Mise En Scene

Mise En Scene

Mise-en-scene is used in film noirs to create a dark atmosphere of pessimism and tension. They were mostly shot in crime filled cities such as downtown New York or Los Angeles, or occasionally a small town motel, restaurant, or garage. There may also be props that are integral to the plot and used in action, for example guns, or a detective’s notepad and pen for writing notes when interviewing a suspect or an old fashion dial telephone for his desk. Male protagonists were often dressed in long coats and hats to add to their shady and mysterious detective look, and the glamorous femme fatales would wear skirts/dresses, high heels, and bright red lipstick to make them look very sexually attractive.

Lighting was used to hide flaws in the set due to classic film noirs being smaller "B" movies with restricted post war budgets. Heavy shadows and low key lighting/high contrast lighting give the films their “dark” feel, and settings were often interiors with low key lighting, filled with cigarette smoke, and Venetian blinded windows to add to the gloomy atmosphere. The low key lighting/high contrast lighting effect will created a chiaroscuro Mise en scene as shown in the image above with high contrast between light and dark, creating a atmosphere of heightened tension and mysteriousness.