Mise En Scene In The New World Essay

Mise-en-scene is the telling of a story through set design and composition. Mis-en-scene is what the audience sees, hears and experience; it all helps tell a story.
Design elements like props, lighting, costume, and even color as well as other aspects of film design form to tell the story. The composition is the arrangement of objects that help tell the story effectively. Design and composition are the two major components of mise-en-scene. These aspects are as important and crucial in telling the story as much as the actors are.
“Every movie has a mise-en-scene. But in some movies the various elements of the mise en scene are so powerful that they enable the viewer to experience the aura of a place and time.” (Barsam 165)
In the movie The New World by Terrence Malick, we see a unique use of mise-en-scene. The design and composition of the set execute exactly what Malick is trying to convey. Malick’s use of color, costumes, as well as other props give us the sense that we have traveled back in time to the 17th century.
In the master shot, we see three boats approaching Jamestown, Virginia. The ships are not the type of ships we see today; the ships are not modern and are wooden, with masts and white sails. The ships creak as they sway back and forth. These images tell us a lot. We know the story is taking place in the 17th century. The

Malick may have used this approach to convey how different the English and the Indians are. The Indians surround Smith, and one even crawls above him. Smith is not familiar with his surroundings and it engulfs him. We see low angle shots of Smith indicating his vulnerability. My take on this scene and what I feel that Malick is trying to convey is that Smith has entered the Indian’s territory, which is The New World. Smith is overpowered and unable to escape. Smith is now their prisoner. Pocahontas saves Smith and this is when the love story between the two