Mise-En-Scène in Film
Greetings!
This blog post is about the mise-en-scène of one of my favorite film series, “The Good Place”!
“The Good Place” is a comedy sitcom directed by Michael Schur. Its premise follows Eleanor, a deceased woman placed in a utopian afterlife modeled after Heaven and overseen by an afterlife "architect.” She tries to change herself and her old ways from when she was alive to fit into this “perfect” society. She makes friends along the way, some greatly unexpected, and learns about what it truly means to be a good person.
Here is an example of the costumes and settings:
Mise-en-scène is used all throughout this series to provide narrative information by incorporating lively and vivid colors to both set designs and costumes, adding unique prop placement, and mostly bright lighting. All these features add to the creation of a cheerful atmosphere and friendly-looking neighborhood with a quaint and cozy environment. Additionally, the mise-en-scène is heavily involved with the characters’ costumes and individual personalities. For example, the character “Chidi” is a mentor for Eleanor and was a professor of ethics when he was alive. So, the clothes he wears throughout the series consists of vests, button-up shirts, slacks, and prescription glasses. Therefore, he’s seen as a “nerdy” character with niche interests. Another example is the character of “Jason” who was a chaotic DJ from Florida. So, he’s normally seen sporting backward caps, camouflage attire, and chains. This helps portray him as unpredictable and wild. Lastly, the character of “Tahani” is almost always overdressed. She values luxury and high-class items. So, she’s always wearing dresses and pearls. With the exception of the protagonist who wears basic flannels and jeans throughout the series to help conceal her true identity by dressing as neighborly and plain as possible, the costumes are one of the best examples of how mise-en-scène works in this series. The audience is encouraged to view these characters at face-value because the way they dress directly corresponds to the way they act. However, throughout the course of the series, viewers will start realizing other aspects of their personalities as the characters themselves experience change. So, the characters' clothing acts more as a distinguishing aspect, rather than just a full-rounded representation of themselves. In addition to the costumes, the settings and props add meaning by giving the audience a look into the characters' minds. For example, once Eleanor gets to the afterlife, she's been confused with a different person who is also named Eleanor, so the house presented to her is of the liking of this other Eleanor. The house is filled with things that the protagonist doesn't like, such as paintings of clowns and jazz music. These elements that are so out of character for Eleanor, speak of the ironic situation she's been put in. The bright colors and distinct props, costumes, and lighting used in most scenes, help convey to viewers that the show is meant to be light-hearted and comedic. Lastly, my favorite mise-en-scène element was the costumes mentioned before. The wardrobe contributed so much to the series and did a wonderful job portraying each beloved character.
So, the series "The Good Place" used mise-en-scène in a multitude of ways and overall, is a great show with a heartfelt meaning and several key themes such as personal growth and development, ethics and morality, and the constant battle of impending death. Although at first glance the show may seem just a pleasant and positive watch, it has sentimental moments that tocuh every viewer. I came to love this show due to all the characters and their unique traits and additions to the plot.
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