Mise-en-scene

     I have decided to comment on the show Riverdale mostly because this tv series gives a good representation of Mise-en-scene. Riverdale is based off of a story in a small town, where the main characters consist of high school students. This makes it very easy to spot a variety of sets, costumes, lighting, and forms of acting. 

    Beginning with the setting, the show gives a great visual of where Riverdale is located. Riverdale is the small town in which the show takes place, where there is not much that surrounds the town. Some of the different stages set in the show are from Riverdale's high school, the main characters' houses, the small town diner, and the local gym in which one of the characters, Archie, owns. As the show progresses, each of these locations have an increased meaning and value to the cast and audience. The high school and diner act as safe havens for when a problem has risen. The character's homes are usually used as meeting spots for when the cast needs to meet to find a solution to a town problem. The gym is a place where the whole town can meet to feel that small town feeling and it also acts as a safe place. This show uses each of these location constantly throughout the show as problems are constantly consuming the town of Riverdale.

    Moving on to the lighting of this show, I noticed that the lighting mostly relates with the location of a certain scene. For example, the places that act as safe places are mostly lit due to the fact that there is no harm or mystery in that particular part of the show. This shows a bit of high-key lighting which has its moments during the show. Although high-key lighting is acknowledged in the show, low-key lighting takes up the majority of the lighting showcased. This is due to the mystery that the show brings and the several problems that have to be solved in order to save Riverdale. An example of low-key lighting in the show would be at Betty's house, one of the main characters, when she gathered her classmates there to find the killer and kidnapper of several girls in the town. This lighting was used to show the fear and mystery behind the scene and it also contributed to the suspense of finding the killer who was on the loose. 

    Finally the costumes are constantly changing in this show and they contribute greatly to its success. From the characters' unique styles to the classic uniforms the diner employees wear, the costumes are what shows the range of personality in Riverdale. For example, Jughead Jones is always wearing a beanie and a leather jacket which symbolizes his relation to the local motorcycle gang and his attitude of not caring much of what anyone else thinks of him. On the other hand, Veronica Lodge is the complete opposite because she shows her wealthy personality by always wearing a dress with jewelry and more makeup than any other character in the cast. This symbolizes not only her wealth but also the fact that she wants to be known and that she wants to make a statement. This also leads into methods of acting and one method in particular which is used a ton in this show, blocking. Blocking is used to show the dominance of the Lodge family in Riverdale and is not unusual throughout the show. Between Veronica and her father, a very powerful rich man, blocking is used to show their power in the town by focusing on them instead of other characters in certain scenes. All of this add to the mise-en-scene of the show.