Research: Mise en Scene: Costume, Hair & Make-up - Mrs. Quinlan

Why is costume, hair and make-up important?

Costume, hair and make-up are part of the Mise En Scene, and are essential feature for the appearance of the character because the audience will determinate age, social status, personality, nationality, dislikes and likes before the character says a word. Costume is an important fact of acting, which shows the character interpretations, moves and speaks with the,continually, attentions of the spectator. Costume also helps to establish the relationship between characters to the viewers which means that the audience can reflect them self in stories being exaggerated in films. Moreover, costume, hair and make-up bring effective meaning in movies if well manipulated and developed, it then means that it transform all subjects and objects into new signs. For example, in a crime-thriller the protagonist will usually wear a police outfit, whereas is a psychological thriller the protagonist will wear a suit to represents his intelligence. This is because it follow the trend of the sub-genres and allow the audience to distinguish what character is the protagonist or antagonist.

Spectre: The character in this frame is the protagonist, which can be identified by his costume, hair and make-up. The protagonist wears a white smoking dress with black trouser. The white connotes to his good intention and purity, also to his moral persona which makes the audience have faith onto his action. His black trouser connotes to his professional and skilful personality as he have to protect the civilians by using guns and other gunfire. The protagonist does not wears any make-up, but his hair are neatly laid down which creates a sense of superiority and good looking to his character, it also shows that he take care of himself, therefore the audience are more likely to put their trust onto him. The suit that the protagonist is wearing is conventional to a thriller genre because it shows the spectators that they are intelligent and smart.

Fast & Furious: This character is an anti-hero which is presented by his costume. The black vest has connotations of evil intentions, also the black colour is a symbol of authority and power, making the character seen dominant and powerful. Moreover, we can see that the character wears a necklace with a cross, showing that he have faith onto God yet he still makes poor decision on breaking the law. This allows the viewers infer that although he is an anti hero he will still fight for justice yet causing problems in society. The vest that he is wearing expose his muscles, which makes the audience have faith onto him because they can assume that he is strong and capable to fight the villain strategically. The character has no make-up and hair, which is conventional to a thriller action as it shows his masculine nature.

The silence of the lambs: The character portrayed in this still frame is an antagonist. This can be assumed by his costume hair and make-up. The character wears a dull brown mask with bars which can be associated to his psychopath persona, which makes the audience infer that he is trapped. He also wears a bright orange clothes that suggest that he is in prison because his evil action that he accomplished. Furthermore, we can see that the character does not wear any make-up, but by his hair the spectators can assume that he does not take care of himself, which is conventional to thriller genre as the antagonist is unattractive and looks evil.

Se7en: The character from this shot is the female victim, which can be assumed by her costume, hair and make-up. The female character is wearing a white shirt which allows the audience assume that she is comfortable ans secure. The white colour connotes to purity and innocence which can be associated to the vulnerable and fragile personality of the female character.  Furthermore, we can see that the female victim has blonde hair which connotes to holiness and a easy target for the antagonist to kill. Lastly, we can see that the female character wears a little make-up to to show that she take care of herself, which makes the audience have less hope for her to survive when the antagonist will attack her. This is conventional to a thriller genre as the victim is shown vulnerable and fragile.



Hanna analysis:

From this action - thriller scene, we can see different characters representation. Firstly, we can see a teenage girl sitting next to another woman, and from her hair colour, which is blonde, and the pale face the audience can witness that she is pure and innocent. Also, from her pale face we can suggests that she is holy as she show her true female nature. However, we can see the she is wearing a prisoner outfit which foreshadow her as a criminal which makes the viewers, immediately, infer that she already broke the laws or, possibly, that someone kidnapped and trapped her. This will make her seen as a anti-hero as she will kill innocent people and get revenge. 

As the scene proceed, we can see that another female character is introduced and we can assume that she is the antagonist. This is because of her red colour hair that connotes to danger and blood. Moreover, we can see that she wars make-up. She wears a red lipstick and black eye shadows on her eyes, which makes the spectators infer that she is harmful, as black connotes to misery and red connotes to blood.  Also from her costume the viewer can assume that she is professional and that she comes from the higher class. This makes the audience witness that she evil and clever ,even, from her wicked smile, also because we can see another woman that looks just like her interpreting what the antagonist is saying. This makes the audience suppose that the the teenage girl will kill her as she might find out who really she is.

Lastly, as the scene develop, we can see that others minor character are bring into the scene. They wear sophisticated clothes such as uniform, flack jackets and a hat, which gives them authority and they formal role. The use of uniform suggest that they are in group which gives them more power, also the use of the bulletproof jacket gives them more security and strengths, which makes the audience reflect that they are powerful and professional. This is conventional to an action-thriller because characters such as police are shown in the movie.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, after this research which was beneficial to my knowledge I will be more selective about the costume and make-up of my character that I will use for my opening thriller. The protagonist will be a male character which will be attractive and strong, whereas the antagonist would be represented ugly and mentally disturbed which is conventional to a thriller opening. The protagonist will wear white colour shirt to represents his good persona and intentions, whereas The antagonist will wear dark colour clothes to demonstrates his evil and dangerous personality. Furthermore, I will probably have a third character which will be my female victim. The victim will also wear bright colour clothes to show her vulnerability, she will also wear a little of make up to shows that she take care of herself, therefore the audience will feel more sympathy for her, which is conventional to a thriller genre.