I have chosen this scene from the beginning of the film “Joker” (2019) to expand and explore my ideas on “Mise-en-scene”, this refers to everything the audience can see in the frame including elements such as: lighting, actors, props etc.  

I chose to talk about this specific scene as it is a very low camera angle shot so you can clearly see the camera lens is almost on the ground itself, almost symbolizing the very low point in which Arthur was at in his life during this scene. The shot composition of this scene is also very powerful in a way as it makes Arthur the only thing fully in focus, therefore letting the audience know he is the main character in this movie as everything in the foreground and background of him is all out of focus besides from him implying his impotence. As this is one of the first scenes we see of Arthur in a costume, it will ultimately make the audience correlate the costume with Arthur’s moments of weakness, this however contrasts with the last time we see him in a costume, and he is taking over the influence on raging civilians who at the end of the movie are starting violent protests and destroying everything around them. This then makes a drastic shift in how the audience now views Arthur.  

In this scene, the lighting is dim with bright streetlights as the only light source in the frame, making Arthur kind of blend in with what is happening around him as a possible way of showing his unimportance in this particular scene. This later contrasts to the next time we see the Joker going down the same set of stairs as not only the appearance of the character changes but also their entire personality and confidence.  

I have also decided to talk about this scene because I think the coloring and assembly of the set design in this shot because it doesn’t only allow the viewer to see the interactions between the main character (the Joker & his mother) but it also creates more attraction point in the frame meaning the audience have more than one thing to focus on as everything is in focus. The brightly colorful elements in this shot such as the set design and props used also have positive connotations which implies that Arthur’s mother and taking care of her is one of his main priorities and source of happiness, compared to how other aspects of his life such as his job and meetings with his social worker are presented in colors which are more dull and dark.  

I picked this scene to talk about makeup within this film as I think the makeup used in this scene such as fake blood on white face paint made the red pop out a lot making it attention catching for the audience as it stands out compared to everything else in the frame. The fake blood specifically created a sense of verisimilitude meaning what we see on screen is accurate to what it would look like if it happened in real life making it realistic and in some was more entertaining to watch from the viewer’s perspective.  

The element of spacing is used effectively in this shot as we can see all elements within the frame such as the actors, props, cars etc. as they are all in focus allowing the audience to decide what or who they want to follow. This shot is also a great example of shot composition in this film because of all the elements in this shot and the way they are placed, specifically Arthur being in the middle of the frame the entire time showing his importance.  

This shot represents the Joker as being a leader and even a role model to the citizens of New York as he is center-frame and also the only character in focus. This was used as one of the last scenes in the movie because it shows how Arthur rose above everyone when he became the Joker meaning he is very important as or right now but maybe also later. The Joker is also presented as powerful and even cruel using makeup and costume design making it look like Arthur has been through a lot to get to the top (which he has).