Mise-en-Scene in Moving Image - Shameless

Mise-en-Scene

Shameless
 



 

Colour:
The clip starts with some dull subdued colours, these are representative of lower class people as the colour relates to their lives relative lack of fulfilment. Be it financially or happiness. As a viewer we can see that the colours have started to change colour due to age and treatment, this could also indicate that they have little money to repaint the walls.  

The colours on the males clothes also coincide with the colours of the decor. The relatively dark colours of this scene could be aiming to represent that he is bringing darkness to the family, it also emphasises what he is saying with could give the idea that he is drunk, this is usually associated and viewed as a 'dark' think. 

The next scene shows us the rest of the family which are dressed in lighter more appealing colours, this is highly representative of the fact that they bring the light into the family that otherwise wouldn't have it, there are still reminders of their background though as, there is a solid grey wall, this is indicative that lower class people (we are indicated that these people are) struggle to get away from their backgrounds no matter how hard they try. 

The baby is dressed in pink, this is generally viewed as a happy upbeat colour, which links to them (in this case specifically the baby) being the ones to bring happiness in an otherwise sad environment that a lower class household maybe. It is often stereotyped that lower class members of society hold on to certain things for happiness, one of such stereotyped items is a baby.

Also noticeable is that they have a red front door, this could be perceived as danger, this is how these class of people are sometimes viewed. As danger is undesirable to people that could be the representation idea.

Clothing / Costume:
The father is wearing quite dirty and untidy clothing. This creates the idea that the father may not have a job since it is the morning and he is dressed very inappropriately for any kind of work. His type of clothing also also links with the idea that the family is lower class and they do not have a large some of income.

The entire family, including the father, are wearing casual clothing. this again links to the idea of the family being lower class. Their clothing also looks cheap which suggests they do not have a lot of money, especially to spend on clothing.   

The boys in this clip are wearing track suits. This fits the stereotypical image we have of teenagers who belong to a lower class family in a lower class society. Tracksuits are often what establishes a bad image for the person who wears them. However the tracksuits also signify a low standard of wealth within the family which links with the lower class status of the family.

When the family are outside of their house, they encounter a man who is dressed in a suit. We are instantly able to see the contrast between the two social classes. It is clear that the man in the suit is some form of business man who belongs to the middle class level of society. 

Lighting:

The lighting in the clip is quite simple which matches the interior. This shows that they do not want to spend a lot of money on lighting and they want to stick to what they need. This can be used to show that they are lower class.

They use a lot of natural lighting which could be seen to show that they do not care about other people judging them and they do not mind who they are. This shows that they do not worry about people judging them because they are lower class.

There are curtains on the windows which could be used to show that they are seen to be outcasts from society. It shows that people do not want to include lower class people into society and they would rather ignore them and separate them

Body Language / Posture:

The children are leaning on the table which shows that they are lower class. This is because lower class people are shown to have little manners and not leaning on the table is classed as manners. 

The father is slouched over and he is not walking straight which may be used to show that he is drunk. By the action of him leaning over, this could be used to show that the weight of responsibly is on him and he struggles to cope with everyday life. This may be used to show that being lower class is hard for people and they have a lot to cope with.

Most of the characters arms are crossed at various parts of the clip. This is used to show their anger and to show that they do not enjoy being lower class.  It may also be used to show that they are angry with the father for letting them become lower class and not doing anything about it.

The teenager with the baby is cradling the baby tightly. This may be used to show that she is protecting the baby from being lower class and does not want the same for her baby when she is older.

Framing:

The dad is away from the family at the beginning of this clip. This may be used to show the father is not close with his children and do not have a good bond with them. This may be because his children do not like the fact that he is an alcoholic and doesn't work.

The rest of the family are close together which show that they all have a close bond. This shows unity which is a stereotype for lower class people. The stereotype is that lower class families are close and strongly rely on each other.

However, all of the family are standing together at the end which shows that they have become close again. This shows that they were able to overcome their differences and accept their father again.

The table that the children are sitting around is covered in empty alcohol. This shows that the children are surrounded by his bad habits and have had to put up with them for their whole life. It could also be used to show that the alcohol is the center of the father's world and his children come after that.

Hair and Make-Up:

The father has long, greasy, messy hair. This shows that he is not bothered by his appearance and does not put effort into his hair. It shows that he does not wash a lot as he has greasy hair. However, this may also mean that he is unable to afford shampoo which shows that he does not have enough money to buy basic items. The fact that his hair is like this shows that he does not have a job as this makes him look unprofessional and is not a hairstyle that people who work have.

The girl who has a baby has her hair tied back into a bun. This shows that she does not have time to do her hair now that she has a baby. This hairstyle is also quite child-like which may be used to emphasis the fact that she is a teenage mother, which is a stereotype for lower class teenage girls. Her make-up is quite simplistic which reinforces these points. It could also show that even though she does not have much time, she still wants to make a little bit of effort with her appearance.

Both of the teenage boys have shaven heads. This may show that they cannot afford to go the hair dressers as they are able to do this hairstyle themselves. This is also known to be how prisoners have their hair so links in with the boys being seen as dangerous. It may also be used to foreshadow their later life and where society thinks that they will end up because of their class.

The little boy has quite long hair, like his father. This may be used to show that the boy is also going to end up being like his father, lower class. This shows the cycle which most lower class people find themselves in and unable to escape from.

The business man has styles hair which shows that he is middle class. He has quite a formal style which shows that he has a good job.

Facial Expressions:

The fathers facial expressions are rather blank for the clip and he does not show a lot of expressions. This may show that he is used to living as lower class and it does not phase him anymore. It may also be used to show that he has lost hope and he does not feel as though he would ever be able to get out of him. He also looks as though he is drunk which portrays his alcoholism and his addiction, which is a stereotype of lower class people.

Most of the time, the other characters look angry. This may be used to show that they are angry at the situation and how they are angry at the fact that they are lower class. This may also be used to show that they are angry at the fact that their dad is not doing anything to help them and they know they they will be stuck being lower class.

Props:

There are a lot of empty alcohol bottles which show that the father may be addicted to alcohol. It also shows that they do not tidy the house often. This shows that they are not bothered about their surroundings and the place in which they live. It may also be used to show that they are lazy which shows why the father has not got a job.

They have a lot of locks on the door which may show the kind of area they live in. This shows that they live in a place which has high crime rate, which is typically known to be a lower class area. This is as lower class people are stereotypically known to to be involved in crime and they are all seen to be criminals.

There are pictures and drawings up on the wall. This shows how the family are close and how the house is family orientated. A stereotype of lower class people is the families are close and stick together. By images of the family being up on the wall, it shows how they are proud of their family and want to display their memorable moments. By the pictures being displayed on the walls, it shows how the father respects his children and want them to feel good about themselves.