Mise en scene

Mise en scene

·         body language and facial expression:

o   body language and facial expressions can be used to display the genre and or the mood of the picture, for example crossed arms and a snarly look can be intimidating and seem mean, whereas smile and extended arm with a thumb up or for a hand shake it warmed and comforting, almost any genre and mood can be created on the body language and facial expressions, for example for the genre of heavy metal I can refer back to my previous example, of mean and tough looking with a snarl, rap can also be shown with a snarl but in a slightly different way the sort of way that tries to show the I don’t care what you’re saying I’m not listening. But pop could be shown with someone happy and cheery, smiling chin held high.

o   In the case of my magazine I have chosen to have an slightly angry intimidating look, by having the band that feature on the front having crossed arms and not smiling but more blunt faces verging on annoyed, muscles slightly tensed so they show to be big in a attempt to intimidate or even emasculate people.

·         Costume, makeup and hair:

o   The costume worn by the members of a band can show the genre and allot about the band, for instance an heavy metal or death metal tend to wear allot of leather and metal and spikes, which is associated to anger and sadness, which both are also associated to the genre of heavy/death metal, in a way it is about stereotypes, the music industry is one of the only places where stereotypes are rarely broken, rocker and punks won’t go around in cloths associated with rappers and pop stars wouldn’t be caught in leather and metal studs.

o   Make up: make up is not as key in displaying thing about the band and music people, the only people who tend to wear it are women and pop stars, although make up in girls can create sex appeal to certain men.

o   Hair: hair can show a fair amount about the bands genre, dreadlocks is normally associated with reggae, longish shaggy hair with rock, punk and indie, but some hair styles can be shared by 2 or more genres, for instance shaving the head can be used by those in rock, metal, punk and rap.

o   Thus for my magazines band I have chosen to use myself and 2 friends who I see to display the rock, punk and kind of indie genre and most of all we all look British. All 3 of us having shaggier hair, a slightly gritty look, we will be wearing kind of cardigans or drench coats and smart trousers.

o   The genre of my magazines music would most be summed up by shaggy mid length hair, possibly a shirt, or a drench coat over so the shirt isn’t visible,  jeans or dark blue or black combat trousers or smarter trousers.

·         Settings and props

o   Settings:  the setting for genres of music change drastically, between the studio like setting for pop, to gritty British pubs for punk indie and rock, gratified walls for rappers. Darker setting for the darker genres instead of bright and happy pop and hip hop.

o   For my magazine the cover picture is going to have a stormy or very cloud dark sky as the camera will be looking up at the people involved, so there will be no setting a such as the only visible background will be sky and maybe some trees or building tops but the setting could be classes as outside.

o   Props: the props used in photos of bands can put across a powerful message, like a rapper holding a gun can show there disrespect for the law, but something that can be used as props can be iconic and easily recognisable and associable to certain genres, like bass guitars and big drums being related to more rock genres.

o   In my magazines there will be no props involved, the only even slightly prop thing I can think that will be involved is maybe a watch, in way I can see our coats being used as props as they are objects to show more of our genre.

·         Lighting and colour:

o   The lighting for different genres differs from the light of pop to the almost black of death metal, the genre I am using, a rock, punk and indie genres will mean I will use a darker lighting and equally darker colours will be used, black, gray and dark blue.

·         Position of people:

o   In positioning the more important band members like lead vocalist and guitarist will be out more to the front of the picture “front men”, in rock and similar genres, in picture of bands they normally go in a zigzag, two in front the between them but behind is the other two, presuming this is a four member band like most rock, punk and indie are. Also grouping of people can create a menacing effect on the reader.

o   In my magazine the positioning of me and my other band members will be me in front slightly lower down but due to the fact the camera will be looking upwards to give a more intimidating look it would put all 3 of us on equal plane but with them behind me.