IB LEARNER PROFILE 

Knowledgeable: Learning terminology, e.g. Mise-En-Scene, Lighting, Cinematography. 

Risk-Takers: Choosing to create or study films you do not usually go for. 

Balanced: When creating a film, focus on more than just one genre or filming type.  

Open-minded: Be open-minded to different ideas and thoughts, especially when working in a group. 

Reflective: When watching films try to reflect on what you are watching and the techniques that the director used in the film.  

Caring: Care about the feelings of others in your class.  

Principled: Admitting to your wrongdoings and being open-minded to the ideas of others.  

Communicators: Be open to communicating openly with teachers and students in your class—organising group projects.  

Inquirers: If you have writer’s block or do not understand something in class, do not hesitate to ask for help and speak up.  

Thinkers: Having to think of film ideas and being creative with your scripts and cinematography. 

One film that I believe features excellent techniques and Mise-en-scene is Joker.

One method the director used throughout the film was low-key and Chiaroscuro lighting in scenes. Doing this creates a dark environment and adds to the character’s personality. The film also uses dark blues and reds to convey the emotion of sadness and anger, which the character significantly represents.

This film also uses long shots throughout the whole film. However, they were used at the beginning to show the audience how lonely and isolated The Joker is. While at the end of the film, they had long shots to show the audience the number of people supporting him and the crimes that he has committed.

Another way that the director used Mise-en-scene to convey emotion is through costume and makeup. The use of the Joker’s costume (a suit) gave a sense of false hope that he is sane and well put together. However, his clown makeup gives a sense of lost childhood and immature nature.

Another forte that the director did well was the use of props. One of the most wildly used props was the help of a mask. This was to show the audience how The Joker was hiding behind a mask for most of his life and that now the mask has become who he is.

The last thing that the director did was help the actor portray emotion through facial expressions. Using his fingers to create a fake smile effectively shows the audience how he does not know how to feel emotions and makes the audience feel very uncomfortable.

Using all of these micro and macro elements, the director was able to successfully create a memorable character and a beautiful aesthetic movie.