Film Studies 101: Mise-en-scéne

Observing, interpreting, and understanding a scene's composition

When we read a piece of literature, we read it to understand the author’s message. We notice literary elements like symbolism, metaphors, descriptive language which support the story and message. We spot the moments of foreshadowing and appreciate a well-crafted plot twist all through the written word.

In a film, we do the same thing of analyzing a film and its message. But there is a visual language contributing to the messaging and story that must be considered, too.