Mise-en-scene in Friends
I chose to discuss the mise-en-scene of the sitcom Friends, Episode 16 of season 1: "The One with the Two Parts: Part 1."
This episode begins in a restaurant where Joey and Chandler encounter what they believe is Phoebe, but in fact, this is her twin Ursula who waitresses at the restaurant. The use of three-point lighting is maintained throughout the episode but changes very slightly in different scenes. For example, in the opening scene, the room is slightly dimmer than that of regular lighting because the characters are in a restaurant/bar, where light tends to be less harsh. With a deep space Joey and Chandler can be seen calling Ursula (who no one knew existed), who is at the bar, over to their table. In contrast, when the episode jumps over to the Phoebe, Ross, Monica, and Rachel in Central Perk (a cafe) the lighting is much warmer and slightly brighter on the main actors to create that comforting feeling of a cozy cafe while still keeping the attention on the group. Once Chandler and Joey enter the building to sit with and alert the group of their newfound discovery (that Phoebe has a twin), the show uses shallow space to give the illusion that the audience is sitting with the gang while they talk about the twins' conflicts.
Moreover, as the sitcom moves into Monica's apartment the audience is able to see the time that the show takes place: the late 1990s. Not only do the actors' and actresses' clothing styles reveal the time period, but so does the decor in the apartment. The purple walls and mismatched furniture all contribute to the emulation of the average person's living area in the 1990s. In addition to clothing, Monica has a layered haircut that is styled in voluminous waves, a popular hairstlye at the time.
This episode begins in a restaurant where Joey and Chandler encounter what they believe is Phoebe, but in fact, this is her twin Ursula who waitresses at the restaurant. The use of three-point lighting is maintained throughout the episode but changes very slightly in different scenes. For example, in the opening scene, the room is slightly dimmer than that of regular lighting because the characters are in a restaurant/bar, where light tends to be less harsh. With a deep space Joey and Chandler can be seen calling Ursula (who no one knew existed), who is at the bar, over to their table. In contrast, when the episode jumps over to the Phoebe, Ross, Monica, and Rachel in Central Perk (a cafe) the lighting is much warmer and slightly brighter on the main actors to create that comforting feeling of a cozy cafe while still keeping the attention on the group. Once Chandler and Joey enter the building to sit with and alert the group of their newfound discovery (that Phoebe has a twin), the show uses shallow space to give the illusion that the audience is sitting with the gang while they talk about the twins' conflicts.
Moreover, as the sitcom moves into Monica's apartment the audience is able to see the time that the show takes place: the late 1990s. Not only do the actors' and actresses' clothing styles reveal the time period, but so does the decor in the apartment. The purple walls and mismatched furniture all contribute to the emulation of the average person's living area in the 1990s. In addition to clothing, Monica has a layered haircut that is styled in voluminous waves, a popular hairstlye at the time.
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