The document discusses teaching film production elements, specifically mise-en-scene. It defines mise-en-scene as everything included within the frame, including costumes, settings, props, lighting, composition and more. Students will analyze film stills to identify mise-en-scene elements and understand how they construct meaning. Teachers can have students deconstruct stills by labeling elements or assigning groups to analyze different elements, like costumes or lighting, within a film scene. While mise-en-scene analysis is typically taught at higher year levels, using visual examples can enhance film teaching for any age group.

1. FILM AS
TEXT
TEACHING THE PRODUCTION ELEMENTS

2. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Learning Intention:
• To identify the 6 production elements
• To understand the nature and function of ‘mise en scene’
• To apply the concept to analysis of a film still
Success Criteria:
- To be able to name the 6 production elements
- To demonstrate your understanding of ‘mise en scene’ by
analysing a film still

3. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
HOW IS TEACHING FILM DIFFERENT TO TEACHING A
WRITTEN TEXT?
There are many similar elements including:
Characters
Narrative structure
Setting
Point of View
Values and attitudes
Cause and effect

4. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
HOW IS TEACHING FILM DIFFERENT TO TEACHING A
WRITTEN TEXT?
The main difference is in understanding how:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
aka
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
are used to construct the narrative or story

5. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT:
In media texts
EVERYTHING IS CONSTRUCTED
Nothing is included
unintentionally or through
chance.

6. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS

7. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
C
A
M
E
L
S
???????????????????????????

8. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Camera
Acting
Mise en scène
Editing
Lighting
Sound
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9. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène
- Literally means ‘placing within
the scene or frame’
- Frame refers to the edge of the
image displayed on screen

10. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène is:
- What is included in the frame
- Why it is included > meaning or
purpose of those elements
INDIVIDUALLY & IN COMBINATION

11. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène
Includes several elements
- costume, hair, makeup
- setting and props
- actor – body position and facial expression
- lighting and colour
- visual composition – how the visual elements
are arranged within the frame

12. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène
TASK – analysing a film still
We are going to look at a few examples
of stills and identify Mise en scene
elements, and consider what they might
suggest about characters, character
relationships, setting, time period, and
what is happnening in the frame.

13. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène
TASK – analysing a film still
You can use this Word document to
record your notes if you wish:
file://localhost/Users/09036147/Best
Practice/MISE EN SCENE.docx

14. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène

15. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène

16. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène

17. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène

18. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène

19. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène – teaching ideas
1. Deconstruct stills
- Get students to label a print out
or downloaded still.
- Could also be good on IWB!
• Great site for film stills is
WWW.LEAVEMETHEWHITE.COM

20. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
Mise en scène – teaching ideas
2. Analyse a scene from a film and
assign one person to watch and note
down different elements eg 1 x
costume, 1 x lighting, 1 x setting and
props, 1 x visual composition.
As a group they piece together their
findings and report back to class. (use
different scenes for different groups)

21. FILM AS TEXT:
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
A final word….
According to VELS, exploration of
how meaning is constructed is placed
around Level 6 and beyond (ie Year
10 / 11).
However, using visual stimuli is a great way to
brighten up learning activities at any stage.
Even a simple analysis concentrating on one
element such as costume can work well with
lower year levels.