Mise-en-scene example - Horror



The uninvited is a good example of a horror film which uses mise-en-scene to thier advantage. This poster is the advertisement of the film, and the use of mise-en-scene was used with the use of props for the window. The window is a good prop to use as it can be made to look old by scuffing the edges, but it is used mainly to look realistic with the use of fog all over the top. This is a representation of the coldness of the character that is behind the window, and is blurred within the fog.

The use of mise-en-scene is also used in the background that you can see behind the indow, whch is of a forest. This is determined by the clustered trees that are crouded behind the character at the front. This is a cliche in horror films as it is a setting that a lot of horror films use, as a forest is a place that has a creepy atmosphere when dark and is a vulnerable place to be, as it is unrecognisable to you.

The use of lighting is used to silhouette the character, this makes her the main focus of attraction. It also blocks out any view of anything else behind them and therefore forcing the viewer to look at the character. This is effective in asserting the audiance that this is a horror film.

The last use of mise-en-scene that is used in order to make it more bright and to make it stand out is the use of costume.The use of costume isn't fully focused on this poster but it is helpful in finishing off the full image of the atmosphere that it is trying to create. The T-shirt is dirty and torn, which can represent a struggle that it took for the character to come this way.

The plot works well with this clip as the use of the window prop instigates the fact that the girl behind the window is uninvited, which is the title of the film. The use of mise-en-scene tells the audiance that therefore they want to find the answer behind it. What is going to happen?

This has helped me understand how to use the different types of mise-en-scene in ways to help the audiance interpret what they are meant to be feeling before words are even spoke, this attracts them more accuratly. This will help me when creating my own opening two minutes for my genre.