Mise-en-scene Case Study

Inception (2010)

This scene adds a lot of tension to the film as it gives mixed emotions to the audience. This is due to the fact that throughout the movie the spinning totem top, which becomes a very important and iconic prop in this scene, is used to reveal whether or not Cobb, the main character, is in a dream or reality. However, in this scene there is a sense of joy and satisfaction as we see Cobb finally get to return to his kids and happily reunite with them but as time passes by suspense builds as the spinning totem continues to spin leaving the fact of whether he is in a dream or reality a mystery and letting the viewer choose what they want to believe in. Cobb is wearing a suit which represents how he was been hard at work to get back to his kids and is still wearing one even as he gets to see them as he rushed back to them when he had to chance which is further supported by the fact that he didn't wait to see the outcome of the spinning top, revealing whether he was in a dream or not, even though throughout the movie he would be paranoid and relied on it often to reassure himself that he wasn't. For the blocking of the scene, Cobb is placed in the background with shallow focus in use as although the characters are having a happy moment together the real focus is on what's in the foreground, the spinning top. There is emotional music being played to go along with the theme of Cobb reuniting with his family as we can also hear him and the kids in the background but the music slowly becomes less intense while the sound of the top spinning gets louder, bringing all the focus to it and whether or not its going to stop.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

In this scene we see Miles Morales really become comfortable with being Spiderman and being fully able to embrace it and have a fluidity and finesse with his new abilities that he had been trying to achieve throughout the movie. Miles is finally comfortable in his new skin as he wears his homemade spider suit which shows although he has changed he is still somewhat new to it all but yet takes a leap of faith knowing he has grown to not only be better but also the Spiderman that everybody needs. The blocking of the scene shows this leap of faith as he trust in his abilities to catch himself and is completely reliant on himself. The framing also shows him being separated from the city and facing the opposite way while still being in the midst of it all which could represent how he as a hero is unique from the citizens but still is amongst them but facing the danger instead of running away from it which can also be a reasoning for the scene having a deep focus so that while he is placed in the middle and is the obvious focus of attention the viewer can look around and make the connection of him being part of this city that he is almost lit up by. The color and lighting complement each other really well in the scene as it is a dark night that is yet completely lit up by the city which gives the scene a very stylized feel that is constant throughout the movie and adds a lot of character. This scene uses motivational music that works well with the idea of Miles overcoming his fears and doubts and embracing who he has become and must be as well making everything feel complete.

Big Hero 6 (2014)

This is a very emotional and sad scene as Baymax sacrifices himself to save Hiro, the main character, from being stuck in a realm of nothingness. In this scene, Baymax uses a rocket booster on his hand that is attached to his arm to boost Hiro through a portal back to the world, and you can see how his right hand is missing because Hiro is holding it although it cannot be seen at the moment. Additionally, Baymax's suit has taken damage as he takes hits from objects being sucked toward them from the portal. The costume choice shows how he has been putting himself in danger and taking critical damage to protect Hiro. The hand that Hiro was holding onto as it boosted him towards the portal later reappears in the film and when Hiro accidentally opens the fisted robot hand it is revealed that Baymax held the file chip that programs him in his fist meaning Hiro could now use this chip to bring Baymax back if put into another robot body which makes the hand become a very important prop. The blocking of the scene has Baymax falling backward looking at Hiro as he slowly seeps into the abyss knowing that ultimately his purpose was to protect Hiro and that his sacrifice was for the best. There is also a good use of contrast with the colors as Baymax is bright white and his suit is bright red contrasting against the gloomy dark background, showing how he is this beacon of light within the movie and in this scene.