Mise En Scène

Mise en scene is the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing like actors, lighting, décor, props and costume. Its a French term that means “placing on stage.” The frame and camerawork also constitute the mise-en-scène of a movie. Below is an example:

This still image is from a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean 3. The main character is  played by Johnny Depp's who is acting as Captain Jack Sparrow. He is the closest to the camera and the first thing that your eye is attracted to in the scene. His body language and facial expression also captivate and over power the other characters because there faces aren't seen as clearly. All of the other characters are just in the background following him. The lighting in the scene is high key and natural because it is day light and the characters, though dressed in dark colors are visible, especially Captain Jack. The characters look confident because all of their body language is clear and they are walking in a group of only more than 3 people but there isn't a vast group of people that is to large to count and no one is very close to each other they are all just walking a fair distance from each other. It is more of a dramatic scene and definitely not a romantic or tender scene. The camera angles are personal because the camera is very close to Captain Jack, but he doesn't take up the whole frame so it isn't intimate. Because the frame spans out to include the water and the other pirates it keeps in merely personal. Also you get a body shot not just Captain Jack's face. The message of the frame is to convey a sense of anxiousness of what is to come and what the pirates have to face or find in the next scene. Also a sense of pride and honor because they are obviously sticking up for themselves and focused on the task ahead.