Mise-En-Scene In Modern Times

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When it comes to films most people think that the filmmakers just draft up the script, hires some actors, films and edits some scenes, then releases the next number one movie in America to the world (or select theaters near you). In actuality, there are a lot more details that go into film than that. Filmmakers are constantly making decisions in regards to a films narrative and cinematic style and making sure a film comes out as well as it can. One of those decisions fall under cinematic style and is called mise-en-scene. Mise-en-scene has four elements: lighting, costume/makeup, sets/props, and figure expression and movement. The three that will be focused on when analyzing the film Modern Times are costume/makeup, sets/props, and figure expression …show more content…

In the beginning of the film the Gamin wore a torn and dirty dress and her makeup incorporated dirt on her face to better get the point across that she was poor and down on her luck as opposed to other people, like the secretary from the start of the film, who have cleaner costumes. Subsequently, her having that job allows here to buy better close and sport cleaner makeup. When the Tramp is released the Gamin gets him a job at the same café in which she works and his costume changes a bit as well. His costume, though not as well-fitted and fancy as the other waiters, was cleaner and slightly more put together. In conclusion, the mise-en-scene and its elements are very important decisions that are needed to make a good film. If a film was lacking figure expression and movement actors would be nothing more than stick people with blank expressions and very limited movement. The sets and props used in films would be boring or generic if no decisions were made regarding it and the same goes for costumes and makeup. Without these elements, without mise-en-scene, Chaplin’s film Modern Times, and every other film would be complete and total dud and little to none of the emotions the film would try to evoke would come

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