The Piano - Mise-en-scène Introduction

Mise-en-scène is the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing – actors, lighting, décor, props, costume – is called mise-en-scène, a French term that means “placing on stage.” The frame and camerawork are also considered part of the mise-en-scène of a movie. (http://www.elementsofcinema.com/directing/mise-en-scene.html) In the film, The Piano, the narrative feature of mise-en-scène is used effectively in the scene (at 1:32:09) where Alisdair cuts off Ada’s finger when he finds out she’s been seeing Baines. Through the use of costume, performance, lighting and setting, Campion creates a powerful scene.