Mise en Scene -camera placement

The camera's placement sets up a shot from angles to lens, tiny little movements here and there increase the drama of the moment.


Mise-en-scene- The official definition from the Oxford Dictionary of Film Studies is

"the contents of the film frame, including elements of the profilmic event such as performers, setting, costume and props."

All that means is the set up of a shot.

Where the camera is placed and how it interacts with the characters can actually convey emotion. Remember that movies are about showing the emotions, verses a play which would have the character speak the emotions. Most directors don't like long dialogue scenes because they think it breaks the momentum or the audience will lose interest. Long speeches or conversations are not common in films that aren't documentary, but if the camera is staged correctly dialogue can be just as engaging as an action scene.

When I took a film production class the first thing I learned, before the camera was even placed in my hands, was how to set up a master shot. This is like a picture frame you let the audience see where all the characters are so that if the director wants to do close ups or move the camera around, the audience knows spatial where everyone is supposed to be.

 The second thing I learned was an over-the-shoulder shot. This is a standard, extremely common in dialogue scenes.

Two characters are facing one another having a conversation. Character A and Character B.

1. The camera films Character A over Character B's right shoulder. 
2. Then the camera moves and films Character B over Character A's right shoulder. 

The camera must not cross the "line" that means if you shoot Character A from Character B's RIGHT SIDE when you shoot Character B it must be from Character A's RIGHT SIDE as well.

As with all rules, bending and experimenting is fun and can create interesting results. I wish I had known more with my first film, but I'm learning now and a great resource I found was Christopher Kenworthy's Master Shots. It breaks down great dialogue scenes and shows where the camera is placed to get the effect.

There are a ton of different ways to set up a shot, and I don't want to sound like an encyclopedia so instead send me any scene you would like to know more about and I'll break down the camera placements. Other elements will get their separate attention.

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*I want to note that I've been saying the word "film" to refer to the finished product seen in movie theaters or on DVD. There is a distinction between film and digital cameras and footage. Today most movies are shot with digital cameras, not film.