The use of mise en scene in films is now often registered as the imprint that the director puts upon their cinematic vision, the totality of how the director designs and actuates given scenes. The many areas they fall into being:
Setting is usually perceived as a signifier of authenticity, such as the place where the events are happening, they are a constructed setting for action. Often settings are invented, they do not exist, and are set in the future or space, films such as Star Wars or the Fifth Element. Locations can not only be recognised and help us to place the characters within a film, but can also through the film itself create their own space and meaning.
Props are devices for conveying meaning which films are dependent upon. They are definers of genre, examples of which are weapons in action films. They can also however become unique signifiers of meaning in a particular film, while all scenes are constructed around numerous props, our attention is often attracted to a particular significant one by the use of close up or dialogue. This shows the significance of the objects, we know that thy will be important in the narrative.
Costume and Make-up these are variants of props but are tightly connected to character. Often minor characters are primarily identified on basis of costume, which use the codes of everyday life such as uniform, or the cinematic perception of wearing black to signify villainy, or white to signify virtue.
Lighting of a film is the first of the “invisible” codes of cinema. While lighting is apparent in shots, the lighting is shot off camera, even for locations outside lighting is used to ensure an adequate level of light to produce a sufficient level for recording and highlight particular aspects of an image.
Performance and Movement can be further split into
i) Acting and actuality
ii) Functions and motivation
This is probably the richest form of mise en scene; it helps for the performer to be an object for the camera’s gaze, whether human or animal. As with costume there is a strong coded element in the facial and body expressions of performers, the body language used, which can be used to express both change in emotion and change in time.