Prompt: Mise-en-scène–the visual elements of composition and design that make up the overall look of a shot, scene, or film–forms an important nonverbal means of storytelling in Scorsese’s films. Choose ONE of the films on the syllabus and write an essay in which you analyze how its mise-en-scène is constructed and what effects the mise-en-scène has on audiences and/or the narrative. You may focus on one aspect of mise-en-scene in the film (costuming, for example), or analyze all aspects of visual composition and design from one specific scene. Your goal is to develop an overall argument about the purpose of these choices. What does Scorsese aim to communicate through mise-en-scène in the film(s) you have chosen? Film: The Aviator (2004) **The Aviator is on HBO Max** Advice and Instructions: 1. All papers should have a thesis: an arguable main point that gives an overall focus for your paper. If no one could possibly disagree with your main point, or if your thesis sentence consists of a list of the elements you intend to discuss, you haven’t found your argument yet. 2. As always, avoid summary of the film’s story or of the class notes relating to the film. Such summary is not necessary, given that your audience knows all of this information already; and it distracts from the focus on your argument. 3. Evidence: You should develop your argument with SPECIFIC evidence and examples. To support your paragraph-level claims, you must provide detailed verbal descriptions of what you see on the screen. That means you must give detailed descriptions of settings, costumes, makeup, props, composition, blocking, and/or movement, not just plot summary. What’s more, you must explain how the evidence proves your point. 4. Documentation of Sources: Outside research is not required. But if you consult any secondary sources—whether in print or online—you must provide a bibliography with your paper, with your sources clearly identified. Even if you do not quote material directly, you must still provide documentation if you reference any ideas or biographical or production details that are not generally known. A good rule of thumb: if you didn’t know it before you looked it up in Wikipedia, you need to cite the Wikipedia article you read.