Research:Mise En Scene- Setting and icongraphy-Miss Begum

 

             Setting & Iconography

 

 

 

What are setting and iconography and why is it an important convention? How can it help with audience understanding? Discuss connotations and denotations?

Setting is the location where the events in the film are filmed and it is an important convention as it allows the audience to understand where the events are taking place, it helps add to the audiences understanding as they can predict the mood of the film and the type of film it is. For example, if the film takes place in a forest the connotations include darkness and danger and the audience immediately feel a sense of fright and a fear of the unknown is highlighted. Iconography is the objects evident in the film and used by the characters, examples of iconography used in thriller films include: guns, knives, phone and blood. The denotation of these objects connote danger and thrill for the audience as they symbolise death. Iconography is an important convention as it adds to the excitement and without them the film would not be of high quality and wouldn't be as enjoyable to watch. Overall, setting and iconography are important conventions as they play important parts in the film adding to the film's importance.
 

Setting: What are typical thriller setting and why? Discuss connotations and denotations- Use examples.

Typical thriller settings include suburban locations such as homes, empty buildings, forests, confide corridors but may also take place in urban locations such as busy roads if it is an action thriller. An example of an action thriller that takes place in urban locations including busy roads is 'Fast and Furious' which creates suspense for the audience due to the danger the characters are surrounded with. These are typical settings because they have a greater effect on the audience and add to the tension. the denotation of Suburban locations are expected as they connote loneliness and unpredictability for the characters. On the other hand, the denotation of urban locations connotes fast action and panic. Examples of thriller settings include: 

Forest 

 

 

 

  The trailer from the film 'The Borgman' is set in a forest.The denotation of a forest connotes danger as it is a rural location and symbolises isolation and threat. This setting is conventional to the  thriller genre as it is expected for the victim to be alone and trying to get away from the antagonist who is after them. They are unlikely to be able to escape due to the size of a forest and the uneasy access if escaping,  increasing the tension and suspense for the audience.

Empty & Abandoned Houses

 

The denotation of an empty, abandoned house connotes danger as it is expected for the victims to be under pressure and battling the antagonists which are likely to be ghosts creating additional fear for the victims. This creates a chilling response from the audience who witness the events taking place helplessly.

Busy Roads 

This scene from Fast and Furious is set on a busy road. The denotation of busy roads connote danger as the characters lives are at risk due to the speed the cars are travelling at. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they are aware of the danger the victims are under.

 

 

Setting and sub genre: How are settings dependent on sub-genres? Use examples

Settings are dependent on subgenres as a setting cannot be chosen if there is no subgenre, as it would not make sense and the audience would not be able to understand why the location has been chosen. A setting must be chosen after the sub genre has been decided in order for it to make sense to the film and the audience. Examples of settings and sub genres working well together include:


Sci-Fi thriller

A sci-fi thriller would be expected to be set in a forest, laboratory and space ships. These settings are conventional to the subgenre as the audience would expect to see the events taking place in these particular locations as sci-fi involves science and the unexpected.
 

Laboratory

Forest

Spaceships

Crime thriller

A crime thriller would be expected to take place in a rundown location such as a hospitals and empty apartments. This is helps to create the criminal as an individual with a demented mind-set. This also creates a chilling response from the audience as they fear for the victims life due to them being unable to seek help and the setting connoting coming death.

              

         Hospital

Empty apartments

Psychological thriller 

A psychological thriller would be expected to take place in suburban locations such as haunted houses ,hospitals, alleyways . This is expected as these locations encourage a sense of loneliness and helplessness for audience and prevents the crime from being identified by the protagonists. These locations are conventional to the thriller genre as the audience expect to be left horrified and excited throughout the film through the use of setting as it had a huge impact on the overall film, and encourages the events to have a full effect on the audience making them respond with a chilling response. 

Haunted house

Alleyway

 

Hospital

 

Homes

Action Thriller

 

An action thriller would be expected to take place on busy roads, rooftops and empty buildings. This is because the audience would expect lots of action to occur such as car chases and fighting in order to create tension and excitement for the audience. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the protagonists life to be at risk while fighting the antagonists.

 

Busy roads

Empty buildings

 

 

 

 

Rooftops

 

 

Iconography and subgenre: How is iconography dependent on sub-genre? Use examples

 
Iconography is dependent on a subgenre as the objects used in a film cannot be selected unless the sub genre is decided as different sub genres require different iconography. For example a mobile phone is conventional to the psychological sub genre as this is used by the antagonist to threaten the victim. Examples of iconography in sub genres include:


Psychological Thriller

In a psychological thriller the iconography that is identified includes rocking chairs, mobile phones, knives, letters, flowers  and photographs. These denotations connote danger as it is associated with psychotic antagonists who use the conventional iconography such as phones and letter to threaten the victim and physically affect their minds. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the audience expect to be in suspense due to the hidden identity of the antagonist creating fear and feeling sympathy towards the victim.

Blood

Mobile phone

knives

Letters

Photographs

Guns

An example of a film that includes conventional iconography is 'AL INTERIEUR':

 

Crime Thriller 
 

In a crime thriller the iconography used is likely to be guns and knives as violence and crime is going to occur. The denotation of guns and knives connote death and threat therefore makes the audience react with a chilling response as they are unable to predict what is going to happen and fears for the victims and protagonists lives. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the antagonists and protagonists to use guns and knives, the protagonist may carry a gun for safety and protection while the antagonists uses guns and knives against the protagonist and victim and may use it to attack them.

Guns

Knives

An example of a crime thriller including this conventional iconography is 'Brick Mansions':

 

 

 

 

Action Thriller 

In an action thriller the iconography evident includes cars, drugs, guns and blood. The denotation of cars, drugs, gun and blood connotes danger and death. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they wait in suspense to see what is going to happen and whether the protagonists will defeat the antagonists. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the protagonist to experience difficulty from the antagonist and use this particular iconography in order for support, for example, a car may be used by the protagonist to chase the antagonist.

Cars

Drugs

 

 

 

Guns


 

Blood

An example of action thriller including the conventional iconography is Fast and Furious:

Sci- Fi  Thriller 

In a sci- fi thriller the iconography used includes technology, gun and needles. The denotation of this iconography connotes mystery and danger as the audience are unsure of what to expect and may fear that the antagonist can produce a virus affecting society which the protagonist is unable to prevent. This creates a chilling response from the audience as they doubt whether or not the protagonist will be able to deal with the problem and fear for the victims life as she may have involvement in the antagonists plan. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the iconography such as technology to be used in order to present the difficulties the protagonist may face.
 

Technology

                                                      

              Gunk

Needles

 

 An example of a sci- fi thriller containing conventional iconography includes 'Matrix':

 

Thriller scene analysis. Analyse a scene identifying the use of setting and
iconography- use PEER
 

 

 

In this scene from the film 'Mission Impossible 2' when Naya is injecting herself with Chimera the setting is in a rural location as the characters are in a lab surrounded by technology. The use of a rural location does not allow the victim to escape from the antagonist and makes it extremely difficult for the protagonist to defeat him due to the confined space. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is expected for the victim to suffer difficulties while being in the antagonists presence due to being in a rural location, she is expected to have to follow the antagonists commands to prevent being killed as she has no other choice. Furthermore, the use of iconography is important in this scene, the iconography evident includes a gun full of a virus called 'Chimera' and a gun used by the antagonist to threaten and protect himself. The denotation of guns connote threat and death symbolising the danger the female victim faces. The gun full of virus has importance throughout the scene as it is used to show that it is the antagonists main interest. The use of the gun used by the antagonist is used to threaten the female victim putting her in a difficult situation. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the audience would expect to react with a chilling response after seeing the victim helpless and the protagonist unable to protect her making the audience fear for their lives. The audience would also feel uneasy as the iconography represents violence and they are unable to predict the outcome.

 

 

 

Conclusion: What types of setting and iconography are you planning to use and why?

After researching setting and iconography I now have a clear idea of their importance within a film and their dependence on the sub genre. When I create my thriller film I will set my film in a suburban location such as an abandoned home or a hospital as these settings connote darkness and fear, and negative interpretations are perceived by the audience who feel uneasy and in suspense about the outcome. The use of a suburban locations creates suspense for particular characters such as the protagonist as he is unsure of what to expect and is unable to identify whether his life or the victims life is at risk. Tension builds for the audience who are in anticipation while watching the events take place. Suburban locations are conventional to the thriller genre as they create a  chilling response from the audience and allows the film to fulfil it's gruesome and horrific connotations. Furthermore, after researching I intend on using conventional iconography such as blood, guns and knives. This is due to these iconographies creating adrenaline for the audience as they know the denotations of blood, guns and knives connote crime, death and violence adding to the excitement and the fear of the unknown. Iconography is an important element as it is device used in a film to identify the genre of the film, therefore I know I must select the correct iconography in order to portray the thriller genre clearly.