Mise en scene and aesthetic of film noir
Mood • The mood for film noir is usually very sad and depressing. • This mood is created due to the lighting, the characters & the attitudes of the era these films were set (post WW2) • There are constant themes of greed, sex, and exploitation within these kind of films and they usually surround the hero which usually leads the audience to question his morals.
Setting There are two main settings in film noir they are: • A damp urban alleyway • An open area usually surrounded by fields The two very opposite setting choices work very well because they’re always set at night which adds to the sense of mystery and bad intentions.
Lighting The lighting of film noir is nearly always low key lighting. This provides a lot of shadows which is key for film noir as they provide lots of suspense and provide the mood for the scene. The lighting within the scene often reflects the character e.g. if the protagonist is a single & depressed detective, the lighting is going to be very low key having what little light focused on him representing his loneliness. Fog is also used to create mystery as it blurs the characters, never knowing whether they're good or bad.
Camera work • Many shots in Film Noir are Dutch angles which are used to portray mystery and confusion. Close ups and extreme close ups are used a lot in film noir too as they help show the emotions of the character. • Low angle shots are often used when portraying the antagonist as it makes him seem powerful and more important. High angle shots are usually used on characters that are usually in peril such as the protagonist, the shot makes them look miniscule and weak.