Notes for Mise-en-scene

Lighting

What happens?	How is this effective
BF and Roxy at the press conference always have full light on their face. Where as the press are shaded slightly	They are the “stars of the show”
In the stage MS has light on her face	She is important to the “show”
In the press confrence there are constant flashes of lights	To show the cameras and it highlighs how this is a high case
The lights slowly come up as the final oh yeses.. come out	It is following the volume and helps
The assistant da harrasont is in the light
Roxy's husband in always in the shade	He isn't unimportant and no one cares about him

Colour:

What happens?	How is this effective
In the jail it is dark and has a blue tint to it	It is cold and dark in the prison
Normal lighting in court room and outside	It is the supposidally “real world”
The stage has a red tint to it	It is about murder = blood. It is also dangerous what they are doing because it is lying to court
The press is always red but roxy and BF are blue	Because they are seen as the innocent and truthful characters
The strings are red	It is dangerous the hold BF has on the press
Black and white when they recap how the city of chicago reacts to Roxy	It shows the time of the film and how it isn't that intersting because you know why they are saying this all. It is also calming for the audience because after all the colour from the musical number it is peaceful to have a bit of black and white.

Setting

What happens?	How is this effective
The jail has black bars and bricked concreate walls	It is a low, dark jail but isn't seen as dirty as white does
Chicago, 1930's (?) and the court house has giant detailed colloums	Shows the time and location. However not much of this is shown meaning at this scene (especially) is not important and the location does not show where we are
The theater, with layered roofs, gloden pillars and lighting surrounding the stage	The press conference is like a show, you want them to stay interested but nothing that happens on stage is really true
It shows a scene of chicago with tall industrial buildings with spires on the roofs. Very the same and concrete buildings (not glass etc)	One again, time a setting. Shows that it is set in the times in which chicago is famous for it criminals so the images are reconsisable.
Roxy's house is messy with all her clothes everywhere	Everyone is excited and just grabbing and/or dropping

Props fedora or trilbe

What happens?	How is this effective
At the start roxy is looking and reading her diary	She likes looking at her life and it shows that she want broadway
The cameras and microphones are old style	It feflects the time of the setting
Roxy is wearing a silk scarf and her hair is neat and dressed	She has gotten dressed up at this and it is quite reliant on the looks
Billy Flinn is wearing a big heavy jacket with a fur lined top, suit, scarf and fedora hat	He has money and is seen as a big improtant man. Replaying the image of the Boss with big heavy expensive clothing
Miss Sunshine is wearing a fur lined coat, pearl neclace and earings and a decrotive hat	She is stylish, rich and an important character
All the other press are wearing only suits and a piece of fabric as a scarf if any	They aren't important
In the theater, roxy is wearing a blue plan yet good looking dress	She is pretty but plain and unintersting
Billy flin is wearing a striped suit and boe tie and a hat. He looks like a contriliquist	This is the character is is meant to be improvising
The actors playing the press are wearing heavy makeup making them look like puppets	They aren't really controlling what they are saying
Miss Sunshines skirt is black but the cuts underneath are red. She also doesn't look like a puppet	The red under the skirt shows from the outside it looks normal and standard (info) but really it is wrong (marker). Even though she is contolled by Billy Flinn she is is more independent than the other press
The hats and clothing of the civilians	Most are rich and it also shows date and setting

Acting style

What happens?	How is this effective
At the press confrence roxy begins by looking in control but then gets confused when when she begins talking	She want's to be in the center of attention but does not like the way that the she must act in order to portray her innocence
BF has a fake smile and only truly smiles when the press begins to chant what he has been telling them	He is an actor, however he finds joy in when the press begin to believe what he tells them even though he knows they are lies. Also shown when he smiles and begins laughs in joy when he is a) pulling the strings b) and when when roxy in on his knees
BF, show signs of annoyance and “really” when roxy tries to steal the spotlight	It tells us that BF know what he is doing and how to 'play' the press, however when his clients intervear, it ruins his show
Whlist most of the press is looking desperate for information Miss. Sunshine holds her pose and is not in any rush	It shows that she is in control of that area of work and she know that she is in charge as does BF and the rest of the press
Mr. Hart is looking confused and does not understand fully about what is going on	He isn't into jazz and the themes that the character roxy is portraying thorough the film. We can tell is is the innocent character living in a corrupt world.

Briefly Describe the Setting/Location and the type of activity/ies would usually take place in this setting?	It is chicago in the 1930's (?) it is when they are at the height of the Jazz 'n' Crime stage. The jail in which it is set is 3 main places, A jail (black and polished bars, does not look dirty) A press conference (crème pillars, huge, heavy black doors and old fashioned cars. This setting is usually connected with crime's of passion. A theater with golden pillars and layered backgrounds, red curtains and circular lights boarding the stage. This setting is allocated with shows where people will put on a performance where you believe in the protagionist's story. The city of Chicago It shows a scene of chicago with tall industrial buildings with spires on the roofs. Very the same and concrete buildings (not glass etc). This shows the business end of Chicago and the successful working class.
What props have been included in the setting to convey an intended message or describe the activity/ies taking place?	In the jail cell, Roxy is seen to be reading her diary, this conveys to the audience that she likes to hear about her life and believes that she should be the focal point of attention the whole time At the press conference, the use of old fashioned camera and microphones are used to show us that we are in the 1930's and in an upperclass part of Chicago. Billy Flinn is wearing a thick fur lined coat, suit, scarf and fedora. This is using the image of the “big boss” in the thick coat and expensive clothing to show Billy Flinn's character. The costume is also used to show Miss Sunshine's high and famous position in the press is expressed through her wearing a fur coat as well as pearl necklace and earrings with a decretive hat. These costumes contrast those of the remaining of the press for they are wearing only a plain suit and hat and occasionally a piece of material as a scarf. In the theater Roxy is wearing a plain blue dress, sitting on Billy Flinn's knee whilst he is wearing a striped suit and rimmed hat imitating the looks of a contrilcoist. Ms Sunshine's skirt in the scene is black on the outside like the colour of print but underneath, the skirt is red, siginalling that what she is writing may look substantial to the outside, it is really dangerous lies but like the public she only cares about the outside view on it.
What does the contrast (light levels, difference between dark or bright areas) indicate about this setting?	The cloudy lighting of the press conference scene contrasts the dark theater room indicating that though in the light, it looks like nothing dangerous is happening, what really is going on is secret and untruthful.
What type of tones or colours are used within the setting; pleasant, simple, cheery, bleak. (Also consider the lighting).	Though dark, the red tint to the scene highlights to the audience that what is happening on stage is dangerous because it is all lies that Billy Flinn is telling them and that he and Roxy both are concealing a murder. The red in the faces of Flinn and Roxy constrating their calm colours of their dress show that they both know it is murder but are dressing up to let the press believe that what they want them to
Describe the spaciousness of this setting (Cramped or open/roomy).	It is cramped for the press in the press conference but in the theater it is organized. Billy Flinn and Roxy always have their own space
Describe the physical state (messy, neat, formal).	In the press conference it is busy and hectic however on stage the sence of orginzed excitement is created by the syncronised dance from the press pupets and the spaciousness of them
What is the general atmosphere of this setting (what moods or feelings does it invoke)?	The dark and cloudy atmosphere of the setting invokes the audience to believe that Chacago, is dangerous and cold and the realtiy of the city is dull and boring, however, when in the theater, everything is exciting and busy.
Describe the acting style of the characters within this setting?	The acting style outside the theater is believable because of the seriousness of the characters. When in the theater, they overact slightly to fit the new “show-biz” characters. The acting is not overscale and it is believable allowing the audience to follow the story and appreachiate the characters.
How does this setting contribute to the acting style and character/s personality?	Being set in Chacago in the time where it is famous for its murder and jazz attitude to life, Billy flinn is a power hungry character who finds pleasure in when the press begin to tell the story he has created to keep hold of his record. Roxy is a character who desperately wishes to be part of the show-biz life but does not appreatiate Billy Flinn's ways in which he wants her to act, it is shown that Billy Flinn does not like her style either because when she tries to take the spotlight, she fumbles as she does not understand what she is supposed to be doing and Billy Flinn is bringing her down as he steps into the spotlight.