Mise-en-scene
Introduction
The
following essay is a discussion of the mise-en-scene of the film directed by Alfonso
Cuaró entitled Children of Men (2006). The scene I picked is the crossfire
between the British troops and the uprising in the Bexhill refugee camp towards
the end of the film.
The scene starts with the unsuccessful escape of
Theo, Kee and companions as they were stopped by the Fishes. They were then
caught in the crossfire and Theo seeks to rescue Kee from the Fishes.
Setting
The
setting is a fictitious depiction of the refugee camp of Bexhill in 2027. During
the start of the crossfire, the camera panned to follow Patric. In front of him
is a closed shop that reads “Sea spray – Fishing & equipment supplies.” In
my opinion made the fictitious portrayal more believable as Bexhill is located
near the coastlines and the shop name makes the audience more certain of the
geological location of the camp.
The infrastructures in sight are shabby looking and
covered with layers of dust. The roads are filled with debris and soil. The air
is foggy and grey. Black fumes were seen belching out of buildings. These
create a melancholy environment that adds to the depressing situation that the refugees
are in. In my opinion, there is also a symbolical meaning that mocks the
pollution crisis that we are facing and may result in a deteriorating planet in
the future.
The use of props such as wrecked abandoned trains
and cars suggests that the refugee camp is unsafe as gunfire probably took place
before. It also adds to the intensity of the life threatening situation as
chaos and disorganization creates a sense anxiety in the audience.
Costume
and make up
The
actors wore thick dull jackets and some were armed with rifles. It suggests to
the audience that the weather is cold and probably safer to adorn thicker
clothing. The perilous circumstances are reflected as they are armed for
self-protection.
Special effects makeups were used, ranging from a
small visible scab on Theo’s knuckle when he was hiding behind the fragments of
a wall to large patches of blood across the actors’ faces and bodies. In the
scene where Theo dashed into the building, a gory gut on the floor is squirming
next to an injured man. Such replication of the realistic conditions of the
human body is visually horrifying and is effective in evoking a sense of fear,
disgust and distress in the audience.
The actors also wore makeup to make their faces and
hands look dirty. In the close up shot of the baby crying, we can see Kee’s
hands and fingers were filthy. This makes the scene more realistic as it
depicts the undesirable conditions and suggests the place lacks proper
sanitation during political instability.
Lighting
Throughout the entire crossfire scene, low key lighting was used. There were a
lot of silhouettes of figures and dead bodies creating a sense of suspense and
horror.
The main source of lighting came from outside the
building through the broken windows and holes in the wall. In the scene when
Luke was having a conversation with Theo in the building, the side lighting
through the hole in the wall brings out the eye bags and the weariness in their
eyes. This enables the audience to feel the fatigue faced by Theo and Luke in
the tough conditions.
Side lighting was used in the scene of the close up
shot of Theo leaning with his back against the wall at the staircase in search
of Kee. This focused on Theo’s features and reveals his uptightness and
uncertainty through his facial expression. It allowed the audience to relate
emotionally what Theo is experiencing.
Staging
One of the elements of staging that I find very
interesting is the contrast of the gestures of the British troops in the
crossfire. In the scene a group of refugees exited from a building in the
middle of the crossfire and exclaimed, “Don’t shoot! Citizens! We citizens!”
Despite their cry, the British troops shot all the innocent refugees. In the following shot where Theo and Kee
exited same building with the baby, one of the British troops shouted, “Stop!
Cease fire!” when he saw the baby. Other soldiers gathered with awe to watch.
This evokes emotions in the audience as the baby brought peace to the place and
is a miracle before the eyes of many.
In the scene, two of the soldiers kneel and did the
sign of the cross when they saw the baby in Kee’s arms. It is a Catholic hand
gesture which symbolizes man’s redemption and the emblem of god's mercy towards
all. The baby is portrayed as a religious symbol and has a connotation that she
is godsend and is a hope for mankind.
Time
and Space
One interesting element is the use of a single-shot
which follows Theo throughout the crossfire scene. I find it appropriate and
very effective it makes audience feel as if they were involved in the crossfire
and thus a sense of anxiety and uncertainty. The timing of static shot was
longer when Theo was hiding at corners preparing to dash forward to the next
spot. This made the audience feel Theo’s sense of hesitation and judgement to
ensure his own safety to reach Kee.
In the scene where Theo was out in the roadway, the
director uses a deep spaced composition to capture the movements of the people
both near and far in the crossfire. This allows a more holistic view of the
situation which in my opinion is effective in enabling the audience to observe
the facial expression of Theo near the camera and the attackers Theo was
looking out for in the distance.
Check out this amazing behind the scenes where they talk about the camera movements in the Children of Men.
