2.5: Geometry of the Scene [Video]

Purpose:

This journal assignment invites you to analyze the arrangement of everything within the frame—also known as mise-en-scène—in live-action films. By examining a selected scene from Shoplifters, Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, Initial D, Shin Godzilla, or Godzilla Minus One, you will explore how elements such as geometric composition, lighting, and character design create narrative depth and emotional resonance.

Your task is to analyze how these visual elements enhance the storytelling of your chosen film and propose new content or improvements to the textbook’s section on mise-en-scène, offering insights that will help future students better understand this critical aspect of filmmaking.

To begin, watch this video analysis by Every Frame a Painting, which demonstrates how Akira Kurosawa employs geometric composition to shape the narrative in The Bad Sleep Well (1960). Use the techniques discussed in the video as inspiration for your own analysis:

The Bad Sleep …