Mise en Scène – The Placement of Objects to Represent Symbolism

The placement of characters and objects on screen are carefully choreographed to contribute content to a film which helps to develop mood and character. The audience is typically unaware of the directors’ efforts in each scene, but rather feels the emotion drawn from the carefully filmed representation of the directors’ vision. This scene from the film The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (U.S.A., 2009) is filled with the elements of mise en scène, but most notably the symbolic placement of the characters which contributes to the development of future events.

This frame of the film shows Anton and Tony as the dominant objects and is shot in a murky low key with high key spotlights on them both. The shot seems to be a medium shot with a social camera proxemic range. The eye level shot shows the notable color contrast between the white clothes that Tony is wearing and the dark clothes of Anton. This good versus bad color scheme is representative of Valentina’s view of them in the scene. The shot appears to be done with a standard lens and no filter was used. Low density leaves the majority of the focus on the three characters with the subsidiary contrast on Valentina. The image also uses the rule of thirds with all three areas being utilized, the closed form suggests the confrontational manner of the shot. The three depth planes of the shot are the two characters confronting each other, Valentina above in the middle ground and the traveling stage-home as the background. Valentina is placed high in the shot showing that her feminity is superior to the confrontational men below who are in the profile position facing each other. The proximity of both men to Valentina is personal showing their attachment to her, but it is social between them as their difference’s separate them.

The most telling aspect of this shot is the character placement. The frame suggests a struggle between the two men as they battle for Valentina’s affection, a theme that persists throughout the film. The separation placed between Anton and Tony is apparent. The almost sarcastic color choices of each characters clothes represent Valentina’s wandering perception. The placement of Valentina in the top of the frame is representative of the forthcoming control she will ultimately have over the decisions of each man. This one simple shot is a telling representation of the upcoming struggles faced in the film, symbolically foreshadowing the future event before they unfold.