Mise-en-scene analysis

 

Mise-en-scene is something I have noticed in movies and TV shows for years. I just did not realize exactly what it was. I was able to recognize what the setting was in every show, film, or play I watched. For my analysis I will be watching the Netflix Original, Dash & Lily. With the quirky and vibrant characters and the show taking place in New York, I figured it was perfect for this assignment. 

For this picture, I will be analyzing the costumes. Seen in the center with a sparkly blue dress with red boots is the protagonist Lily. All her life, Lily has struggled to come out of her shell due to her "quirky" personality and teasing from classmates. However, her love interest, Dash encourages her to go to a punk show. She steps out of her comfort zone and goes. Everyone around her is wearing dark clothes such as black, brown, and gray. She is the only person wearing something with color. This emphasizes the fact that she is the center of attention for the night. It also ties in with her interesting personality. The bright color matches her bright demeanor. Everyone at the show's eyes are on Lily and with this costume the audience's are too. 

For this picture I will be analyzing the staging. This scene had very elaborate staging and seemed like it was all in one shot with no cuts. This so suspense is added to the scene. We are following Lily through the club, anxiously waiting to see what happens. The camera was also shaky at a low angle. There are two reasons for this. The first one is too emphasize Lily's nerves. The people around her do not know she is nervous, but with the shaky camera the audience does. The low angle and crowd of people creates a sense of intimidation. This is a group of people Lily has never seen before and is no comfortable with. With the low angle the party goers seem large and like they are towering over her.

Lighting plays a key role in Mise-en-scene. The lighting in this scene is primarily bright green and yellow.  The yellow represents the energy and buzz in the party. The bright warm lights make the audience alert and drawn to the scene. It also represents Lily's sunny personality and optimistic persona. However, there is a bit of green light on the walls. This represents the nervousness and second thoughts that lurk in Lily's mind. She is glad she took a chance and went out, but she is not sure it was the right thing to do. The two colors together represent the internal conflict. 

The final element I will be analyzing is setting. This setting takes place when Lily is back at her house in her room. While the club was dark and cramped, her room is bright with depth. This shows that her room is where Lily has space to express herself. She is allowed to be who she really is. It is where she feels safe, unlike the party. The bright pink walls is representative of her bubbly personality. The vintage decorations is a call back to when she said she goes thrift shopping. Her slumped posture shows she is laid back and comfortable in her room.