I just mentioned, the boy sitting in a poorly lit alley with his music box. The ordinary situation is two friends being at a train station but the extraordinary event is finding the little boy sitting on the floor singing along and humming to a music box he is holding. We may say there is ‘theme of voyeurism’ used not only from the young boy watching the group of friends but also from the group of friends watching the young boy.