Mise en Scene – The Conjuring

This is a scene from The Conjuring; an American horror/thriller movie, three point lighting is used to illuminate and enhance the focal point of the shot; which are the characters faces. By using this form of lighting there is a great contrast between light and dark shadowy areas which provides a dramatic atmosphere and an air of danger. The direction and angle of the brighter light also draws attention to the man more than the women which indicates his importance and dominance of the scene.  The lighting also shows that something is in front of them, whilst the shadows create a gloomy look which relates to the genre of the movie.

The location/set of this scene is in a derelict rundown room; possibly a basement used for storage as old chairs are visible in the background. The walls of the room appear to be mouldy and discoloured and share an overall hue of brown which provides the shot with a dull and lifeless colour that is overall very flat. The room also appears to be very messy and unkempt as various objects are scattered in the background in a disorganised manner.

The main prop in this scene is the man’s Bible which he has securely in his hands. This object has great significance alongside the cross around his neck; which indicates he is a man of faith whose religion is important to him. These props also suggest that a religious ceremony or ritual is currently taking place.

Overall the performance and appearance of the actors is the key feature of this scene as their body language and facial expressions indicate a tense and tragic moment. The woman appears frightened, shocked and scared of what is in front of her, whilst the man tries to protect the woman by placing his arm in front of her; this indicates his possible personal connection with the women as he acts as her protector. The look in the characters eyes show extreme apprehension, and indicate that they are in an unwanted dangerous situation.

The costume used in this scene is based around the 1970’s setting of the film. They are wearing very dull and simple clothing which also suggest that they are very plain, simple and uncomplicated people as they are not wearing any extravagant or luxurious clothing or accessories.