Mise en Scene

Mise en Scene

Mise en Scene is a french phrase for everything that is in a single shot of film of picture. 

Mise en Scene is what takes up everything in the frame that the audience is viewing. That includes whatever is in the background this could be a small room to a large landscape. This helps establish a rough location to the audience. In this image we see that the film is based in outer space  so background helps us see where the subject is roughly.

In the Midground/Foreground shows what is going on in the frame. his lets the audience know what is going on during a sequence. In the image we can see that there is an astronaut flying away from the earth and what appears to be part of a space ship. This gives the audience an idea of what is going on in the film from a still movie poster this helps determine the genre as a thriller.
Mise en scene is also whatever is in a shot this can be scenery or just objects lying around.
For example if a shot was being taken in a family home you would want family pictures on fridges with toys scattered around a room as it wouldn't make sense if there was a gun on the floor of a family home as that would bring suspicion and sinister codes and conventions to the audience.
Mise en scene can also include costumes in a certain environment e.g. in an office suit and tie or in space, Space suit.

Combine all these and you get everything in the image and you get "Mise en Scene" 

Here for example we have the cover shot from the film Gravity. Its a master shot and shows the viewer what they should expect from the film. The bright flash is positioned in the centre of the image directing the viewers attention almost like an explosion which signifies danger, even though it is quite clearly is the sun on the edge of the earth which can either represent morning or evening which could imply the meaning " The night is just as dark as it is just before the dawn" which means that there could be hope around the corner for this astronaut who is clearly in trouble. The position of the astronaut almost between space and the earth shows isolation and makes us feel that the subject is vulnerable and surrounded by darkness. The darkness gives the viewer a sense of a sinister force and death in space, especially considering that the darkness and the earth is separated by light which would show how empty and deadly space is compared to the comfort of our own homes. The image is also blurred which implies speed which shows the audience that the film is going to be fast paced or that something in the film is going to be travelling fast. 

This poster for Jaws is also a great simple way of showing different pieces of information given to the audience as mise en scene. First the word Jaws is written in red which is the same colour as blood which signifies that this film is a horror or thriller. We can also see tat the water is very deep which would mean that no one would be able to see that far beneath the surface which is why the swimmer and Shark are separated so much. The swimmer is shown as being very vulnerable as she is almost completely naked which means she has no protection against anything what so ever that is beneath her. She is also Blonde which in horror movies is a sign of being innocent and vulnerable e.g. PHSYCO.
The image of the shark is also very large compared to the female which shows her as a disadvantage. The fact that the shark is looking up at her as well shows that it is "interested" in her and with its mouth open showing its very large teeth with the snout pointing like an arrow towards her it looks very dangerous which further indicates the genre of the movie.