Coursework : Research - Setting

SETTING

What is setting?

The place or type of surroundings where something is positioned or where an event takes place. A strong setting is almost like a character in its own right. It has heart and soul, different moods, the ability to change, an influence on people and events. Setting is the backdrop against which the characters act out the events. A story with a poorly-portrayed setting is like a play on a bare stage. You have character and plot (the important parts) but no sense of place. Setting matters, then. And in order to make it as atmospheric as you can, you need to make it multi-dimensional. It does this by understanding that a story's setting extends way beyond houses and streets and trees. Here are the different elements of settings we expect to see used in the film openings of each of the following genres: 

• Comedy - During the opening scenes of a comedy film, the setting can be anywhere, usually somewhere normal with any possibility. For example, during the opening scene of american pie we see a room with a young man watching inappropriate videos on his television. The man's parents then enter his room as they are saying goodnight to him. This opening would be considered an opening due to it being relatable and awkward between children and parents.  We then understand that the film we are about to watch is a comedy. 

• Horror - during the opening scenes of horror films, the setting is usually in a place that is dark, mysterious and eerie. for example the opening scene of 'the women in black' there is three little girls playing with their dolls, however when the scene progresses all three girls look towards the camera. Then, the girls get up and walk towards a window, you see all three jump with grieving and shouting which i presume  are the mothers of the three children. this then shows us that the film is going to be about horrific events that have happened and maybe that are going to happen. 

• Romance - The setting for a romantic film, again is somewhere normal where nothing can happen. for example, During the opening scene of 'Love Actually' there is 5 or so characters singing in a booth, however during this opening the camera moves towards the producers who are shocked/laughing. This tells us that the singing is not serious. however the song is about love which may have some reverence to the genre of the film. 

• Action - The setting for action films is usually hectic and manic due to a lot of things happening. for example, during 'sky-fall' there is an animation. However, this animation has a lot of different objects movie around the screen. For example, there is guns during the animation which may imply a lot of chasing which ultimately leads to the genre of action. 

• Drama - An example of a drama film would be Forrest Gump. His appearence show that his shoes are extremely muddy, whereas the rest of his clothing is extremely smart and presentable indicating that they usually are very clean and tidy, and that his muddy shoes have something to do with the plot. This could indicate that the setting has changed from a muddy scene from the town scenery. The opening ends with a bus stopping in front of the character that we assume is Forrest, which could be seen as an effective way of leading the audience on to the rest of the film, as we join the character on his journey, in another setting elsewhere. 

How important is setting in the construction of mine-en-scene and creating an understanding for the viewer? 

MISE-EN-SCENE:Mise en scène encompasses the most recognizable attributes of a film – the setting and the actors; it includes costumes and make-up, props, and all the other natural and artificial details that characterize the spaces filmed.  The term is borrowed from a French theatrical expression, meaning roughly “put into the scene”. In other words, mise-en-scène describes the stuff in the frame and the way it is shown and arranged. The setting creates an understanding of the scene and where they are, describing part of the plot for the viewer. Without the setting, or a vague assumption of the setting, the audience will be confuesed about the film. Setting also creates both a sense of place and a mood and it may also reflect a character’s emotional state of mind. It can be entirely fabricated within a studio – either as an authentic re-construction of reality or as a whimsical fiction – but it may also be found and filmed on-location. 

DG