Blog Task 5: Mise-en-scene

                         Mise-en-scene

The opening of stranger things establishes the setting as ominous and frantic. the characters as young, carefree and naïve. and the genre as sci-fi horror seemingly set in the 1980s as there are old fashioned props such as bikes, old cars. the lightening is dull and slightly orange creating that hint of oldness.

we know this because we can see The character at the start is wearing a white lab coat. This suggests to the audience that he is a lab doctor. but what adds the ominous theme is the franticness of how fast he was running with lights flickering rapidly. adding a sense of desperation. the four kids are playing a game when they are told something than scurrying to leave.

The actor movement is extremely rapid this can connote that the actor is in a state of fear or urgency trying to run away from something that may harm them or have importance in a future scene.

Extension tasks

Watch the extract again. Try and write an analysis of the other aspects of mise-en-scene. Work through all the aspects of CLAMPS (the mnemonic we use to remember mise-en-scene).

COSTUME

Some characters in this show wear a white lab coat.

LIGHTING

The lighting changes rapidly sometimes changing from rapid and urgent to calm and collected. 

ACTOR MOVEMENT AND PLACEMENT

The actor movement and placement is frantic and rapid.

MAKEUP AND HAIR

The hair is typical of one of the 1980s the time the series had been set. The makeup can vary on the characters sometimes ranging from a more soft and neutral look to a bold eccentric look.

PROPS

Some props used can vary from old-style 1980s cars, bikes and a collections of board games a weapons

SETTINGS

The setting is ominous and dull but can switch to joyful and lively. 

Now think about the clip more generally. What does this opening sequence suggest the series will be about in terms of narrative, character and genre? What is it that tells you this? 

This clip can tell us how the plot began and what led to it. The opening scene can suggest the series may be action filled and dark because the lightening is dull and the sounds are audios you'd find during high tension and fearful moments this also includes the speed the clips go at can vary speeding up at high tension, and slowing down at the calm. The characters are at vary of age seemingly at early-teen or adulthood. and the genre seems to be horror sci-fi