Research:Mise En Scene-Costume,hair and makeup,body language and facial expression- Miss Begum

Costume, hair and makeup, body language and facial expression

What are costume, hair and makeup, body language and facial expressions and why is it an important convention?

When creating a film, the director along with the organiser of mise en scene must decide on the characters individual appearances which involve their costume, hair and makeup, body language and facial expressions in order to represent them in a particular way and give them a particular role such as protagonist, antagonist and victim. 

A characters costume is what the character is wearing in the film. Costume is an important convention as it immediately allows the audience to identify whether they are a protagonist, antagonist, or victim. For example a female victim is likely to wear clothing that portrays their vulnerability, it should also be of light colours such as white connoting innocence and purity. 

Hair and makeup is used to build the image if a characters appearance. It is

also an important convention as these elements also make the character suitable for their role. If the character is to play the role of an antagonist who hides their identity they should have makeup that will not give away their persona. The hair of the character should add to their appearance and it should help the audience to understand whether the characters intentions are good or bad.

Body language is presented through the characters movements and postures communicating the characters feelings. For example, if a character has an upright posture it determines their capability and strength. This is important in a film as it portrays the audiences feelings to the audience and the other characters.

Facial expression is the way the characters emotions are protracted through the movements of their face, such as eyes and mouth. Facial expression is supportive of body language as this feature allows the audience to observe the characters emotions through their expressions and identify whether they are in a positive mood or in a negative mood based on their experiences. An example of facial  expression is if a character is crying it demonstrates that they are most likely to be a victim as they are experiencing something bad and need the protagonists support. 
 

Discuss connotations and stereotypes of characters and clothing (hair and makeup). 

Characters are stereotypical to the thriller genre based on their appearance such as the clothes they wear and their hair and makeup. if a character wears white clothing such as a dress it connotes innocence and the character is likely to be a female victim who is stereotypical to he thriller genre through her vulnerability and innocence. Furthermore, protagonists that are stereotypical to the thriller genre are most likely to wear suits or vests portraying their superiority and strength causing the audience to depend on them and rely on them to save the day. The protagonist is likely to wear black or white connoting their powerful and authoritative image making them stereotypical. Moreover, the antagonist may also wear a suit connoting their knowledge and power creating fear for the audience and victims who are unable to defeat the antagonist and can only depend on the protagonist. However, the antagonist may also wear a mask in order to hide their identity and avoid being caught by the police or protagonist. The antagonist is likely to wear black or red connoting danger and death symbolising their capability to create problems in society. The victim is likely to have their hair open showing their lack of control and no makeup highlighting that they are devastated by the events taking place. The antagonist is likely to have messy hair or no hair at all demonstrating their negativity and off putting image, while the protagonist on the other hand is likely to have their hair neat and jelled connoting their heroic personas allowing the female audience to have faith in the protagonist. overall, the image of the character and the clothing they wear must make them stereotypical to the thriller genre connoting the themes of danger and death through their use of clothing, hair and makeup.

 

Identify examples of stereotypical characters. 

 

 

This is an example from the film 'Se7en' of the antagonist Doe in the middle being led by the two detective protagonists. The antagonists costume, hair and makeup is conventional to the thriller genre as he is dressed in a bright orange prison outfit which highlights that he has committed crimes and is therefore a criminal. The bright orange colour of the antagonists costume connotes warning and danger demonstrating that the antagonist is a very dangerous person. This creates a chilling response from the  audience as they fear the antagonist due to knowing that he is capable of horrific murders. The antagonist is bald therefore he looks 'rough' and he is portrayed as a macho male. The character also has no makeup therefore this highlights that he has nothing to hide and is not afraid of anything or anyone. The audience respond with a chilling response to the antagonists hair and makeup as this adds to the fright and portrays the antagonist as a psycho path who has no emotions making him stereotypical to the thriller genre. 

 

 

 

The protagonist Ethan Hunt is portrayed as a superior figure through his use of costume. He is seen to wear a black vest with a black leather jacket on top. The colour black connotes Ethan's power and strength as he is able to fight the antagonist and overcome the issue with confidence making the audience self-assured that the protagonist will save the day. The use if the leather also connotes confidence therefore the audience have faith and have no doubt about the antagonist being defeated. The protagonist has no makeup but he wears black sunglasses that hide his eyes. This symbolises that he does not want his identity to be revealed to the antagonist immediately creating mystery for the antagonist and excitement for the audience. The protagonists hair is dark and short further resonating his superior role in the film. This makes the audience believe in the protagonist. 


 

The female victim from 'I spit on your grave' Is seen to be wearing a white vest and knickers. The use of the colour white portrays the victim as innocent and pure however the grey cloth stuffed in her mouth highlights her being used and abused therefore the colour grey symbolises darkness and danger, The victim has no makeup displaying her misery and the fact that she has nothing to hide as her personal privacy has been stolen from her. she also has her hair open symbolising that she has no power and is unable to protect herself. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they fear for the victims life and loath the antagonists for putting her into this state by sexually abusing her. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the female victim to be innocent and pure and for the antagonist to take advantage of her innocence and create problems for the victim putting her life at risk.

 

The antagonist from 'The Exorcist' is perceived to be wearing a dress and a patch of blood on it suggesting that the antagonist was innocent however turned into an antagonist due to an event. The use of the blood on her dress demonstrates death and danger which creates a negative and fearful response from the audience who fear the antagonist due to her looking dangerous and threatening which is also supported by the blood over the antagonists face which allows the audience to understand that she is capable to murder. The use of her messy hair demonstrates that she has a fragmented mind-set and the use of her fringe illustrates that she is partially hiding her identity or her actions. This is unconventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the antagonist to wear a dark colour to disguise themselves and live up to the representation of being an antagonist and having a threatening persona. However it is also conventional as the use of red blood on the white dress and her face clearly symbolises the antagonists dark intensions and murderous capabilities.
 

 

Body language: Discuss representations and meaning to the audience and expectations.

 

In thriller films, conventional characters are represented through their body language giving the audience an immediate first impression. The conventional body language of antagonists and protagonists are similar as they both stand upright and strong representing them as powerful, however the antagonist is likely to be perceived as intimidating while the protagonist is approachable and superior. This is expected from the audience as they despise the antagonist and fear him while they have faith in the protagonist and rely on him to achieve defeating the antagonist. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the protagonist is expected to be dominant in order to be able to save the day, while the antagonist is expected to also have power to create competition and distress for the victim. The victim Is expected to be portrayed as venerable through the use of slanted and slouched body language outlining her vulnerability and need for protection. this makes the audience feel sorry for the victim and they fear for her life hoping the protagonist will be able to save her.

 

 

Identify examples of stereotypical characters

 

 

 

 

In this scene from the film 'The dark knight' the protagonist is seen to be standing upright with his fists clenched. This highlights that the protagonist is ready to defeat the antagonist as his fists highlights his strength as a protagonist and this causes the audience to feel confident as they have faith in him. this is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the protagonist to have power and strength in order for him to be able to defeat the antagonist who is also likely to be powerful.

 

 

 

 

In this scene from the film 'Psycho' the victim is seen to be reaching her hand out for help as she is dying and has no hope. The use of her hand reaching out demonstrates her desperate need for help as she is aware that she is dying and is in extreme pain. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they are able to see the female victim suffering and struggling to live as she is dying causing them to fear the antagonist. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the female victim to be attacked by the antagonist in some way causing the victim to suffer the consequences

 

 

 

 

 

In this scene from the film 'Mission Impossible II' the antagonist is evidently standing upright holding a gun in his hand. This portrays him as knowledgeable as it is clear that he is up to something due to having a gun in his hand. He stand upright displaying his capability and strength. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they fear the antagonist due to him having a gun in his hand and standing upright highlighting that he may be putting the protagonists life at risk. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the antagonist to have an upright posture trying to come across as superior and unbeatable. It is also likely for the antagonist to hold an object for protection to use against the protagonist and make themselves look more powerful.

 

in this scene from the film 'The Grudge' the antagonist is perceived to be standing upright with her head slouched to the side. This illustrates that the antagonist is powerful and her existence has a major impact and influences the audiences response as they a threatened by the antagonist and fear for the victims. The use of the antagonists head being slouched suggests that she has a twisted personality and has a flexible body demonstrating that she may move in an unexpected manner making the audience feel uncomfortable and making them respond in shock. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the antagonist to be threatening and create suspense and anticipation with their action.

 

Facial expressions: Discuss representations and meaning to the audience and expectations.
 

 In thriller films the characters facial expressions determine a first impression as the audience are able to see the characters emotions by the look on their faces. The conventional facial expression for the antagonist is usually a smirk or an evil smile which represents their negative persona and their capabilities. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they see the antagonists intelligence and therefore fear that the protagonist will be unable to defeat him. Furthermore, the protagonist facial expressions are likely to be stern making him stereotypical to his dominant role, it highlights his seriousness and shows that he is determined to defeat the antagonist representing him as superior and strong. The audience would expect the protagonist to have a stern facial expression as they would expect him to do everything in his power to save the day and for him to be angry with the antagonist for causing the problems. Moreover, the female victim is likely to have a frightened facial expression representing her vulnerability and lack of power. the audience would expect the female victim to be scared in order to fit in with her role, this would lead to the audience expecting the protagonist to save the female victim from the antagonist before she is seriously hurt or even killed. These representations of the characters are conventional to their roles in the film and it is expected that they follow these facial expressions in order to be stereotypical to the thriller genre.

 

 

Identify examples of stereotypical characters

 

 

 

 In this scene from the film 'Scream' the female victims facial expression shows terror and she is screaming due to her mouth being open symbolising her fear as she is on the phone to the antagonist who is threatening her. This demonstrates the victims vulnerable state and the fact that she is unable to escape from the antagonist. The audience would expect this expression from the victim as she is unable to defeat the antagonist or stop him from threatening her as he clearly has more power than her which is demonstrated through his deep voice and knowledge about her. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the female victim is expected to be scared and crying due to her fear of the antagonist making the audience sympathise with her.

The antagonist in this scene has a evil smile with his eyes wide and looking directly at the camera threatening the audience. This portrays the antagonist as somebody with bad intentions and a mischievous plan making him stereotypical to the thriller genre. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they are aware of the antagonists capabilities and see him as a threat due to his facial expression. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the antagonist is expected to be psychotic in order to be able to commit murders to innocent victims.

 

The protagonist from 'The Bourne Ultimatum' has a facial expression of seriousness and confidence as he holds a gun towards someone. The protagonist develops his power through the use of his dominant role in the film. The audience respond by relying on the protagonist that he will be able to defeat the antagonist and protect society. The audience respond with adrenaline as they await for the protagonist to defeat the antagonist. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the protagonist to be confident in order for him to succeed.

The victim from the film 'Would You Rather' has a facial expression of shock as she sits with looking in one place wide eyed suggesting that what she has experienced has resulted in her being shocked by the revelations and unable to snap out of her shock. This makes the audience respond by sympathising with the victim as they fear for her life but also feel sorry for her as they are unable to imagine what she has experienced. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the victim to feel shocked by certain events and it is expected for them to find it difficult to come to terms with certain events such as witnessing death.
 

 

Thriller scene analysis. Analyse a scene identifying the use of costume, body language and facial expressions

 

 

 

In this scene from the film 'Se7en' the male protagonist is stereotypical to his role as a dominant superior through the use of his representation. The protagonists costume consists of a white shirt and tie promoting his intelligence and smart persona displaying the protagonist is serious in what he does. He has a black safety vest on top used for protection and a leather jacket symbolising the protagonists confidence allowing the audience to have faith in him. The protagonist outfit is black further displaying his power and strength. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the protagonist is expected to have a strong and powerful persona in order to defeat the antagonist and save the day. The protagonist has no makeup however he has cuts and plasters on his face displaying his hard work and determination in his job and his hair is short adding to his positive persona as it symbolises that he has nothing to hide. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the protagonist to be superior and for his image to support his persona. The protagonists body language is upright and he is pointing a gun at the antagonist displaying his anger and seriousness. His facial expression also symbolises anger but also devastation as he hears about his wife's murder. His anger oversees his sadness and the protagonist is determined to kill the antagonist despite it going against his occupation. This audience react by fearing for the protagonists career and are in suspense as they wait for the protagonists decision. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the protagonist is likely to be more powerful and knowledgeable than the antagonist and therefore can defeat him. Overall,the protagonists dominant representation is stereotypical to the thriller genre.


Conclusion: What types of costumes, hair and makeup, body language and facial expressions are you now planning to use and why?

 

After doing my research I am now clear about how to represent my characters through the use of their appearance making them stereotypical to their role in the film. When representing the antagonist, they will have a dark coloured costume that will present them as intimidating and aggressive making the audience respond with a chilling response towards them. The antagonist will have messy hair and cuts on their face to symbolise their unhealthy and disgusting appearance putting the audience off and making them loath the antagonist.  They will have intimidating and upright body language that will portray them as strong and determined creating fear for the victim and making the audience unsure as to whether the protagonist will be able to defeat the antagonist. Their facial expression will be evil and with a smile promoting their dark intentions. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the antagonist is expected to be a threat in the film and have an appearance that frightens the other characters and the audience.

 

The protagonist will also have a dark coloured costume in order to symbolise their strength and confidence making the audience feel excited about the protagonist being able to defeat the antagonist. The protagonist will wear something such as a suit in order to portray him as authoritative and he will have his hair short and neat with no makeup further supporting his superior persona. His body language will be upright and he will have a serious face expression to highlight his dominance and make him seem reliable and trustworthy. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the protagonist is to look physically strong and for the facial expression to create suspense for the audience making him unpredictable.

 

The victim will be wearing a light coloured costume such as a white dress symbolising her innocence and vulnerability making her stereotypical to the thriller genre. The victim is likely to have her hair open displaying her lack of control over herself, and she is likely to have cuts or blood on her highlighting her negative experience with the antagonist who mistreats her. Furthermore, the victim is expected to have a shocked and frightened facial expression showing just how scared she is and highlighting her negative situation. The victims body language should support her facial expressions by being weak and using her hands to protect her face and body. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the victim to feel threatened and fear the antagonist being unable to protect herself due to her size and lack of power.

 

overall, when I create my characters I will ensure they are represented stereotypically to the thriller genre.