Mise en scene: Settings, Props and Lighting

Setting- Mise-en-Scene

The Garage

After carefully considering all of our options for the most effective locations for achieving the psychological thriller opening, we decided that our first location would be set in a garage. Firstly, we chose this location as it would it would not require gaining any permission from authorities or owners, it would be easily accessed as it is located in one of our homes. Similarly, we decided on using this location as any parts of that may need re-filming could be easily done. Moreover, as a large part of the opening takes place in this location, we believed it would be sensible to film interiorly in case of unplanned weather conditions as we filmed during the winter months.

Moreover, we thought this to be the best location to use as the door is white, we believed this would appear effective on screen as we knew we wanted to film at night, therefore the dark behind the windows would contrast nicely. Additionally, the garage itself held many random items that we knew would go to good use in our film opening to create a dark and mysterious mise-en-scene. Therefore from this room, we decided to incorporate objects such as a bucket with water and sponges in, to make it look as though this was the protagonist's wash or urination bucket whilst she is in hiding, we used old pieces of cardboard to place on the right hand side to create a confined slightly claustrophobic space, as well as other objects such as books, magazines, buckets of paint, boxes, paintings and drawers to add to the cramped and unkempt conditions of the location she was hiding in.

In addition, the idea of having random items scattered around reminded us of a trophy killer therefore we used this to foreshadow what would happen later on in the film when we meet the antagonist. Another prop we decided to use in the location of the garage was a blow up mattress, we decided to buy this one as it was thin and would fit nicely in the space, also when tested on camera we decided the audience would be able to gain a realistic idea of how uncomfortable this must be to sleep on. The colour blue of the mattress also connotes sadness and distress which is how we want our character to be portrayed whilst living in that environment. We also chose to have a mobile phone (an iPhone) as we believed this would be a modern representation of this experience happening to a young girl, making the target audience believe that this could easily happen to them. The final main props we decided to use in this location is the suitcase and toothbrush. The toothbrush was placed by her side to show the unhygienic conditions she was living in and how she must have been there a while; the suitcase was used so the narrative of the story is clearer, for the audience to understand that she is in hiding waiting to pack her belongings and escape.

As for lighting, we decided to begin the scene in low key lighting with simply a torch projected from the back of the room so that the protagonist could be seen on camera, then as the garage scene progressed we decided for the protagonist in the scene to 'turn the light on' whereby we cut the take to turn the real light on whereby it became high key. We done this so that it would wash her out, making her appear more tired and almost ill looking, whilst we continues to hold the torch from a butterfly angle type so that her cheek bones were accentuated making her look more frail.