Divergent: Mise en Scene

 During the last few classes of AICE Media Studies, we learned about mise en scene, or what is known as production design. We learned that the job of a production designer is that they are responsible for making sure that the set matches the characters and the tone of the project. In film, the overall mood, characters, and theme of the project are very important. In order to ensure that these aspects are met, production designers incorporate mise en scene elements throughout the film or project. Such elements include specific sets, props, lighting, costumes, actor blocking, and shot composition. 

Today, I will discuss the mise en scene or production design of the movie Divergent and explain how it contributes to the mood, characters, and theme.

In this first shot, the lighting is a warm-toned orange. This lighting helps create a tense atmosphere by symbolizing Tris's internal conflict and her self-consciousness. In other words, in Divergent, the people are divided into what is called "factions." Each of these factions represents a type of personality. For example, Tris's family is a part of the Abnegation faction, which represents the selfless. As a result, they want her to choose to stay in the same faction, living a humble life. However, in this shot, the lighting is a mix of grayish orange. The orange light contrasts with the gray tones that represent the Abnegation faction. The orange lighting and ambiance of the shot hint at the Dauntless faction, which represents fearlessness and bravery. The mix of gray and orange lighting in the scene symbolizes Tris's attraction to the Dauntless faction and her desire for freedom.  Thus, through this lighting choice, the mise en scene emphasizes Tris's emotional struggle between following her family's wishes and following her own desire for independence. As a result, this also helps foreshadow later events of Tris choosing to join the Dauntless at the ceremony.

These next two shots show the costumes of the characters in the movie, specifically, the people are a part of the Amity faction. The costumes of the Amity faction stand out through their bright, earthy colors and their flowyness. Specifically, the costumes are sage green, pastel orange, and yellow. Within the mise en scene, these colors symbolize the personality of the Amity faction. The Amity faction has a peaceful and carefree nature. In the first shot below, it is clear that the woman is wearing a soft and flowy sage green tank top with minimal accessories. The lack of extravagance in her costume helps highlight the nature aesthetic and relaxed lifestyle of the Amity faction. The softness of their costumes contrasts significantly with the tight black outfits of the Dauntless faction. Thus, through these costume choices, the mise en scene helps viewers understand and differentiate between the different factions.

The next two shots are shots from the Choosing Ceremony scene. The Choosing Ceremony is an event in the movie where the characters who are of age choose the faction that they will belong to for the rest of their lives. This moment helps symbolize the struggle of choices and self-identity within the film's dystopian society. In the shot, it is clear that the scene is taking place in a large auditorium where the factions are divided into separate seating sections. This separation helps display the strict social structure of the film's world. Thus, the mise en scene in this scene uses actor blocking and props to communicate such ideas. Each of the factions sits together in organized groups. This shows the unity within their groups but separation from the other groups. In other words, this blocking of the actors emphasizes how individuals of each faction are categorized and expected to stay within their group. Furthermore, in these two shots, there are five bowls resting on a table in the stage of the auditorium that serve as important props in the film. Each one of these bowls represents a faction through the material that lies within it. For Abnegation, there are stones, for Erudite, there is water, glass for Candor, and hot coals for Dauntless. These props highlight the importance of tradition because in this scene, characters essentially perform a ritual to choose their faction. As the characters are called onto the stage, they drop their blood into one of the bowls as a way of choosing a faction. This ritualistic action reinforces the movie's theme of self-identity in that they have to make a sacrifice. Thus, overall, in terms of mise en scene, the combination of actor blocking and the bowls as props helps the viewers understand the rigid control and struggle of individuality in the dystopian society of the movie. 

The next two shots are during the Dauntless training scene of the movie. In these shots, Tris stands at the center of the target outline while knives are thrown around her by Four. The mise en scene uses actor blocking and props again to help create tension and highlight her bravery. Tris is positioned in the middle of the target outline, which isolates her and symbolizes the pressure that she is experiencing internally from trying to prove herself. She wants to prove to the other members that she is brave and fearless. The knives also serve as symbolic props in that they represent danger and her fear of failure. The precise placement of the knives represents not only her vulnerability but also her growing courage, which develops throughout the movie. Thus, through the actor blocking and props, the mise en scene helps convey Tris's character development as she starts developing the characteristics and traits of the Dauntless faction. 

These next shots are establishing shots that show the city and the surroundings of the society. The mise en scene in these shots uses set design to communicate the movie's dystopian world. The buildings appear abandoned and run-down. They have crumbling walls that are covered in moss or plants. This helps create a sense of growing decay within the society and neglect. Moreover, in these shots, a fence or border is seen to be surrounding the city. This reinforces the theme of control within the movie. It shows how the society in the film is strictly regulated and isolated from other parts of the world. The use of these set designs helps convey the oppressive environment in which the characters live in. Thus, by carefully designing the city to have dystopian-like features, the mise en scene helps illustrate to the viewers the overall setting and structure of the world in the movie. 

Lastly, in these shots, the film uses composition elements such as rack focus to draw attention to specific characters and their emotional states. For example, in this scene, Tris sees herself in the mirror after her mother styles her hair in a bun. At first, Tris's reflection is blurred, making her appear uncertain and disconnected from her surroundings. As the focus shifts, her reflection becomes sharp and clear. This visually represents her growing self-awareness and is the moment in the movie's storyline when she first starts to see her true identity. Thus, the use of focus within the composition emphasizes her internal conflict and transformation. Similarly, in the opening scene, where people are crossing the bridge (the shots below the mirror shots), shallow focus is used to isolate certain characters from the crowd. This helps further highlight the theme of the movie in terms of individuality within the dystopian society. Thus, through these composition techniques, mise en scene emphasizes the mental state of mind or psychology of each character, which helps reinforce the idea of a struggle in self-identity.