I selected this scene from the climax of the film where Joker is on the murray franklin show because it encapsulates the elements of mise en scene well. The set design is detailed as there is a full filming studio built for Joker; additionally, how busy the set is as there is a lot for audiences to look at reflecting the busy atmosphere of New York where the film is set. In contrast the costumes of the other people on screen besides joker are very simple causing Joker to stand out more as they are in muted, neutral colours while Jokers costume is very brightly coloured, reflecting how viewers focus should be on him in this moment. The foreground of the scene is quite quiet with there only being cameras and low lighting whereas at the back of the scene is the focus, as the characters are there the lighting is much higher and the main set design is. The key light is directed at Joker as he is the center of the scene and additionally guiding audience to focus on him. There is low lighting in the front of the scene showing how that area is less important at that moment. The composition is quite unbalanced, drawing attention to the middle where Joker is sat. Joker’s extensive makeup increases the verisimilitude of the scene as he looks more like a clown and a joker. The other characters’ makeup is very natural and almost unnoticeable compared to Joker giving the impression that they are not part of Joker’s community and are different to him. The scene is widescreen, which gives a fuller experience as more of the set is shown and audience members feel completely submerged into the film.
Set Design is clear in this scene as it is not a real location, so it has been made for the film, the set is very detailed as it contains all the furniture, the fake tv studio and the fake camera equipment to make audiences think Joker is on a real tv show. The set design adds verisimilitude to the scene. The audience also see the set behind the original studio, which makes the scene more immersive as it feels like viewers are there inside the film.
Space is important in this scene as Arther is in the background of the scene which is uncommon in Joker, and he is surrounded by upper class men as they take up the foreground which may be the director wanting to portray how the upper-class characters should be the audiences focus as they are Arther’s in this scene.
However, due to the composition of this scene the scene is very symmetrical bringing our focus to the center where Arther is stood which can reflect how viewers’ attention is forced onto Arther. The upper-class characters are also closer to each other compared to Arther, who is further away reflecting the society at the time of how separated upper- and lower-class people were.
Makeup is important in this scene as the ‘blood’ on Arther’s face after he kills his coworker ads a sense of verisimilitude and makes the scene more graphic, and violent. Additionally, Arter has his Joker makeup underneath portraying how Joker is his violent persona as all of Arthers acts of violence connotate to his Joker makeup. Joker is also known for his makeup as it becomes a sign of rebellion as many wear clown masks as their form of Joker makeup.
Costume is prominent in this scene of Joker as Jokers costume provides a strong contrast from the costume to the background, the background colours of the shot is very muted and shows the society of poverty, depression and littering. However, joker is dressed in very bright colours which commonly reflect positivity yet the character and plans that Joker has (to kill on live tv) juxtapose this.
Lighting is clear in this shot as on the left side there is harsh, bright light from behind Joker whereas on the right side the lighting is much lower, making Joker look much more sinister, the change in light can also reflect Jokers light and dark side of his personality as later in the film Joker does become a much darker character.
Hairstyles are important throughout the film as it shows a clear transition from Arther to Joker as he is known for his florescent green clown hair like the masks work at the end of the film. However, Arthers real hair, seen in this shot also shows his persona before Joker and emphasizes poverty as his hair is quite unkept and looks unwashed.
The long uncut tracking shot, in the open scene of Juan arriving to assumingly sell drugs in his neighbourhood, effectively uses panning to build the world in which these characters live in, as the use of panning shows the audience a lot more of the scene in which the characters than just a single shot would.
The director, mainly throughout the first act of the scene, zooms in on the character of Chiron, I think, to convey to the audience how small and insignificant he feels in the society he lives in. The director also does the same type of zooming in on the character of Juan, which could be the director trying to convey that Chiron feels like Juan was the first ever person in his life to care and understand him and how he feels.
Shot Angles – Moonlight
The shot shown below, which is a High Shot, shows Chiron and Kevin sitting on the beach, smoking weed together. The director has chosen this shot to show to the audience the closeness of the two character’s relationship, but perhaps also to foreshadow the following scene that will take, and that they will become sexual partners.
A lot of the shots in the film, such as the one shown below, which is taken from the scene in which Chiron and Kevin fight, are shot at Eye-level. In terms of the whole film, this is done to make the audience feel like they’re part of the events and witnessing them in real life, making more the film more immersive. In this scene, I think this shot has been used to portray to the viewer how betrayed Chiron feels, as he is now getting beat up by this person who he had a deep experience with.
Shot Distance – Moonlight
The shot shown here is from the first act of the film, and it is where Chiron is being taught how to swim by the father figure in his life, Juan. The director, Barry Jenkins, has used a MCU (Medium Close Up) to immerse the viewer in the scene, and make the audience feel like they’re really there, and to perhaps make the audience feel like they’re part of this close relationship, which would help them understand it better. If this was the director’s vision, I think this has been executed very well.
ost shots of Chiron, in the first act, such as one the shown below, which is a LS (Long Shot), picture Chiron being small and vulnerable, whether that be like the example below or just showing his face through a CS (Close Up), portraying to the viewer that he feels powerless in this society.
This shot shown below, which is once again a CS (Close Up), shows once again a sense of weakness and powerlessness within the society, but this time this feeling is coming from the mother, who is addicted to drugs, and begging her son for money, which I personally think is quite a weak thing for a person to do.
In this close shot of Juan and Chiron, you are Made to feel like you are there using a low shot angle. By seeing them and seeing the water it captures the surrounding of what it will feel like to be in the water with them in that moment.
In this medium close shot, it gives the perspective from Chiron’s mother. The close shot helps emphasise what emotions Chiron is feeling in this moment. As there isn’t much background is showing the intense and fierce conversation/ confrontation from the mother’s part.
In this long shot of Chiron’s mother. The perspective is from Chiron, this long shot helps emphasises the distance and how isolated the relationship between Chiron and his mother, and how they are not close at all as they grow up.
Shot angles –
In this scene of Chiron and Kevin, the shot angle being used is of a low shot angle. This almost makes them seen as superior and in power. It also shows the growth and how growing up as made them more inferior from any others.
In this high shot angle of Chiron laying on the ground after pretending to fight with is friend Kevin. The high shot help show the defeat that was made and to help show the tiredness and worn-out state that Chiron is in making him seem smaller and less strong to his friend.
In this almost eye level/ low shot of Chiron swimming on his own it helps capture what it would be like to be in the water with him, the use of slapping in the water it creates a sense of panic and like you have no control of the water.
Camera and lens movement-
In this scene the camera zooms in and then zoom out. Chiron’s mother backs away as the camera zooms out to show how she doesn’t care about Chiron’s feelings and to show how selfish and show how she doesn’t not act very maternal for her son.
In this scene the camera tilts down then tilt up. It starts off with the camera tilting down to show the gun in Juan’s hand and it is also a slight enigma code as we are not sure just yet who the guy is. However, when the Camera moves up, we see that it is Juan, in this scene Chiron enters his house without warning this make Juan seem paternal as he is trying to look after him and his family.
In this scene the camera pans left to right to show the anger and pace of Chiron who is about to throw the chair over a boy. The camera pans left to right to show the speed of Chiron walking and the intense moment of this scene.
This BCU of Chiron puts us in the position of Kev as Chiron gets up from his beating. It shows us Chiron’s indomitable spirit and emotional strength, able to stand up to someone who was a friend after being beaten down. We are shown his stoic expression in extreme detail, which makes the audience respect him as a character.
LS
This long shot puts us in the shoes of Chiron hiding from the group of bullies. It shows us the futility of Chiron’s situation, showing us all of the open space on school grounds, blocked off from him by one small group of people.
CU
This close up of Chiron after the bullies attacked him after forcing Kev to punch him gives the audience a sense of Chiron’s pain. It shows us the blood over his face, the cold water that makes his skin glisten in the school bathroom light. It shows us Chiron’s frustration and anguish in detail, as well as representing his loneliness by giving a close up on his face against an empty white wall. This shot also precedes the scene where Chiron breaks a chair over Tyrell’s head, and this shot gives us Chiron’s emotional motivation for his action by showing his mental state
Camera Angles
Bird’s Eye
This bird’s eye shot of Kev and Chiron on the beach shows them close together on an uneven backdrop that is the sandy floor. This gives the viewer a strong sense of friendship between the two, and the plain sand backdrop against the two looking up at the camera, breaking the 4th wall in a sense, creates a strange atmosphere, almost like a dream.
Eye Level
This eye level shot of the “Little” segments Chiron and Kev portrays a sense of comradery between the two. We get the sense that they are equals and friends.
Low Angle
This low angle shot puts us in the perspective of Chiron’s mother talking to Juan, the man who was taking care of Chiron. This shows us the height difference between the two characters, creating a power dynamic between the person who was meant to look after Chiron versus the person who actually did take care of him.
Movements
Zoom In
This zoom in to the “Little” segments Kev and Chiron gives the audience the feeling that we are getting closer to the characters emotionally. This zoom in happens during a scene where Kev is telling Chiron that he can’t let people push him around and he needs to stand up for himself. The zoom in shows us that these characters are getting closer together, and gives the audience a sense that they are prying on a private conversation between to very close friends.
Pan
This scene where “Little” Chiron is running down towards the waves and then running away when the waves come up utilises a pan to follow Chiron as he runs. It puts us in the shoes of Juan, who is teaching Chiron to swim, and invokes a parental feeling of keeping eyes on the young child, looking after him, making sure he is safe and okay. It shows us Chiron’s relationship with Juan.
Ped
The cooking scene from the “Black” segment utilises peds to follow the movement of Kev’s hands while he is cooking, showing the effort and care that goes into the making of the meal for Chiron.
From my understanding mise en scene is the combination of all the aspects of a film that make up each shot. All the thought and time that went into each moment and aspect of the film, from costume to the lighting. All aspects of a film must be thought about with each shot, because all of them could have a second meaning that would push the story’s narrative more.
I’ve selected this moment from the Joker because it is a good example of the mise en
scene. I think this is because it has a realistic set design of a sound stage that is used on a tv show set. This medium shot encompasses Aurther’s desire to be seen as a comic, and later revealed, just to be seen at all especially by Murray. The shot is an almost point of view shot, but from a spectator. Aspects of this set could have been made for the movie, but I doubt that all of it was, i feel that the parts that specifically align with the Murray show where probably made for the movie, while the actual stage would have already been made for other talk shows. The composition of the shot brings attention to Aurther and Murray, while still showing the camera/film crew in the background, though the audience isn’t supposed to pay them much mind, as they have been blurred.
I feel the composition of this shot is very balanced, with Aurther in the middle and the alleyway on each side. It is clear that this is a real alleyway and not one constructed for the film, but the props and rubbish that are on the sides probably were placed there by the crew. The way that the sign is laid out broken on the floor could be read as a reflection for Aurther’s current mental state. The lighting is also slightly low-key and almost dirty looking, again to highlight the state Aurther is in, compared to a couple moments before when he is working, where it is much brighter.
I feel that the lighting in this scene is very strong, because it changes depending on where you are looking on the screen. Toward the staircase you have more low-key lighting, which lets the audience know where to look, making them focus on Aurther. Whereas the single florescent bar and the dim light from the window that are lighting Aurther are really standing out. Having Aurther be the only thing that is lit makes the audience know to look at him. While bright lights can often be associated with happiness or joy, here the bright florescence is more associated with hospitals and institutions of a similar sense. I also feel it important to mention that the camera angle that this is shot from could be a representation of Aurther’s spiraling mental health at this point, as he has just finished running down spiral stairs and finding out he is adopted, which could be considered as the catalyst for the rest of the movie.
The costuming for Aurther’s “Joker” persona is a very important aspect of the film. Most people who would have gone to see this movie would be expecting makeup like this on him for the whole movie because he is based off the Joker character from Batman. having this makeup be foreshadowed by the clown masks that begin to be worn by the people protesting because of Aurther’s murders is a very smart move. The makeup itself is a very classical clown look, something people will automatically know is meant to be a clown. As for the costume, I feel that having him dressed in bright contrasting colours was a choice made to have his actions happen after being even more surprising. This also could be so that the fictional audience of the Murray show would be more surprised because of his almost jolly look. The bright colours contrast with his dark actions and mind.
The use of space and lighting in this shot is very effective. The way that the officers stand up and Aurther sits down can wordlessly portray the power difference between them, their presence making Aurther feel smaller, or at least he is portraying that to them. BY having there be a lot of space between them, it creates a sort of “us vs them” mentality that Aurther is setting up by this point in the movie. By this point, Aurther has already started to think that the whole of society is against him, so having this very visible space between them shows that. The lighting in this scene is again reminiscent of that same florescent hospital lighting. By having the officers in almost complete darkness, shows the audience that from Aurther’s perspective, they are the enemy. While Aurther, has some light behind him, showing that he truly believes he’s done a good thing.
I feel the use of this film’s aspect ratio is done very well here. By having a slightly taller screen, you are able to take in the beauty of the theatre that they are in. But along with that, with the screen not being too thin, you are able to see the slight audience reactions from the people either side of Aurther. Aurther being in the center could be a slight foreshadow to how Aurther is at the center of all the chaos and destruction that will happen and mostly affect the people who are watching this film. In this show, the viewer is able to almost get into the mind of Aurther, by feeling how invisible he must feel because he was able to just grab a uniform and come into this screening.
I feel that the use of space in this shot is very telling of Aurther’s mental state. The way he is off center could be showing how mentally he is declining. As well at this, having the camera slightly blur out the background, it still makes sure the viewers eyes are drawn to Aurther and not the things in the background.
A memorable scene for me was a young Chiron looking out onto the ocean. This seems like a tranquil place for him. The motif of water is commonly used as a reference to “rebirth” or “baptism” and in every act of the film we can see Chiron at a body of water, cleansing him of one era of his life, leading him onto another.
I absolutely loved this film. It tackled the topics of sexuality and addiction so gracefully. Usually in films that explore these topics we see a lot of unnecessary violence that hold no significance to the plot, but moonlight strategically places heart wrenching scenes to reach out to the audience. The first 2 acts take place in Miami in the 80s, when the war on drugs and AIDS epidemic was taking place. I only have one critique for this film, and it is the Beach scene with Kevin in act 2, I would have preferred it if they had only shared a kiss instead of that and a sexual act.
I have chosen this image because of the creative usage of colour grading. This scene is timestamped at one of the most important points of the film, this is after the joker kills 3 Wall Street traders and takes off to hide. In this scene there is a significance to the colours reflecting against the wall. The two main colours are yellow and blue. Most commonly the references that come with yellow are either “happiness and sunshine” or deceit and cowardice. We commonly see yellow in the film when Arthur is by himself or feels comfortable with himself. Whereas blue represents the society around him. In this scene we see Arthur transforming in and out of these two perspectives, shown through interpretive dance.
I have decided to use this scene to represent the use of makeup in this scene. In This film we don’t see a spectacle of special effects. There are small moments in the film that use makeup and special effects to its advantage, doing this pulls the audience in with small but extremely violent and realistic makeup looks and effects.
I have decided to use this scene to represent the usage of composition. In this scene there are two characters (Arthur Fleck and Hoyt Vaughn) the placement of both characters is very strategical as to keep the audience’s eye on all aspects of the scene. There is a triangle created with Arthur, Hoyt, and the small clown figurine at the bottom of the desk. Hoyt is placed at a lower angle compared to Arthur which gives the audience the impression that Arthur is a looming figure, a personification of the criminality in Gotham.
I have chosen to use this clip to represent verisimilitude in this film. In this scene we see Arthur shoot Murray point-blank in the head. This is a favourable example of verisimilitude, as we see the bullet penetrate Murray’s head on screen. If this were an off-screen death the audience would have a harder time believing Arthur’s insanity. An on-screen death will always shock the audience.
I have picked this scene to represent Lowkey Lighting. In this clip we can see Arthur in his “alter ego” The Joker. Arthur is just after killing a man in his apartment and has succumb to his illness. The use of Lowkey lighting in this scene foreshadows oncoming terror, (which does come in the next few minutes) The use of lowkey lighting gives the audience a sense of fear.
This scene is used to represent location filming. This specific scene was filmed at the West 167th Street Step Stairs in the Bronx. Many viewers from New York City or anyone that has knowledge on NYC will recognise these stairs. Location filming is important as using notable locations such as NYC (which Gotham was based on) gives a more authentic feel to the film
This scene is used to represent sound-stages. Todd Philips was creative in his use of sound in this film. For a sequence in which Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is beaten up by three Wall Street suits on a subway car, the sound gets more sinister as the scene progresses. It was building the scene, starting at a normal atmosphere and then amping it up as the torment increased on Arthur. In a way the usage of sound in this film is a separate character itself, almost representing the chaos that is in Arthurs’s head.
When the joker is in the public bathroom doing an unsettling dance. In this scene when the joker is dancing the camera follows his body movements very fluidly making you feel a part of the scene
For the most part I enjoyed this film. Visually it was entertaining, but it was a complete remake of the king of comedy (Scorsese, 1982) even down to Robert de Niro being in it. It follows the exact same story line. Also, very reminiscent of taxi driver (Scorsese, 1976) with the motifs of how loneliness and isolation will lead people to do crazy things like kill a talk show host or politician. The cinematography was beautiful, it captured the grittiness of 80s Newyork perfectly.
I chose this one because everything that is on Joker’s bedside table really represents his character- the gun could potentially be seen as foreshadowing or a hint of his madness. There are also cigarettes and a lighter which are precisely placed so that he can grab them at any time, portraying maybe his addiction. Finally, the newspaper on the floor is extremely significant as it is a silent way for the audience to understand what is going on within the world that this film takes place in (verisimilitude). It drives the narrative. It also raises tension, and the words “A new movement” are an indication of an underlying theme that the movie will address. Overall, it just makes the character feel more real and it connects the audience to the film much more.
Mise en scene element= Composition
This is the second screenshot, and it shows a lot of elements of mise en scene. Firstly, there is set design. In the alleyway there are plenty of trash bags that can be seen, just thrown carelessly, and this gives the impression that the city is dirty and filthy-this helps build the world that the film takes place in. Then there is also the poster which has graffiti painted on it that says “Resist” in an ominous black pen- this further emphasizes the feelings of the rioters in Gotham and adds to the story of the film. Finally, a wide-shot angle is used which makes the viewers feel like they are watching from afar as something very bad is about to happen, and the lighting is dim and dark, making it feel creepy.
Mise en scene element= Cinematography
In this shot, they are using a medium close-up shot (MCU). This shot is used to clearly show the emotions on Joker’s face in this specific scene while he hauntingly fakes a big smile while feeling the complete opposite. It focuses the viewer completely on the character as he is the central figure and helps them fully immerse themselves and understand.
Mise en scene element= Makeup and costume
The colours of Joker’s costume and makeup are stark and very vivid which add a lot of depth and visual impact- every time Joker is on the screen the audience is attracted to the bright colours so it’s very clear that Arthur is the focus. Also the makeup on Joker’s face can be seen as a metaphor for his hatred for society and how out of place he feels, like a joke, which clowns are seen as.
In comparison, at the beginning of the film the makeup and costume for Joker’s clown persona is much less serious looking and a bit goofy. The red nose can be seen as childlike, and the wig is misplaced and cheap looking- this can be seen as a reflection of Arthur’s feelings towards this terrible job. As we watch the costume develop throughout the movie, it tells the audience the story of Joker’s downfall spiral into the murderous character he becomes. It’s a subtle way of storytelling but it works very well.
Space-I’ve chosen this screenshot of the film due to the Mise en Scene, in this moment of the film, he’s just committed a murder and is on his way to the tv show he will be appearing on. I have chosen this scene due to the way it stands out in the movie, in comparison to a large majority of the movie its bright and centered I think this could have been a way to express the feeling of euphoria he feels within this moment. The setting is a interesting point, the joker in a previous stage of the movie had slowly walked up these stairs, in a darker off centered scene. The joker stands in the middle of this scene making him the focus point.
Lighting-I’ve chosen this scene, as the lighting in the background shows the reflection of the moment of the joker and shows the viewer that he is traveling. This. Lightning techquine shows the reflection with the lights being blurred out into the background really puts the focus onto the joker.
Costume Design-I like this costume design as its imperfect, having a character’s outfit by worn, and dirty can make the scene more believable for the viewer as it follows what the character would have been doing in the scene, we see the jokers suit ruffled and blood on his outfit. This creates a sense of reality to the viewer.
Set Design-The set design shows the increate design of the theatre, i find this photo interesting as it shows the luxurious interior of the theatre, but throughout the movie such as the social workers office its overcrowded and simple. This photo shows the class divide but also serves a purpose to the audience of class divide.
Hair and Makeup-The hair and makeup in this scene show the new joker. He previously had been wearing clown outfits, but this shows more of Aurther’s new idea of himself. This hair and makeup show the audience the new attitudes that the joker has.
Composition-This shows composition, the angle of the camera faces the joker showing that the focus is on him. The books and papers in the background also show the depth and stress. Showing the viewer the large piles of books. This shows the joker clearly but also the space which the social worker is in at the same time.
Aspect Ratio-The radio is facing landscape showing that he is travelling at a rapid pace. This also builds tension as he travels. It draws attention to the space around him aswell.
