Research- MISE EN SCENE Elements

Hello everyone, welcome back to another blog! Last post, I discussed technical elements that are used for a blog post. Now, we will be shifting our gears towards Mise En Scene. Mise en scene consists of aspects the audience can visualize in the frames, and what those visuals can communicate about people, identity, power, and social meaning. Today, I will go through how these concepts are applied in horror thriller, and how horror uses iconography and negative space to position the audience to feel fear.

Props: 

The most common props that are included in horror films are murder weapon that varies from the basic slasher weapons like the machete, chainsaw, and knife to more complex weapons such as voodoo dolls and the insane, disturbing traps from the chainsaw. The more violent the weapons are, the more kills are complemented with a better reaction for the audience. The more uncommon weapons, like the traps from the Chainsaw, affect us as the audience in a way that disturbs us. As this is something they have never experienced it considers the character's perception of pain throughout the film. When we see horror characters like Michael Myers, we see things like a knife that instantly makes us escape the safety in the real world, despite knowing that these objects are only present in the movie, not in real life. 

Other props may not always be used for killing, which is mainly to build the horror in the scene. Aspects such as rocking chairs, paintings, and balloons all create a creepy effect within the setting. For example, a shot from the movie “IT” greatly represents a shot that shows a character named Patrick. He ventures into the sewers and comes across Pennywise, where the red balloon floats towards him. This indicates the suspense of danger and brings a momentum of creepy feelings. The red symbolizes things like blood and death, which links to color symbolism. This makes the audience personally feel scared as we sense the killer is lurking in the shadows watching us, and it uses negative space because the darkness makes us scan the frame for threats.

Now, let's delve into the costumes applied in horror films. Oftentimes, the villains of horror don more simplistic costumes. With Pennywise, however, the opposite is considered to be true. As the clown’s persona, it is ranked higher and over the top, so they will need a costume that will match perfectly with the aspects of their vivacity. Costume designer Janie Bryant is the woman who is responsible for bringing Pennywise in the 2017 version of Stephen King’s IT. As I was diving into the aspects of costumes used in a horror film, I figured that costumes that correspond with clown clothing help design the frightening look for the clown. This will be a great idea to consider for my film opening, as I will utilize my inspiration and apply it in my opening by making a villain have this same type of persona. The purpose of costumes in a horror film is to provide that organic, caterpillar-like feeling with iconic masks, visceral gore, and subverted innocence to help create fear, which is also part of horror iconography. This can all apply to being used as dupioni silk as the primary fabric for Pennywise’s ensemble, washing and distressing it in order to achieve that vintage look. This also shapes representation, because costume can instantly communicate who has power, who is threatening, and who is meant to look unnatural.

Lighting:

In film and visual storytelling, lighting often functions as a narrative device. This helps reveal or conceal information that guides the viewer’s eyes, establishes tone, and shapes character dynamics. The high-contrast lighting leads to create tension or unease, while warm, directional lighting can build intimacy or highlight emotional distance. These conventions help define the atmosphere of a scene long before any dialogue or movement occurs.

In the first image, the lighting follows a chiaroscuro convention, where the bright illumination on the cabinet shelves contrasts sharply with the central darkness. This dramatic contrast heightens suspense, as the middle section becomes a void that immediately draws the viewer’s eye. If you look closely, a faint face emerges from the shadows, turning the darkness into a site of tension rather than emptiness. The lighting doesn’t just reveal objects; it strategically conceals, using shadow as a narrative tool to create unease and suggest that something unsettling is lurking within an otherwise orderly domestic space. This also links to representation and power, because the hidden figure looks like it controls the space, while the audience feels powerless because we cannot fully see what is there.

Overall, the purpose of lighting helps control what the audience can and cannot see, and filmmakers shape tension, vulnerability, and fear. Whether through harsh contrast, dim naturalism, or selective shadow, lighting becomes one of the most powerful tools in crafting the unsettling atmosphere.

Setting and Location: 

Setting and location in horror thrillers are never considered as "background". They show the importance of controlling the audience's fear by controlling space. Filmmakers often use isolated places like a remote house or an empty street so characters feel cut off from help. This makes them look more vulnerable. These locations also use dark corners, basements, and long hallways to create negative space. This forces the audience to scan the frame and imagine what could be hiding. In The Conjuring, the farmhouse feels unsafe because ordinary rooms become unsettling when they're quiet, dim, and full of unseen areas. The purpose of this is to make the audience feel trapped with the characters and to build suspense before anything is revealed. 

Performance:

The emotions of these characters in these films are a very important task. Protagonists are usually portrayed as worried and afraid. Whereas the antagonists can be portrayed as aggressive and determined. They could also use an iconic, creepy face for the antagonists to help create fear for the audience. These faces include a frightening smile or even a laugh. This image shows Chucky smiling at his knife, creating a devious emotion coming from him. 

 

Another example I researched was a scene from Five Nights at Freddy's. Near the end of the opening, a worker at the pizza restaurant is kidnapped and blacks out, then wakes up chained to a chair in a dark room. A machine-like device moves toward his face, making the threat feel unavoidable and building instant suspense. This moment positions the character as powerless and confused, which pushes the audience to share his fear and ask why he’s been trapped. The antagonist is represented as a mysterious, emotionless animatronic presence—mechanical and unpredictable—so the scene creates tension through helplessness, darkness, and a delayed reveal.

Here is the example of that scene down below: 

Conclusion:

Mise en scene plays a crucial role in shaping the emotional and psychological impact of horror films. Through props, costumes, setting, and lighting, filmmakers craft a visual language that helps communicate fear, suspense, and deeper symbolic meaning. These conventions can help me plan to apply these elements in my film opening with intention and purpose. The props will be planned to subtly signal danger, such as an old toy, a flickering lamp, or a worn‑down tool that hints at a hidden threat without revealing it outright.

I have also learned that the lighting in the Parasite scene showed me how low beams of light help highlight moments of suspense and fear. I found it fascinating how, if you look closely into the dark, there is a man visible. This seems unique because I never had an idea of how the purpose of lighting can bring the momentum of suspense and fear. By learning these concepts, my film opening will not only establish its tone from the very first frame but also immerse viewers in a world shaped by fear, atmosphere, and visual storytelling.

For now, in the next post, we will analyze two film openings of horror movies, where I will examine how the camera movements, mise en scene, and technical elements are applied. This way, I can take notes and gain more inspiration to make the best film opening that will be needed.

See you guys in the next post!

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Sources: Film Grab. (n.d.). Film Grab. https://film-grab.com/

Walmsley, N. (2020, February 28). Mise en scène: Props and costumes in horror movies. Nathan Walmsley FMP. https://nathanwalmsleyfmp.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/mise-en-scene-props-and-costumes-in-horror-movies/