Mise-en-scene of 'Saving Private Ryan'

• Dominant. Where is our eye attracted first? Why?

The eye is naturally attracted to the larger object in the picture as it is helped with the contrast of lighting. The building’s low-key lighting surrounded by bright light clearly shapes the building. Therefore producing a bold and dominant object for the eye to view.

• Lighting Key. High key? Low key? High contrast? Some combination of these?

This shot expresses a combination of low key and high key lighting. Low-key lighting is evident by the brightness of the light coming through the background behind the building and the bottom of the frame giving almost a sandwich affect highlighting the middle region of this still frame. Regarding high-key lighting, the center area is somewhat all camouflaged due to the repetition of the similar colours. Concluding that there is contrast between the top and bottom of the shot to the middle.

• Shot and camera proxemics. What type of shot? How far away is the camera from the action? Angle. Are we (and the camera) looking up or down on the subject? Or is the camera neutral (eye level)?

This is clearly a long shot to help establish the new scene’s surroundings. After John H. Miller and his selected troupe have found Private Ryan in the field, then are taken back to Ryan’s base camp. The angle is at a slightly higher angle than the soldiers eye levels.

• Color values. What is the dominant color? Are there contrasting foils? Is there color symbolism?

The colours tend to be of the same shade, dark green, light and dark grey, black and brown. The main contrasting effect is the sandwich affect where the is bright colours such as light grey on the top and bottom of the shot and dark and camouflage colours in the middle. The selection of similar colours especially in the middle highlights the fact that they are still in war and that there is nothing vibrant about it even though they have found Private Ryan.

• Lens/filter/stock. How do these distort or comment on the photographed materials?Subsidiary contrasts. What are the main eye-stops after taking in the dominant?

The eye is focused on the middle section of the shot and this is done by that same sandwich affect. Then the eye is drawn to the soldiers, as they are the only form of life in the shot.

• Density. How much visual information is packed into the image? Is the texture stark, moderate, or highly-detailed?

This is a very dense shot as it incorporates semi blown up building, rubble every where, smoke in the background, the soldiers that blend in with the rubble and the interesting shot through the barbed wire. There is a lot of detail for the viewers to observe as this scene shows some context.

• Composition. How is the two-dimensional space segmented and organized? What is the underlying design? Depth. On how many planes is the image composed? Does the background or foreground comment in any way on the mid ground?

There are many layers to this shot. The background at a distance from the soldiers involves the use of smoke creating a mysterious effect as well as symbolizing the effects of war. The next layer towards the camera is the movement of the soldiers along the rubble between two semi-destructed buildings this helps to emphasize the fact that they are probably safe now as this new scene starts. Then the shot through the barbed wire amplifies the point that there is a little bit of safety as well as adding another layer to the shot.

• Form. Open or closed? Does the image suggest a window that arbitrarily isolates a fragment of the scene? Or a proscenium arch, in which the visual elements are carefully arranged and held in balance?

The two buildings on either side of the soldiers keep them in a closed environment as well as this barbed wire idea it helps to close off the scene. On the other hand the background gaps include smoke giving a translucently open feeling.

• Framing. Tight or loose/ Do the characters have no room to move around, or can they move freely without impediments?

Although there seems to be a lot of space it is mainly occupied by the left of building parts, therefore highlighting the path that the soldiers are walking along. This also emphasizes the point of camaraderie as they are close together.

• Character proxemics. How much space is there between the characters?

There is very little space between eh soldiers, again emphasizing the camaraderie of war and this closely founded troupe.

• Character placement. What part of the framed space do the characters occupy? Center? Top? Bottom? Edges? Why? Staging positions.

They are placed dead center of the frame located between two buildings giving a sense that they are not vulnerable. Although the smoke in the background gives off an eerie affect there is still a sense of safety as they are tightly packed together.

Shot Analysis

This is a fantastic still frame from the award winning film 'Saving Private Ryan'. This shot is taken right at the beginning of the movie just after all the US soldiers have landed on the French beach, where the enemy, Germany watches over and protects. The rushing boats filled with old and young nervous US soldiers sets the mood, as they head towards the death ruled beach. As the gates of the boats open bullets penetrate the men before they can feel the sand, many honest men a slaughtered without a chance. The captain, John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) who is aboard one of the many ships commands all men to prolong their lives by leaping over the sides of the boats into the freezing Atlantic ocean. Then underwater shots are shown as the men plunge to save themselves and the chaos that not only occurs out in the open but under water as streams of bubbles are created by bullets.

The camera angle is impressive as it allows the audience to feel involved in this hectic situation. The camera films slightly out of the water and then back down as if it were bobbing, this hints that it is mocking one of the soldiers point of view as they are coming out of the water. This angle suggests that their eye level is just above the water over looking two soldiers aiding each other. It is clear to observe that both men are gripping onto each other as well as supporting their own body. This clearly highlights the fact that war is never an individual commitment but a team challenge.

The lighting is helped to set the tone of the scene. It uses natural light capturing the reality of low light expressing the dullness. This emphasizes the point that there is nothing joyful about this situation. This also highlights the fact that war is occurring and the smoke created in the background amplifies this point. The colours chosen to be in this shot don’t attract your eyes to a central point. All the colours are very similar for example; dark green, black, grey, brown and washed out red. The lack of contrast helps the viewer to observe the shot as a whole bringing all the elements together. Therefore relating back to the point that war is not an individual situation.

This frame shows the daunting German forts located on a hill above the US soldiers. This low angle shot relative to the German’s positions shows the hierarchy in the current war situation how the Germans are triumphing so far.

In conclusion this is non-contrasting shot helps to signify the reality of camaraderie.