Setting

What is Setting?
Setting consists of the time and geographical location in which the narrative takes place. The setting can be identified through many visual aspects and elements of mise-en-scéne, including costume design (helps identify the time period), set design (helps establish where specifically it is located) and many more. Setting may also help construct the mise-en-scene of a film, too. It establishes the context of the story through time, location and social environment. Setting makes up almost half of what the audience assimilates from a scene, other than characters, colour grading, editing and other minor aspects. Setting may alter the audience's reading of the film, for example, elements of the setting may estabish certain things regarding the plot or even just the location/era. It may also set a mood, for example, if the setting contains conventions of a particular genre i.e Horror, then the mood may be changed because of the darker conventions associated with a horror film.

The most commonly used camera shots to capture the setting are all variants of the long shot, particularly the extreme long shots. Angles typically used may be aerial, overhead, high or neutral (eye-level).

Conventions of Setting in Specific Genres 
Setting in different films will most definitely vary. This may often be because of the genre. Certain conventions of setting are used to help identify the film to a certain genre and imitate the mood associated with that genre. The following list contains conventions regarding setting in multiple genres, there are clickable links in the titles of each genre to direct you to an in-depth article on that specific genre, where multiple conventions are listed:

Horrible Bosses scene including a bar - people can be seen in the
background, suggesting a busy, public location,
fitting the conventions.

• Comedy - Comedy films are in public and well populated areas. This is appropriate for comedies as humorous events often occur in social situations - social situations obviously most commonly occur in well-populated areas. These settings are useful when showing the characters publicly embarrasing themselves - the more widescale the humiliation the more amusing the audience will probably find it. Specific locations will often be places renowned for social events occuring in - this includes bars or pubs (especially seeing as people get intoxicated in these locations, which may heighten the humour). Moreover, they're very casual locations which therefore don't create serious vibes and suit the lighthearted mood comedies create. Depending on the type of comedy and the target audience, the setting may vary. For example, in teen comedies, large bustling areas like cities wouldn't be appropriate, but highschools are the most common location for a teen movie to take place. In terms of time, day time is common in comedies as the natural light has no scary or dark connotations and therefore fit the lighthearted mood. On the other hand, in adult comedies, night time is an effective time to set a comedy - particularly in well populated areas and cities - because night is often associated with nightlife - where social events take place (therefore making it more likely for humorous occurances to take place, particularly when alcohol and other adult themes are involved) and is a perfect setting for adult humour. Moreover, it's a fun environment and fits the lighthearted mood. In terms of era, most comedies are set in the present day, however, this isn't always the case as humour can occur everywhere - it's not a modern concept and occurs throughout history. 

28 Days Later showing life as we know it (London) completely
isolated  and desolate. It targets what the audience is used to - they
have to imagine a place so bustling and secure in a state of desolation
and horror. 

• Horror - Horror settings are in isolated areas or small communities - this gives a sense of helplessness, insecurity and vulnerability as nobody is around to help the victims featured in horror films. This is why small towns or isolated woods are one of the most common locations used in horror. This being said, urban environments are also used for effect, particularly when the streets are dark (low key lighting) - shadowed alleyways are a location almost synonymous with certain types of horror films. Neutral places are also an effective location, for example a person's family home, a film in which a quaint family home is used is Scream. These locations - though less common - are effective because they're not exaggerated, this renders the audience scared because they are environments they're used to and therefore make them worry that what's happening to the victims on 'neutral' settings may happen to them. The places they find security and trust in are now used to make them feel scared, rather than using a stereotypical location that in normal life would have scary connotations, eg. graveyard. Areas with strong and eerie historical backgrounds may be used, eg. a house with history of hauntings, insane asylums, abandoned hospitals. These locations create a sense of inevitability as the audience anticipates something bad to happen instinctually - this keeps them on edge throughout the film. Areas used to create the feeling of suffocation or chaos may be used, these are enclosed areas such as closets or tight woodlands. They're most commonly used for jump scares. Locations that connote death are common i.e graveyards. In terms of time - night is the most common place for horrors to occur because darkness has scary connotations. People fear because they can't see and therefore feel vulnerable. Daytime may be used - though more uncommon - because it targets what the audience finds security in and makes it scary. The day time connotes safety, if horror films make scary things happen then the audience loses all sense of security. In terms of era, period horrors are common because the customary styles etc. are fairly eerie. Modern day is mainly used however, perhaps again to attack what the audience is used to and make them more scared. 

In Avengers, we can see that its set in a busy city with tall buildings
It's set at daytime, making the scenes visible and obvious to the public
and is set at the busiest time when more people will be out to witness
the action, making it wider scale. 

• Action - Action films are set in public, well populated areas. This shows that it is more widescale, meaning any action and threats in the film affect more people and therefore heighten the excitement and tension as more people will be affected - it puts a greater responsibility over the protagonist's head. They're often in populous cities with tall building and skyscrapers - this gives more things to be at risk of being destroyed and also gives the audience a sense of the risk that everything our society has built and is capable of creating will potentially be destroyed, heightening the tension. These are associated with contemporary living, industrialism and man-made locations - more expensive things are at risk plus the technology associated with modern areas like this appeals to the target audience (men).  Locations that connote danger or speed are used - this includes transport like trains or air planes. Prestigious buildings such as banks are used - especially in heist films. Action films may be set in war zones and on battlefields as obviously there is a lot of violence in the places. Car parks, warehouses and other industrial themes areas are used - these create a sense of danger because of the enclosed areas - there are no places to run so the characters must fight. In terms of time, action films are often set in modern day (this isn't always the case, action films may also be set in times of war, especially the WWI & WWII). Modern day is a good setting because it allows for more high technology props and gadgetry to be used. Nighttime is sometimes when action films are set because they make the characters look dangerous, daring and intimidating. Day time is used because it is when the locations are busiest - meaning the more public and widescale the action is. 

American Beauty depicting a surburban house, a realistic setting for
middle class Americans, which is one of the prime themes in the
film so therefore is an effective setting.

• Drama - Drama films have a broad variety of settings because the film's focus is on the character and the character's emotional struggles. This, therefore, requires a setting to suit the character's life and situation, therefore making it realistic which is the key priority in drama films. Locations must be somewhere where a realistic situation can occur and therefore invoke emotion in the audience, this may include workplaces, homes, holiday setting etc. On the contrary, the locations cannot be so realistic that they're boring or overly ordinary. Dramas may be set in whatever era as the main focus is the characters. Period dramas may be set in prestigious houses, castles, workhouses or slums - to depict the gritty life and emotional ordeal these people had to endure. Dramas may feature in timelines based around historical events - for example films based around WWII. This is because it's definitely a realistic setting (because it actually happened) as well an emotional time period good enough to show the emotional suffering of the people at the time. 

Midnight In Paris depicting the streets of Paris, a renowned city
known for its romance. 

• Romance - In stereotypical romance films, the environments used are places where a realistic chance encounter can occur. These are usually urban environments, but areas considered beautiful or peaceful are commonly used. This can include rural areas, sleepy towns, beaches, the countryside and so on. The setting can help the audience guess what will happen and even set the mood for a film. For example, if one setting featured at the beginning of the film is something that denotes loss eg. a war or battlefield, then the audience will anticipate heartbreak for the characters, therefore setting a heavy, dramatic mood for the rest of the film. On the other hand, if it is set in a Las Vegas casino or bar, then it will suggest that the characters may meet under terrible circumstances, involving a lot of drinking and mistakes - this sets a more lighthearted mood for the film. As for the time period, this may allow the audience to guess the narrative features based on the historical context. For example, if it was set quite far in the past then the audience would expect the conflict between the couple to be based around discrimination (probably from third parties), as this was a common issue in this era. Well-populated areas like large cities are the common setting for romantic comedies to take place, particularly social areas like bars etc. Romanticised, iconic areas are often featured too. For example, New York City or Paris. On the other hand, I don't think the setting has to be specific as people absolutely anywhere can fall in love - it isn't location or timeline specific.

How Important is Setting in The Construction of Mise-en-Scene and Creating an Understanding for the Viewer?

Setting is one of the most important aspects of mise-en-scene. Setting creates a sense of place as well as a sense of mood for the audience. Creating a sense of place is important to give background information, add context in the film and help the audience guess what might happen in the plot - eg. if it was set during WWII. Moreover, creating this sense of place makes it more in-depth and thorough, therefore adding to the realism of the film. It may also reflect a character's state of mind, or reflect what a character is like as an individual. For example, if it's set inside a character's room, the way the set is designed may help the audience interpret what the character's like based on the objects in the room. The objects may include posters of bands which highlights their passion for music as well as their tastes in music. The colour scheme of the room may reflect their tastes and even suggest if they conform to a particular stereotype - it tells so much about the person. The setting may be significant to the narrative, for example if the sole narrative is based around getting to a location etc.