6.5 Discussion: The Elements of Mise-en-scène Pt. 2

 6.5 Discussion: The Elements of Mise-en-scène Pt. 2

Please discuss one of the fifteen elements of mis-en-scene that you feel you have a good understanding of. Give an example, or examples of that element from the reading, House of Sand and/or another film screened in class thus far.  Feel  free to accompany your post with a visual.

Then, note an elements of mis-en-scene you are having trouble with….pose questions  in order to gain a greater understanding of the topic. Consider the following possible discussion openers:

The topic I feel I understand best is.....because...
The question I'd most like to ask the author is....
The most crucial concept from the reading is....because...
What I found most confusing was....could someone help explain...

Don't feel you must begin your discussion with any of those lead-ins, they are an offering of examples. For instance, if you take notes and summarize the chapter as you read you may include a thorough summary, in your own words, of a concept or concepts from the Giannetti reading that you found most compelling.

Here, you may read through your fellow students posts before posting. Is there a topic not yet touched upon you would like to discuss? If you're feeling confident about a topic, or conversely have lots of questions modify the above task based on your needs.

Feel free to answer or comment on another student’s discussion entries prior to posting. If you feel you have a good understanding of something another is finding difficult please respond. Give examples from the film or the Giannetti reading;  please also cite the page. For this response, and because only a single response is required, your response should be a minimum of 50 words. 

Tip:

If you complete this assignment early in the week it should help you think through, or answer questions you have concerning the paper.

My post: 

An element of mise-en-scene in the House of Sand (Andrucha Waddington, 2005) is loose framing. This beautiful shot in widescreen shows the vast sandy area of the coast of Brazil. It is a loosely framed shot as there is a shadow of a frame for the characters in this shot, the slight natural contour of a recess in the sand. The rest to the left is negative space.  

In a loosely framed shot as there is room to move freely without restrictions. Loosely framed shots are usually wide shots.

This is an example of a tightly framed shot in the film.

The characters are in a cramped living environment where there are people sleeping in hammocks in layers on top of each other. In the foreground to the right are someone’s legs, midground to the left is a head and nose, and in the center, there is Maria on a mat with another boy. The opposite can be said of this shot. People cannot move freely without restrictions. I think Maria might step on someone or hit the guy above her with her head.

The vertical pole on the left makes a frame for the left side and the long vertical hammock makes a frame on the right side. Then there are some oblique horizontal lines made with the mat and another hammock and it really is claustrophobic. 

Tight framed shots are usually medium shots or close up.

Emotionally, a tight frame can show discomfort with the amount of clutter around the characters. Maria is hung over from a night of drinking and she doesn’t seem to care who she is waking up next to and her life is a mess. Tight framing can also show entrapment, which she is by her limited opportunities and trapped by the bad ones she did make.

I wonder if my understanding of open and closed forms is correct? Supposedly they have a connection to loose/tight framing. In the picture above with the hammocks. I think this is a use of Open Form because it does look realistic and the frame looks open to the left. There is some sand which implies that the space continues, there are no walls. Is my understanding of open form correct?