Noir Mise-En-Scene mind map

This is a small mind map outlining some of the most common features of a film noir. Most of these themes we will be attempting to recreate in a neo-noir film piece

History and Context for Neo and film Noir

Film noir is a term used to describe the stylized genre of crime thrillers that were common in the 40's and 50's. It is easily recognizable by its low key lighting paired with black and white visual style. The term noir was first coined by the french critic Neno Frank however most film makers from the classical era were not aware of this term being used. Up until the 60's film noir were only normally produced by American company's it was only until the 60's and on wards did the style spread world wide. It included a heavy use of high and low angle shots to put a skewed and uneasy tone to the film adding a mysterious tone. The use of heavy jazz which was still popular at the time added a sense of sophistication. Common elements of Mise-En-Scene found in film noir are dark rainy streets and everyday locations. The use of sound in noir film has also become iconic such as the use of quite and silence as well as sudden jarring sound such as the sound motif that accompanied the stabbing in psycho. Finally the common themes that the majority of noir films were based on were crime, specifically murder and innocent people being forced into doing crime.  

Neo Noir is the term used to describe a film of that genre created using modern techniques and styles to create a piece that will hold it's own today while still harking back to the old style of noir crime thriller. Some note able Neo Noir films include sin city, Blade runner and Chinatown. 

Noir Lighting

In this post all be talking about common lighting in the noir genre

First off is low key lighting a theme that is highly common and is associated with noir film this being very low levels of light creating huge shadows and enhancing the sense of mystery.

The low key lighting also serves conceal the identity of the criminals involved allowing us to film them in plain view while keeping the mystery going. It gives the viewer a sense of who the criminal might be while keeping them just at arm's reach and letting them theorise during the film up until the grand reveal.

The other notable method is back lighting which separates the character from the background my allowing the scene to be well lit and keeping the character in complete darkness. This helps to create the same effect as the one I've mentioned above just through different means.

Lighting context and overview:

Small light:

A bare bulb or direct sun, cast strong hard shadow. need to soften them with a diffuser or fill them. For defining figure or looming shadows for spookiness

Big light:

very even lighting and soft shadows but don’t give off much atmosphere. It’s best for shots with high detail and actors.

Direction of light:

Light from head on can give a flat and emotionless feel that can dazzle people

Three quarter light from a 45 degree angle is the normal place to put the light in a traditional lighting set-up:

- Light from directly above tends to make people’s eyes disappear in shadow. light from below can give a feeling of spookiness

- Light from behind can give an outline and mask the features on the face in a contrast to give a air of mystery

Outdoors:

Using daylight with a cloudy sky makes it easier to get even lighting from many angles and getting good shots. Bare sunlight is harder as it casts strong shadows and dazzles the subject.

Indoors:

The same goes for the above but you need to ensure you use the correct bulb for the job. such as LEDs halogen lamps, low energy bulbs and Chinese paper lanterns for an atmospheric shots.

Conclusion:

I would like to use small light to stick to the noir feel of  large shadows and having faces hidden by shadow. Id also like to use indoor lighting to give a feeling of closeness and claustrophobia that is a common theme. I feel that using outdoor lighting would break the feeling of closes darkness.

Noir Setting

The city

The settings that are common in noir film is that of a built up city common settings are New York or Chicago normally downtown. This gives a claustrophobic feeling like being surrounded by enemies which again is a common theme in noir film

The office

This is normally a small cluttered office where the detective smokes and mulls over the case. Normally the office is inside the police building with a frazzled secretary works to keep the detective on the case. This is clearly a sexist view that we don't support and hope to subvert if we do have a secretary in our opening shot.

The back alleys

The back alley is a common place to establish the shady dealings that are at the centerpiece of most crime deals in noir film. It is also normally used for long brooding shot of the detective walking places or to establish a new character.

Noir Costume

In this post I'm going to be talking about costumes that are common in noir and neo-noir film.

First of all we have the our stereotypical protagonist, the detective. In the classic noir film they were often dressed in long trench coats, suits and fedoras while smoking a cigarette. This often gives them a sense of mystery as most of their bodies are covered by a large coat and their face is covered by a hat and the smoke masks the face and gives a deeper sense of mystery.

The Femme Fatale or the lead woman in noir film are usually fairly sexualised as a result of the time they were filmed in and women were still widely objectified as a merely love interests as a result it was common for them to appear as smartly dressed women in dresses or as a secretary dressed in a plain dress. But in classic noir they very rarely appear as a hero.

Finally the extras in most noir films follow the same guidelines as the lead detective normally being garbed in mystery wearing long coats and hats to cover the face. This was done to keep attention on the leads and away from them.

Analysis of the Opening of Leon the proffesional