Preliminary Exercise 4: Analyzing Mise en Scene

          Mise en Scene is the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a film. In this activity, I identified mise en scene elements in a film clip, selected still frames to support each element, and documented the messages they conveyed. I also documented how these elements create mood, support the film's genre, and document the production jobs responsible for each mise en scene element. The movie I chose was a comedy-drama, a Madea Family Funeral. The theme of the movie is to value family relationships and the need for honesty and understanding in challenging events. In the opening, a family gathering is presented and the atmosphere starts to intensify as family secrets begin to surface. The elements of mise en scene are used with the introduction of set design, costume, and lighting. In the set design, the family gathering setting is designed to be relatable and familiar, so the props, furniture, and decor contribute to the relaxed and comfortable tone in the beginning. In the costume element, the characters are dressed in a manner that reflects their personality and their role in the family, which can provide information about a character without saying a word. The lighting element of mise en scene enhances the mood by using natural, warm lighting to create an inviting atmosphere since it is a family gathering with many people. "A Madea Family Funeral" has a humorous and dramatic mood as the film uses humor to navigate through serious family issues. A feeling of warmth and chaos is presented as Madea provides comedic relief while the family secrets unfold, creating emotional moments that add to the narrative. The main message the author is trying to communicate is the importance of honesty, forgiveness, and facing difficult truths within a family. The film touches on the depths of family relationships and the need for understanding and acceptance even in an unexpected and challenging situation.

General Information of Film
Film Title: A Madea Family Funeral	Media Institution Name:
Film Studio(s):	Director: Josh Boone
Year released: 2019	Genre and sub-genres: Drama Comedy
Cost of production (Budget): $20 Million	Box Office: 75.8 million USD
A brief synopsis of the film: When Madea, Joe, Aunt Bam, and other family members assemble for an anniversary party that goes horribly wrong, a happy reunion in Georgia becomes an unexpected nightmare. Madea and the family quickly discover themselves attending a funeral that doesn't go as planned instead of having fun and relaxing.

Setting
Definition: the time, place, and circumstances in which something occurs or develops
	Setting is… At a funeral home
	Message: a place where to share your last moments with someone you lost
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: mournful, grief
Location (Where and geographic description): a small funeral home
Time Period: 2010s
Time of Day: Afternoon
Culture/moral values of the setting: family and friends come together to celebrate the life of a person
Job title: Lizbeth Aguilar as set dresser

Acting
Definition: movements, gestures, and intonations to portray a character
	The acting is... Lighthearted and relaxed
	Messages
	Something can go wrong at any time
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: humorous, chill
Character portrayed: a strong, street-smarted old woman
Character appearance: (Tall, short, skinny, muscular, male, female, attractive, etc.) Female, old, big, exaggerated makeup
Character actions: uses hands to express words (talk with her hands)
Facial expressions and body language: exaggerated facial expressions, calm and unserious body language
Voice quality/ tone: vulgar, with much knowledge
Job title: Tyler Perry as the cast

Set Design: Décor and Props
Definition: movable or portable items on a stage or a set
	Set design (décor and props)… Hat, book, bookstand, curtains
	Message: sharing how you and the deceased person were connected
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: memorable, Reminiscing
Décor: (Example red and black checkered floors, yellow walls, modern furniture, old shabby curtains, etc.) glittery blue and white curtains
Props: bookstand, book, hat
Job title: Dennis Donegan, Taran Alderman

Costumes, hair and make-up
Definition: help actors portray their characters by using hair and make-up to create a look.
	The costume is…. Detailed and tumultuous The hair and make-up is  Bright and intense
	Message: the message talks about how old generations can come together and support each other.
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: the atmosphere is sorrowful and mournful.
Costumes: blaring
Hair: captivating
Make-up: excessive
Job title: Nikki Bell, Andrea C. Brotherton, Roosevelt Cartwright, Syretta L. Bell, Brian Butler, Char Coats-Crump, Manny Davila, Benji Dove, Julie Hill-parker, Shantel Jordan as makeup artists

Lighting
Definition: the direction, quality, source, or color of light.
	The lighting is key lighting, making the scene look clear and comprehensible
	Message: the message talks about how bright and holy the place is
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: the opening sequence is sorrowful making up for a sad mood at first.
Light Direction: frontal light
Light Source: Daylight-balanced arc lamp
Light Quality: hard light
Job title: Kira Potter, Dwayne Thomas as the gaffers

Composition
Definition: the way elements of a scene are arranged in a camera frame
	The composition is... Madea and the casket are in the front while everybody else is in the background
	Message: to show how important the deceased person was to Madea
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: sorrowful, depressing
Framing Balance: set in the middle so the frame is symmetrical
Depth of Field: Madea is in the front center while all other observers and on the back sides
Focus: Madea and the casket
Job title: Richard J. Vialet

Color
Definition: sets the overall tone of the film.
	The color is …… Warm and neutral colors
	Message: Madea and her family hear the news about the passing
	Atmosphere/mood of the opening sequence: shocked, flabbergasted
Dominant Colors: yellow, grey, orange
Meanings of colors: to show their age

Reflection

          The objective of this activity is to study mise en scene elements and genre conventions through a film case study, analyzing their significance in conveying genre codes. I created a PowerPoint presentation to show how elements of mise en scene help convey the genre of a film. I'm at an intermediate level with PowerPoint because I have been using it for about 7 years now, but I still have a lot to learn about it. I learned in this exercise that mise en scene can help in understanding the genre of a film.

Work Cited

Jones, R. (2023, September 1). A Madea Family Funeral Review. Rendy Reviews. https://rendyreviews.com/movie-reviews//a-madea-family-funeral-review

A Madea Family Funeral. (2023, August 2). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Madea_Family_Funeral

A Madea Family Funeral. (n.d.). TVGuide.com. https://www.tvguide.com/movies/a-madea-family-funeral/cast/2000330142/

Moviepedia, C. T. (n.d.). A Madea Family Funeral. Moviepedia. https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/A_Madea_Family_Funeral