Mise-en-scene Blog Tasks :)

 Still Image Mise-en-Scene Analysis

Each character of the Avengers in this still image is wearing their superhero outfit which gives the impression that they have a lot of power and gives them a sense of dominance. This sense of dominance is further amplified through the angle of the camera which is at a low angle looking up at the heroes of the movie. This successfully presents the idea that anything that the Avengers face are inferior and can be easily defeated- the Avengers seeming larger due to the angle in this scene gives them a sense of superiority and power. As an audience, we can't see what the Avengers are looking at in this scene which gives ambiguity to what they could be faced with but because we don't know who they are looking at, we can easily assume that they would have this empowerment over any enemy they are faced with. The lighting in this still image is interesting because the only source of light in this scene is coming from the sun shining through the window and this created a dull background but illuminates each character to show how they are the most significant part of this scene. There are also little lights that come off Iron Man's suit and off the sceptre that Black Widow is holding to show the importance of their suits and weapons because the illumination makes them stand out. The low angle paired with the serious facial expressions on each of the Avengers' faces emphasises that this scene is not lighthearted and they are faced with something that is actually a threat- this further elaborates on the idea that they have dominance over whatever they are faced with. The props in this scene are the weapons that each character is holding. The sceptre that Black Widow is holding is significant because people may have the belief that only men hold weapons but by her holding one, it gives her superiority and allows her to be on the same level as her male counterparts and set an example for young girls watching that women can be just as powerful as men. Captain America has his shield, Thor has his hammer and Hawkeye has his bow and arrow and these are all emphasise the sense of superiority that the Avengers have against whatever they are facing. This scene seems to have taken place in a large room yet all of the Avengers huddled together to corner an enemy to emphasise the strong teamwork they all have- which also successfully reinforces the superiority this group has, especially when they work together. 

Film Extract Comparisons

COSTUME

In Captain America: Civil War, each character is wearing their superhero outfit which gives them a duty to fulfil and gives them a sense of responsibility and reduces the lightheartedness of the scene because they need to fight. However, this is entirely juxtaposed in the scene of Mamma Mia where everyone is wearing bright coloured clothing. This creates a contrast between movies where one is lighthearted and fun and the other is full of action and fighting. 

LIGHTING

Both movies use sunlight as a source of lighting- in Mamma Mia, the sunlight could represent happiness due to the movie being a musical romantic-comedy. However, the sun being a source of light in Civil War could represent that their fighting has no bounds and had to take place outside. The colour scheme for both scenes is bright but that could represent different things in each movie. The bright colour scheme in Mamma Mia could suggest fun and enjoyment- especially because it took place in Summer. Whereas, the bright colour scheme in Civil War could represent the passion that each team has for winning and the passion illuminates their characters- especially as this is an action movie. 

ACTOR PLACEMENT/FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

In Civil War, nobody is smiling at each other and each team is glaring at the other- this emphasises the action and suspense of this movie because there is no true villain because they are fighting each other so the audience is torn as to who they want to win. Their facial expressions reveal how serious they are about fighting for what they believe is right. However, in Mamma Mia, everybody is smiling and laughing and singing which emphasises how this movie is a romcom. Alternatively, both scenes have long shots to capture a lot of characters at the same time. 

MAKE-UP

Nobody in Civil War seems to be wearing any heavy make-up and perhaps this suggests the urgency they have to fight and the lack of interest regarding their appearance because they are too caught up in the fight. However, in Mamma Mia, it seems as though most of the women are wearing make-up and taking pride in their appearance. This is likely because it is a romantic-comedy and everyone is looking for love or is in love. The make-up worn has bright coloured lipsticks and eye-shadows to give the characters a more "conventionally attractive" look. 

PROPS

In Civil War, the props used are weapons which adds onto the fact that this is an action movie and there is a lot of fighting involved. However, in the Mamma Mia scene, Donna is sad and her friends use props as a way to cheer her up which reinforces the fact that this is a romcom with a lighthearted nature. 

SETTING

In Civil War, the Avengers are fighting outside an airport and the significance of them fighting outside is that it suggests that their fight has no bounds and must be taken to an open place in order to protect civilians- which also reminds the audience that the Avengers are always going to protect civilians. The light colour scheme is unusual for a scene like this because of all the violence between them: a dark colour scheme would make more sense here but perhaps the bright colours are a suggestion that there will be a happy ending to the fight. The Mamma Mia scene also takes place outside but it is a much more positive environment because everyone is smiling and singing. There is lots of water around in the scene and this can represent refreshment and purity- which is reinforced by the smiles and laughter of everyone in the scene: making this an ideal example of a romantic-comedy.