Research Part 4: Mise en Scene Codes (continued)

Props 

1. Select props that are genre-significant to the opening of the film. Document how they support the genre and storytelling.  

• 
  
  
  
  
  - The props that were used in this scene were food items. The food items are labelled as what they are, contributing to the perfect and well-organized lifestyle they live in. This, however, could be a sign of a change in their lives in the future, indicating thriller. 
  
  
  
  
  
  - The props that were used in this scene were plastic bags. The employees were throwing them up in the air and then they got a new one after. This shows how carefree the people are and it adds humor as it is not typical to throw plastic bags in the air. 
  
  
  
  
  
  • - The prop that was used in this scene was a shopping cart. The shopping cart is placed in the middle of the family with the youngest child sitting in the cart. This shows how they have a strong bond together, as they are all walking together with the cart. This can potentially show a drama genre later in the film as it can indicate that their bond may be separated in the future. 
    
    

    6. Acting  

       What is the acting in the film?  

    • - Acting in film may be referred to as the process in which a storyline is communicated through the character-assumptive acting of an actor on stage, screen, radio, or in any other medium that employs the mimetic method. 

      
      

    2. What are the elements of the acting?  

    • - Actors' gestures, facial expressions, intonation and other voice qualities, rhythm, and how these aspects of a single performance correlates to the drama and the theatrical event are all included in the semiotics of acting. The protagonist of the White Noise movie is Jack Gladney, a professor at Hitler Studies a liberal arts college. Observation wise Jack Gladney seeming is a quirky, odd-looking male who values his family. He is always stuck with a face with an equal balance of confusion and disgust. 

      
      

    3. Pictures of Jack Gladney: 

       
       
       

       Elements	Definitions	How do the acting elements define meaning from the character and support the film’s genre?
       		Document the acting elements of the chosen character.	Indicate the signs and connotations that support the genre.
       Appearance	the way that someone or something looks	The appearance of Jack Gladney is ominous and uncanny. He looks like he is hiding something. His hands are low in front of him.	His body language shows his hands positioned in a small clasp, and hung lowly in front of him, which signifies either a lack of confidence or nervousness.
       Facial expression	A form of non-verbal communication in which an affect display is communicated via the face	Jack Gladney’s facial expressions appear as perplexed, lost in focus (blank), pondering or in deep thought of something, and distressed.	Distressed, and perturbed facial expressions are commonly seen in horror films to indicate a character’s anxiety in an unfamiliar environment or dangerous situation.
       Body Language: Gestures, posture, and body contact.	a range of nonverbal signals that used to communicate feelings and intentions	-Gestures: Hands are drooped to his sides, or are tucked into his jacket    -Posture: Slouched and leaned-forward    -Body Contact: Jack is mainly shown in solitude throughout the film, despite being surrounded by his extended family.	The combination of those gestures conveys the idea of Jack being an understated, relatable protagonist that the audience of this film is meant to resonate with. His emotionless blank expressions, at times, portray a common feeling of overstimulation and lethargy.
       Vocal qualities: Tone of voice, accent, pace of speech.	the sound quality of a person's voice	-Tone/ Pitch: Low-pitched, masculine, low inflection, stressed, slurred speech to complement the laidback, neutral persona of his character    -Accent: Mid-western, American English    -Speech Pace: Free-flowing, slow-speech (which contributes to his deep voice), and stretched word patterns	The monotony and slow-paced patterns of his tone correspond with his persona of an average American navigating everyday struggles amidst a busy world.

       
       

       Work Cited

       I’m a match to Jack Gladney from White Noise. (n.d.). https://www.charactour.com/hub/characters/view/Jack-Gladney.White-Noise#:~:text=Personality%E2%80%A6,into%20making%20a%20good%20impression

       Jack Gladney Character Analysis in White Noise | LitCharts. (n.d.). LitCharts. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/white-noise/characters/jack-gladney#:~:text=Jack%20is%20the%20protagonist%20and,to%20engage%20in%20thoughtful%20conversation.

       White Noise Character Analysis | SuperSummary. (n.d.). SuperSummary. https://www.supersummary.com/white-noise/major-character-analysis/