Mise en Scène Analysis

According to Louis Giannetti, Understanding Movies (92, 13th ed.), a mise en scène analysis of any given shot in a film should consider the following 15 elements:

1. Dominant--Where is our eye attracted first? Why?

2. Lighting Key--Is the lighting high or low key? High contrast? A combination?

3. Shot and camera proxemics--What type of shot? Camera distance?

4. Angle--Low? High? Oblique? Neutral?

5. Color values--What colors or hues are dominant? What is the color symbolism?

6. Lens/filter/stock--Are these used to distort or comment on the scene?

7. Subsidiary contrasts--What are the main eye-stops after the dominant?

8. Density--How much visual information is there? What is the texture?

9. Composition--How is the screen space segmented and organized?

10. Form--Open or closed? Window view or proscenium arch?

11. Framing--Tight or loose? Do the characters have room to move?

12. Depth--How many planes of depth are utilized? How do they interrelate?

13. Character placement--What part of the frame do the characters occupy?

14. Staging positions--How are they positioned in relation to the camera?

15. Character proxemics--How are they positioned in relation to each other?