Multimedia Mise-en-scene Project 🌃

When receiving our character and her description, the group immediately created a list of multimedia we wanted to include in the project. The most important aspect of the project for us, was to create media that could be explored through and would be entirely interactive. Following the character we were given, Morgan, a young college student majoring in environmental science and spending her weekends rallying at protests for the environment, we used media we thought could easily present her identity. Using a website to build rooms, we created a 3D model of Morgan's dorm room, filling it with items and personal effects creating an atmosphere that could effectively reflect Morgan's character. In addition, we created a mood board and Spotify playlist to further capture her personality through specific music genres and a collage of her favorite things and hobbies.

When organizing everything we created for Morgan on presentation day, on each of the four computers, we organized tabs with each multimedia platform in order of how it should be explored. Beginning with the Spotify playlist, so viewers could listen as they go along, the next tab introduced Morgan with a simple picture of her and a detailed description of her character. Next, viewers were introduced to her mood board where they could get a deeper look into her personality and some of the things she enjoyed, such as hiking and camping. This is where they got a closer look into her aesthetic and the kinds of media and art she gravitates to. Following that, Morgan's 3D dorm room was displayed easily, so viewers could use the mouse to move the screen in any angle to look through the intricate details of the room. From her dog to her camping gear and boots, viewers could get an even deeper look into Morgan's life. Then finally, the last two tabs consisted of her Instagram page, so viewers could take a step into her life and see what she spends her time doing, and a quiz that students could take as a fun ending to see how well they knew her.

When creating this station, we wanted to ensure that it was interactive and unique, while also presenting Morgan's life in a way that viewer's could almost feel as if they really knew her. We wanted students to understand her as a young woman, who aside from being a passionate advocate for the environment, is also a woman who likes to enjoy the simple things in life such as music, or a nice walk through nature.

Project Links:

- https://www.canva.com/design/DAG2Xv7_fyk/nRJln1I8SbMCroht2X9Qfw/edit?utm_content=DAG2Xv7_fyk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

- https://www.opinionstage.com/page/6c3f874c-8ac3-445d-8adc-f83bdfa6eea8

- https://new.express.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:e51c179e-b602-5027-8d1c-692b96496d85?accept=true&category=search&learn=exercise%3Aexpress%2Fhow-to%2Fin-app%2Fliterary-paper-doll%3A-1

- https://www.canva.com/design/DAG1xQ8m25M/nuVAoCzN8O-mnd23il4hWQ/view?utm_content=DAG1xQ8m25M&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=he32a2fc74a

- https://rooms.xyz/manurm/morganroom

- Screenshot 2025-10-23 7.53.11 PM

Genre Theory

Genre: Mystery

The Mystery genre focuses on unraveling a puzzle, crime, or unexplained event. It takes audiences into the story by providing clues, red herrings, and plot twists that bring both excitement and confusion.. These films typically feature detectives, journalists, or everyday individuals caught in intricate scenarios that require logical thinking and emotional resilience.

Genre Conventions - Content:

• A central issue, for example, a murder, disappearance, or secret.
  
  

• A protagonist, for example, a detective, looking for answers.
  
  

• Red herrings and plot twists that mislead the audience.
  
  

• Suspense and little information to create tension.
  
  

• Themes of deception, justice, morality, and truth.
  

Genre Conventions – Production Techniques:

• Lighting: Dimmed lighting or shadowed to create tension and fear.
  
  

• Editing: Fast-paced cuts during revelations or intense situations; slower pacing during other scenes.

• Sound Design: Eerie silence and intense music that heightens to create an unsettling mood for viewers.
  
  

• Camera Work: Close-ups on clues, over-the-shoulder shots from the characters, and tight framing to limit what the audience sees.
  
  

• Color Palette: Muted or cool tones to reflect mystery and eeriness.

Institutional Conventions – How the Genre is Marketed:

Mystery films are marketed to intrigue audiences by emphasizing secrecy and curiosity. Trailers and posters often ask questions like “Who did it?” or “What really happened?” instead of giving away the story, creating suspense and intrigue. These marketing strategies might show puzzles, quick shots, or mysterious images that attract viewers. The main audiences are usually adults and older teens who appreciate intricate stories and psychological depth.

Film Sample #1: Knives Out

"Knives Out," directed by Rian Johnson, offers a new and engaging twist on the classic detective story. The movie takes audiences on a captivating journey with detective Benoit Blanc as he unravels the mystery behind the death of a crime novelist. It incorporates traditional mystery elements such as a wealthy mansion filled with suspects, hidden motives, and shadowy clues. Johnson uses dramatic irony, vibrant yet shadowy visuals, and overlapping dialogue to keep viewers guessing. The marketing highlighted its famous cast and the catchy tagline, "Everyone has a motive. No one has a clue,” perfectly capturing the mystery genre.

Film Sample #3: Crooked House (2017)

Directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner, Crooked House follows detective Charles Hayward as he investigates the murder of the wealthy Aristide Leonides. The story keeps viewers guessing with secret motives, suspicious family members, and unexpected twists, which are key elements of the mystery genre. The film’s warm, brownish colors make the house look cozy but also hiding dark secrets, adding to the suspense. The marketing is focused on the famous cast and the book written by the iconic mystery novelist, Agatha Christie, appealing to fans of her classic books. The combination of family intrigue, deception, and a shocking ending makes this film a strong example of a traditional mystery story.

Other Film Examples (5–7):

1. Murder on the Orient Express (2017)


2. Death on the Nile (2022)

3. Sherlock Holmes (2009)

4. The Da Vinci Code (2006)

4. Gone Girl (2014)

Sound Projects 🔊

From the lessons on sound, I learned about how impactful sound truly is in film and how the differing techniques can provide a more meaningful experience for viewers. There is an intention behind every sound, and without it, there is a lack in understanding for viewers who may not see the story that is being told.

For the first sound project, we were tasked with creating 1-2 minutes' worth of scenes using the aid of Foley sounds and online sound effects. For the second sound project, we were tasked with looking back at the One Word Sound project and adding necessary sound elements to the scenes. Similar to the first, we had to record and collect Foley and online sound effects.

Sound project #1

For this project, my partner and I came up with the idea of creating the sounds for a group of friends walking through a haunted house. From creaky floorboards to opening doors, we told the story of a girl separated from her friend group, experiencing the true fear of the paranormal. During the brainstorming, we thought of possible ideas that would provide us with the most sound that effectively allow someone to understand what was occurring without video. Creating an outline for each scene and every sound that would be heard, allowing us to organize our thoughts and find/create sounds in order to complete the scene. When it came to editing time, we used Adobe Express to put together the sounds into one auditory recording. We had a good idea and a wide range of sounds, but we could have organized the plot slightly better to follow a structured storyline that would make the sounds more understandable in the story.

SonakshiCorrea_soundscape_per2.m4a

Sound Project #2

For this project, my partner and I rewatched our video, listing every possible sound that could be made in each scene, in addition to sounds that would make the storyline more in-depth. During brainstorming, we divided the scenes and created an outline with a list of sounds for each scene. Not only thinking of more abstract or unique sounds, but also basic ones like footsteps. This outline mainly helped us when we were recording our sounds to stay organized and know what part of the video we were at so that we could make the sounds as reflective of our intention as possible. When editing the sounds onto the video, we used ClipChamp to put everything together. I liked how the sounds came together to sound as if the video had already been recorded with sound. I just wish some of the sounds could have been timed better, and some of the sound effects we found online could have been done with Foley instead to sound more realistic.

OWFSound_Correa