Character analysis through Sound and Mise en Scene

Character analysis through Sound and Mise en Scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xcZTtlGweQ

The film trailer that I based my stereotype and sound analysis on was the pursuit of happyness starring Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith.

In the trailer the character that Will Smith is playing subverts to the stereotype that is portrayed through the Mise en Scene image. In the trailer the costume or attire that he is wearing is a suit which connotes that he is a businessman or a man in a good job with a power position. It also connotes that he is quite sophisticated and this could show that his way of talking is quite formal as the mise en scene shows him to be quite sophisticated, however in reality from watching the trailer we learn that the character he plays is the opposite from the stereotype that the mise en scene image has shown. Despite wearing a suit he doesn't have a lot of power and he isn't actually a businessman at all. He doesn't even earn money for what he is doing as he is part of an internship for a job. The lighting that is used around the character is also misleading and goes against the mise en scene. The lighting is low key which could connote that he is unimportant and without power as the low key lighting gives off sadness and depression which is reflected into the character. Also the sound stereotype that is portrayed by Will Smith's character is misleading. The attire that he is wearing suggests to us that he is well off and may be an upper class citizen.

From this I can connote that he may have a decent education and therefore would speak in a very formal and direct way however this isn't shown in the trailer when he is talking to his son. He refers to his son as "dude" or uses the words "shut up". This wording that the character uses goes against the stereotype as he isn’t shown to speak formal and direct but he speaks quite informal
to the other characters. However he does also conform to the stereotype as when he is talking to other interns and businessmen within the company he talks quite formal and direct to them so this shows that his character both subverts and conforms to the stereotypes that have been directed upon him.

The other character in the trailer is Jaden Smith who is shown to be the main character's (Will Smith) son. The stereotype of Jaden's character through the mise en scene image is also challenged in the trailer. The normal stereotype of a child of his age would be playing carefree and happy in what they are doing. They do not have to worry about the pressures of adult life however his character subverts to this stereotype as the child doesn't always seem happy and most of the time is with his dad in the adult world, not at a park or a school or at home playing. Furthermore the way Jaden's character speaks is not what the mise en scene image would show, He subverts to the stereotype as he speaks quite informal and indirect to most people however he conforms to the stereotype when with his father as he talks to his father in a formal manner. This shows a father-son relationship that keeps them going.

In conclusion from this trailer and the two characters I have mentioned the stereotype shown through the mise en scene image is challenged to a large extent however there are some aspects to the characters that conform to the stereotype shown in the mise en scene image.