Episode 8: Celluloid Dreams Films School Part 4: The Psychology of Mise-en-Scene & Performance

Matt & Mike return to discuss the elements that "set the stage" for performance, which make up the Mise-en-Scene of the film. Aspects which comprise Mise-en-Scene include the following:1) Locations - whether it be a soundstage or a natural location.2) Costumes - past, present, or future all require authenticity.3) Props - what are the props that either make the film feel lived in or define character.4) Makeup - especially that which fully transforms the actor into the character he or she assumes.5) Visual effects - to either enhance the setting or character transformation, including motion capture.Once the setting is established for the actor, the primary aspect required to bring the scene to life is performance. A few aspects regarding performance explored in the episode include the following:1) Casting - whether to typecast or cast against type.2) Exterior vs interior acting - stagecraft to play to the back row in comparison to the Method taught by Lee Strasberg or the Adler technique attributed to Stella Adler.3) Non-professional actors - under certain circumstances, is it better for a person to simply be who they are before the camera?4) What is the future for AI characters in film?