Watch examples from Time magazine’s list of “Ten Memorable Movie Breakfast Scenes” (http://entertainment.time.com/2013/02/05/griddle-me-this-10-memorable-movie-breakfast-scenes/) Analyze and compare/contrast at least two scene for potential interpretations that could be made from their use of both mise en scène and audio signifiers (i.e., sound). Consider: what makes a place a fast food joint as compared to a diner? How do sound effects contribute to the ambience? What “information” do you get about a character from his/her appearance, whether you’ve seen the movie or not? How does music contribute to ambience or meaning?
This paper is brief (minimum 2 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point Times New Roman, one-inch margins all around) but you must be specific in describing what you mean. Also use semiotic terminology where appropriate (e.g., types of signs and “level” of meaning—denotative or connotative).
Keep in mind:
• All visual signs in mise en scène will be iconic merely because they are filmed. You should mentally get past that fact so you can discuss instead whether a particular prop, set dressing, costume, lighting, etc., is indexical/denotative or symbolic/connotative (or both). For example, a certain quality and direction of light streaming through a window might be merely indexical of “morning” (thus, it denotes a time change), but in some stories it might also symbolize that a character’s situation has improved (it has an optimistic connotation).
• Action sounds and setting sounds can be considered iconic for the same reason mentioned above, so you might want to mention them by those names (action or setting) but explain their additional value: Is a particular sound indexical of something off-screen and merely denotative? Is a sound symbolic and connotative? For example, setting sounds that are indexical of unseen vehicle traffic may be used for a location that is otherwise an obviously artificial street on a Hollywood lot. An action sound, such as tires screeching (whether the vehicle is seen or not), might be indexical of someone speeding away but also symbolic that the character left in anger.
• Music is also sound (but don’t call it a “sound effect”) and might function indexically or symbolically or both. For example, the well-known, recurring Darth Vader theme music (his “leitmotif”) is a nondiegetic symbol of his imperial power but it is not part of the characters’ world, and, furthermore, it has no natural connection to the story—rather, the audience learns to accept it as a kind of Darth Vader “trademark” so to speak. In contrast, characters might be listening to music of their era, which in that example is diegetic music functioning as an index of the time period.
