Mise en Scene - Props

As well as looking at possible costumes for our teaser trailer we also had to explore the different props we would be using. I researched the types of props that we may be looking at using, and here are my findings as well as images that I have found to represent the props we may use.

To work with our locations, props such as park apparatus would be essential for our storyline, and we particularly liked the prospect of working with a swing. It seemed appealing as we can create a sense of absence by letting the swing move without the child on it, to contrast with footage of the child on the swing earlier in the trailer.

We also liked the idea of using other child's possessions such as a bike and small bedroom toys to portray the innocence and youth of the child such as dolls, teddy bears and building blocks. They could possibly be used in the footage of home-video to show a bond with the parents which would otherwise not be shown. Shots such as the parents teaching the child to ride a bike and incorporation of the parents into the home-video shots would help the audience to create the necessary connections.

Away from the props used by the child and in her environment, is the contrasting props used by the villain of our trailer. We would be needing objects such as old newspapers and possibly polaroids for our wall in the villains house or 'den'. We would possibly be needing specific articles and photos, preferably of young children and missing stories, and this would require collecting articles well in advance. Therefore we will begin to collect cuttings now so that we have plenty for our wall by the time we begin filming.

At the start of our trailer when a news reporter is shown on the television, we may need an actual television set to show on film, and use a DVD or video to play the pre-recorded news report. We would also need to take into account the papers or glass of water that the news reporter may have on the desk with him/her. Also their surrounding would be important, and maybe some form of backdrop would be necessary.

We would lastly need to consider the policeman/woman as it may be necessary for them to have something to symbolise their profession, whether this be a form of identification that they show to the parents at the door, or some kind of badge or logo. If we do chose to keep them as high status officers, then they would not be in uniform, and therefore we would need to show who they were in another way.