RESEARCH: MISE EN SCENE: FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY LANGUAGE- MRS. QUINLAN

 

What is facial expression and body language? Why is it important?

Body language and facial expressions are part of Mise en Scene. They are very important aspects of a character because they represent their inner nature and a person they are. It also conveys their mood and emotions which is important for the viewer so their character knowledge is more thorough and the audience is able to understand and connect with the narrative more; creating an emotional bond. The spectator can also infer the characters intensions by the way they are standing.  Body language and facial expressions differ across the genres as well as characters, for example in the action genre the characters will almost always look firm and determined to reflect the seriousness of the situation and reality of the action. However in a comedy most moves and facials will be exaggerated to make the viewer laugh and feel relaxed. When it comes to characters their posture and expressions will differentiate from one another to help the audience determine who is who. For example an antagonist will be slouched and have a cunning facial to show his inner evil. On the other hand the protagonist will look firm and his posture will show openness for others which will attract the viewers.

 

Facial expressions and body languages in Thriller genre:

In thrillers facial expressions and body languages play a massive role in order to help represent a character. This is because the characters which are evident in this genre are sometimes very complicated and exceptional. They are often different from the social norm and therefore their posture is different. In thrillers there are many psychopaths and brutal murderers who need to convey their roles and show their nature through many characteristics including facials and body language. Therefore many performers use method acting which is a technique that involves the actor to stay in their role before the movie is filmed. This means that the artist will become the character in their everyday life in order to prepare for the filming. This allows a naturalistic performance and a believable act which will create an intense audience reaction. These are some of the method actors who played in thrillers and has created phenomenal characters.


Marlon Brando


 



Marlon has followed Stanislavski's pattern which allowed him to recall his past experiences and feelings to fully pursue his role. This allowed Brando to truly understand his characters and create a believable performance which used to be rare. Moreover his roles has always been professional and didn't lack in realism. Marlon's role in The Godfather was highly convincing and his body language and facial expression looked natural and casual; making the moving image a reality. His character representation was accurate which is why Marlon Brando is one of the greatest actors in the history of film.

Heath Ledger  

Ledger's intensive method acting has made him one of the greatest actors to portray the tough role of the Joker. The psychopathic and cold-hearted tendencies that were explored by Ledger to fulfil the character has shown an extreme devotion for performing. Heath was truly becoming Joker and it is said that his passion became his fixation and the drug overdose, which caused his death in 2008, was said to be triggered by Joker.  Ledger's role in The Dark Knight was widely believable although the character is made up. However the spectacular use of facial expressions and body language made Joker seem real and natural which is why Heath Ledger was such a great actor.





Anthony Hopkins



Anthony Hopkins has followed method acting techniques to some extend. He mentioned in his interviews that he truly admires the method actors and sacrifices and determination they put into a role. However he himself thinks that the script is all that he requires to complete a role. Hopkins has played a psychopathic cannibal in the thriller The Silence of the Lambs. As much as the character had casual and simplistic facial expressions and body language Hopkins managed to make the character seem realistic; creating insecurity amongst the audience.







These are some of conventional examples of facial expressions and body languages from different characters:

Protagonist: the protagonist would have a determined facial expression but not too rough as they need to look approachable and kind so the audience sympathizes them. Their facials should look welcoming and pleasant so the viewer knows that they have good nature. However at some moments a protagonist should look determined and show courage so the audience put their hopes in them. From this thriller Salt the female protagonist seems determined which is shown by the steady look on her face. Also the way she half closes her eyes shows that she has a set aim or tries to read others. When it comes to the body language a protagonist should have a confident posture with their shoulders firm but not too arrogant. This posture will show the audience that their hero is brave but not vain.
The protagonist from the thriller Seven has a worried facial expression. This is also conventional because a protagonist should care for others rather than just himself.

Antagonist: a conventional antagonist would have a slouched body language to show they are uninterested, which is disrespectful. It will show that they are mysterious and have something to hide which makes the viewer feel insecure. Their walk would be sloppy or very vain to show their arrogance. This would make the spectator loathe the character. In addition the antagonist would have a very self-assured facial expression or disgusting grin on their face which yet again displays their mocking nature. An example would be Joker who has an evil facial expression, shown by the way he lowers his eyebrows and smiles. Suggesting that he likes his corrupted personality. His slouched posture shows that he is not welcoming and dislikes others which is typical of an antagonist.

On the other side the antagonist can have a very firm body language and serious facial expression to show they are dominant and intelligent which would make the audience feel intimidated and fearful. The character from the thriller Face-Off has an intrigued facial expression which is shown by his steady and determined look, suggesting that he has found something/one of his interest which he could use for his own benefit. This is conventional as an antagonist always tries to suit themselves without considering others.

 

 

Victim/ someone in distress: a conventional victim would have a very teary facial expression because they are vulnerable and scared. Their faces will show terror and they will be looking like they need a saviour. A victim might have a cuddled up body language to show fear. They might also have a hand held out as if calling for help. In addition a victim could have a clueless face as they are unaware of what will happen. This makes the audience feel sorry for them as they are innocent and helpless. It can also make the audience feel bad because they can’t do anything to rescue the person in distress. The victim from Psycho has a helpless body language which is shown by the way she holds her hand out as if asking the viewer for help. The victim from the thriller Law Abiding Citizen has a clueless facial expression which shows how exposed and oblivious she is to upcoming danger. This makes the viewer feel worried knowing that a child is in the subordinate position.

 

Examples of body languages and facial expressions in thriller genre:

Fast and Furious: the male characters have a firm and steady body language which shows that they are confident. Their hands are loose and far from their central body parts which shows that they are assigning their territory and value personal space which makes them look superior and dominant. It portrays their characters as threatening and ready to fight which can intimidate the audience or make them feel safe. Their facial expressions show determination and focus which implies that they are strong-willed and nothing can stop them. This is a conventional representation of male characters in action thrillers. The female characters have a subverted role as although they look less dangerous than men they are still masculine and show authority amongst the crew. Their facial expressions show supremacy and confidence which is important and expected of a protagonist as they need to create a sense of safety for the viewer. Their unconventional body language helps to establish their masculine nature; creating a sense of intimidation for the male viewers as well as females. However this is done with a good balance which therefore implies that these females are the protagonists rather than someone we should be afraid of.

 

Law Abiding Citizen: this shot allows the audience to witness clear facial expression through the use of a close up. The spectator can infer that the character is an antagonist because of his sickening laugh. The grin on his face is arrogant and shows that he receives pleasure from his tortures which is a conventional trait of an antagonist. The viewer feels disgusted and fearful as the mentally unstable character gains pleasure from a violent act towards another human.

 

Further Scene Analysis of Chosen Extract:

 

I decided to analyze the facial expressions and body language from this still frame from the thriller Uninvited. The female character has a clear concern in her expression. She is looking down and her slightly open mouth and fixed eyes show that she is in deep thought and reflection about something which is hidden away from the audience making them feel insecure and curious as they are unaware of what the character is feeling. In addition her body language shows that she is quite anxious or scared. This is shown by her leg which is cuddled up to her centre which can imply that she is insecure and needs to feel safe. Although she is slouched the viewer can assume she is not dangerous because of the female representations in the film industry. Therefore as a spectator we sympathize her character as she looks vulnerable and innocent therefore we feel sorry and pity.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, learning about different posture and facial expressions was important because they help to characterize an actor and show the audience what kind of a person they are and how we are supposed to react to them. I also learned how different characters will have different body languages and facials to juxtapose their roles and help the spectator to differentiate each characters. Posture is also important to convey a person and make them different from one another also allowing to create a persona and imply their intensions. From looking at facial expressions and body languages in thrillers I now have a wider understanding of how to use those traits in my opening thriller sequence. I decided to have a firm looking protagonist who has quite fearful facial expression to show that he is able but not arrogant or over confident. This will allow my audience to pity and support my character at the same time. Also I decided that my antagonist should have a sickening facial expression and a slouched body language to show that they are not approachable and should be avoided. Lastly the victim should have a scared facial expression to show that they are in fear of losing their life. Their body language should be open to show that they are welcoming but therefore exposed to danger easily.