The Fifteen Points of Mise en Scene

When it comes to a making a movie, the arrangement of a scene has a huge impact on the audience’s perspective. If the audience is intended to feel a particular emotion, or notice a particular detail, mise en scene visually does the work.  Without putting proper thought into these aspects, many key opportunities are missed, thus lowering the value of the scene and reducing its potential.  It is important to pay attention to detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem.  The layout of a shot gives it power and speaks volumes.   Mise en scene allows the film to make statements and ideas without needing obvious, forced scenes full of information.  A script receives its full value when mise en scene is properly utilized.

Mise en scene is the arrangement of a scene or a setting in a movie, play, or other production.  Mise en scene involves everything seen before the camera – the set, the lighting, the directions, the costumes, the actors, the props – every detail the audience can see.  Mise en scene is meant to envelop the audience and bathe them in reality.  How can a production be believable without the natural details?

Analyzing mise en scene in movies is important in order to grasp the idea behind each and every fine detail.   With every motion and prop there is a deliberate purpose.  Can you tell what it is?  How does it affect perspective on the characters?  Is the movie drawing the focus onto a particular aspect?  Does this seem relevant?  Will it end up being relevant?  How did the camera angle affect the outcome of the scene?  What lens was used to shoot?

In the following piece, we are going to explore the fifteen points of mise en scene that are absolutely necessary to think about.   These points include: dominance, lighting, shot and camera proxemics, camera angle, color values, lens/filter/stock, subsidiary contrasts, density, composition, form, framing, depth of field, character placement, staging positions, and character proxemics.  

Throughout these fifteen points, we will explore what catches the eye in a shot, how lighting effects the audience’s perspective, how the shot’s proximity matters as well as the angle, the importance of color, what lenses are best, proper organization, framing, location of the characters, and a great deal more.

Carrying through the examples and explanations will be a shot from Ghost World, a film created in 2001.  This image provides an excellent basis off of which the fifteen points can be formed and explained utilizing a visual representation.  This image allows the ability to ask questions about something already existent, in order to provide a better sense of the effects of the ideas discussed.  For example, we will assess the lighting in the shot provided and how it affects the film’s genre.

Infographic Source: http://shohawk.com/mise-en-scene/

Work Etiquette Around The World

Have you ever wondered what makes each country and its working style so different from one another? This infographic shows how countries all over the world vary in the way they work and conduct business. The comparison is made based on several factors, and also some interesting facts about each country are pointed out. Countries are chosen such that they represent all the continents. Factors such as work-life balance, number of work hours per week and number of paid holidays have been compared and depicted through graphs. It is important for companies to maintain a healthy business relationship with their counterparts, especially because the world is getting more connected and trade is becoming inter-dependent. Understanding cross cultural differences can also help people who migrate to foreign countries for work. They can be well integrated with the society and their co-workers. This subject is extensive but this infographic is a summarized version and gives a glimpse of the big picture, therefore making it easier for the reader to understand.

Infographic Source: http://www.market-inspector.co.uk/blog/2016/08/10-countries-and-their-work-etiquette

How to Sell on Instagram

Instagram was always an enigma for ecommerce marketers. UGC assets have proven to be a major factor with people's buying decision and today many marketers are starting to harness the power of Instagram.

In the past, Instagram did not support click through to sites, and so it didn't matter whether your Instagram account or user base was engaged or not. Hence, many marketers just chose to overlook Instagram and didn't know how to leverage it to boost sales and business, but now the rules have changed.

Yotpo, a UGC Marketing company conducted a research and found that 83% of potential customers claimed that are more likely to take a look at a certain brand if they saw a friend endorsing it on Instagram. Moreover, Instagram driven traffic to Ecommerce sites resulted in more engaged buying and browsing sessions than any other social network. More specifically, 17% more than YouTube and almost double than Facebook.

In a recent AB test, a merchant using the Yotpo Instagram Cution feature saw an increase of 24% in sales conversions after embedding the UGC images on it's Ecommerce product pages. The infographic below can provide more information:

This infographic is based on data and internal research from UGC marketing platform Yotpo https://www.yotpo.com/blog/how-to-sell-on-instagram/

All-Time Greatest R&B Artists

This infographic represents a ranking of the Top 10 greatest R&B musicians ranked by the total number of units or recordings sold, including vinyl records, CDs, LPs, 45s, 8-track, cassets, etc. It includes information about such musical greats as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, James Brown and Al Green, just to name a few. These artists created and performed in not only the R&B genre, but also in such cross over genres as Rock and Roll, Gospel, Pop, Rock, Blues and Jazz.

Infographic Source: http://www.3greatdogs.com/all-time-greatest-rb-artists/

Autumn Skincare Tips

There are changes on the skin that occurs along with the change in season. As summer comes to an end, many people also encounter changes in their skin that when not managed or dealt with correctly can result in unwanted effects.

As the season of autumn unfolds, wouldn't it be great if you can also look for ways to manage the changes that your skin undergoes?

In this infographic from Alyaka.com, you will gain better understanding of the autumn skin and the changes that it undergoes during this time of the year.

Know the signs that you should watch out for to control the most common autumn skincare problems, as well as the tips that you should follow to still get that radiant complexion even when the weather becomes drier and cooler—along with the skin care essentials that you should include into your beauty regimen to combat the unwanted effects of the changing season.

Infographic Source: https://www.alyaka.com/magazine/autumn-skincare-tips-various-skin-types/

Top 10 Toxic Foods for Dogs

What you enjoy as a tasty meal could actually be quite poisonous to your pet. Learn what foods are dangerous to dogs and how they can be treated.  Dogs will eat anything they see, which is a problem because there are may “people” foods that are poisonous to dogs if ingested.  Some of these foods can cause major illness so be sure to be prepared if you have a 4 legged friend in the house.

Infographic Source: http://blog.alldogboots.com/2013/11/foods-toxic-dogs/

Chronology of a DUI arrest

These are the stages of an arrest for Drunk Driving. It starts with a reason the motorist was pulled over by the police officer. The officer is looking for specific clues of impairment while speaking with the motorist. This chart shows those specific clues of impairment that would cause the officer to investigate further. During the investigation, the officer will use physical observations as well as field sobriety test results to determine if an arrest for DUI is appropriate. Lastly, this chart explains the penalties for failing or refusing a Breathalyzer test as requested by the law enforcement officer.

Infographic Source: https://www.criminallawyer-chicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/a-1.jpg

2016: An Election of Surprises

The campaign for the 2016 presidential election is certainly interesting thus far. Now that the candidates have been narrowed down to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the full forces of their campaigns are underway. We’ll just have to see who wins come election day. Whoever wins will be a surprise, yet it won’t be the first in U.S. history. Of the many people who have run for president, there have been a number of unexpected victories. An example of this was when Al Gore won the popular vote but still lost to George W. Bush back in 2000. There are a number of other similar situations that have occurred since 1824 (when Andrew Jackson lost to John Quincy Adams).  Check out these other neat facts concerning both other presidential nominees and actual presidents in the years past. You’ll be surprised by what you’ll find (like how Abraham Lincoln is still our tallest president to date and how JFK is still the youngest).

Infographic Source: http://www.homesecurityteam.com/political-infographic

Importance of Vitamins

The importance of vitamins for our health, beauty, and fitness, is well known. A sufficient intake of vitamins helps you look good and feel good regardless of your age!

Age takes a toll on the skin just as it does on the other parts of the body. Your skin's health is not only dependent on what you put on it but by what you put in it too. So instead of turning to pricey products to get better skin, follow a healthy, balanced diet.

Totally, your body needs 14 essential vitamins for its proper functioning. Nutritionists recommend eating at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day to get the required dosage of essential nutrients. However, if your body is low on these vitamins and minerals, you can take supplements recommended by a doctor.

Take a look at this infographic to know about the vitamins needed to keep your body functioning optimally and for your skin to look its best.

Infographic Source: http://fixyourskin.com/14-potent-vitamins-for-younger-and-healthier-skin/

The Do’s and Don’ts of a Revenue Generating E-Commerce Store

Conversion Rate Optimization is one of the most important topics for an Ecommerce store. Unfortunately, the knowledge surrounding it is often limited to deploying some best practices like changing the color of the CTA, shortening the lead form etc. 

Our team has compiled a list of 91 essential touch points that an Ecommerce owner can use to improve his conversion rate. The list includes dos and don’ts on knowing your customers, home page optimization, navigation optimization, product search optimization, product page optimization.

The checklist was also featured on the Youmoz blog, and because of the appreciation it garnered from the SEO community, it was moved to the main Moz blog. It has been also been covered in several other top publications like Getelastic.com and Usertesting.com.

The checklist will serve as a great resource to increase your online store's conversion rate. We highly recommend reading and also implementation of all of these.

Infographic Source: http://www.cueblocks.com/blog/revenue-generating-e-commerce-store-infographic/

How to Survive on a Student Budget

The summer is coming to an end and the first semester of a fresh, new year just around the corner. Students all over the world are gearing up to get back to the books and get their heads down for another year. The team at B&M have put together their best tips on how to survive on a student budget and making the most of your student loan. From tuition fees to taking advantages of income sources, B&M have got you covered in this infographic.

Infographic Source: http://www.bmstores.co.uk/blog/how-to-survive-on-a-student-budget

Ranking Of The Worse And Safest States To Live In The US!

According to a 2015 research by the FBI; in every 13 seconds there's a house in the US that's being robbed.

The worse part is that only 17.35% of the total population has security systems installed either DIY or by professionals.

Even more is that 93% of that are from teh average consumers (the ones 9-5 work force).

We decided to search for more data and find out why American's are hesitant to install security on their property.

More so, we've digged into the spending habits of americans when it comes to installing home security.

for the final part...

We've researched property crime data from 2005 to 2014 of all states and ranked them according to highest property crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants. This data does not include violent crimes, domestic crimes and etc.

Then we created a map ranking all the states and an infographics of our top 10 in the list.

Here what we came up with:

Infographic source: https://www.homesecuritylist.com/10-safest-states-live-in-the-usa/

The Ultimate Meat Smoking Guide

Cooking taste and delicious foods are a thing that everybody cherishes to complete in his or her everyday life. There are a many ways of cooking and one of these is smoking. Smoking method was used in prehistoric era and it is main purpose ended up being preserve the flavor of foods such as meat and prolong its lifespan.

However, smoking meat in modern era to preserve is barely practiced especially in city areas. The main advantages of smoking as perseverance method overwhelm its effects and so so many people are curious to figure out how to perform food smoking techniques.Smoking prevents decay of meat by effectively killing bacteria’s and fungi in addition, it makes meat become tenderer and even tastes better than cooked meat.

Infographic Source: http://www.bestsmokerz.com/smoking-meat/

Would you pass your driving test around the world?

Driving tests are a nerve-wracking experience, but whilst in some countries the tests are very rigorous there are other countries where driving tests are really easy to pass.

In some countries you don’t even need to pass a test to drive and this easy to read infographic details how driving tests differ across the world. It also rates the difficulty of the test and some of the things that could potentially appear in the test.

In Mexico you don’t have to take a test, whilst in India you just have to drive straight, turn left and stop. The harder driving tests can be found in the likes of Denmark and Finland.

In Denmark you have to do seven hours of first aid theory and will be asked to drive on a slippery track and in a figure of eight. The driving test in Finland is just as hard as people taking their test will be asked to do night-driving, undergo skid-pan sessions and complete 18 hours of practical lessons.

2016 Most Popular Backyard Activities

There are many opinion-based lists about favorite backyard activities in the U.S., but Stacey Sao, the master researcher behind recreational information hub Tipspoke, decided to get an unbiased, fact-based answer. She followed a rigorous 4-part process with Google Consumer Surveys to make this happen. The results are in and Grilling was the clear winner of the Favorite Backyard Activity Poll.

To get an unbiased, fact-based view into the best backyard activities in the US, the Tipspoke team ran a rigorous poll leveraging the Google Consumer Survey platform to survey thousands of people across America. Grilling landed in the number one spot at the top of the list. In addition to Grilling, there are 4 other awesome activities that made the top of the list, and over 50 other backyard activities in total that people voted to be their favorites.

Infographic Source: http://tipspoke.com/images/press/backyard-activities-web.png

Disaster Contingency Plan: Before, During, and After Typhoon

When a natural disaster will strike is something that people cannot exactly predict. But the good news is, you can do something to  to prepare for the unexpected and minimize the possible damages that it may bring.

The Philippines is surrounded by large bodies of water and located at the equatorial area, making the country more prone to  typhoons that come and go year after  year--along with the heavy rains, rushing floods, and robust winds that  usually accompany them.

In spite of a typhoon being a typical occurrence in the country, planning for possible catastrophic events  caused by typhoons remain to be the least priority of  many.

Formulating a disaster contingency plan only requires a little time, effort, and resources, but still, such preparations are treated as an afterthought despite all the risks that come with the experience of  natural disasters.

Every family, community, and organization needs a disaster contingency plan, as it will enable people to know the measures that must be taken  during the most unfortunate times.  Most of all, it keeps an individual armed with knowledge that can be instrumental in keeping everyone safe and sound at the event of  natural disasters.

Don’t be caught unprepared. Know the basics to include in your own disaster contingency plan with this comprehensive infographic by M2.0 Communications that discusses what you can do before, during, and after a typhoon.

Infographic Source: http://www.m2comms.com/blog/2016/8/3/disaster-contingency-plan-before-during-and-after-typhoon

Bed Bugs, Your Worst Nightmare

You and your spouse are sleeping soundly, the sun rises and your alarm goes off, it’s time to get up. When you wake up you find tiny, red swollen bite marks along the line of your clothing, and they itch.  Upon further inspection you think they may be bed bug bites and decide to do some digging around your room for any sign of an infestation. There could be tiny black fecal spots, molted bed bug skins or even blood spots. Bed bugs are most abundant in rooms where people sleep and like to hide everywhere from clutter, cracks and crevices, your bed frame or even your bed mattress.  The scary thing is, bed bugs are quickly on the rise, which isn’t hard, and females can lay 500 eggs in their lifetime.  Yes, you have a bed bug infestation; buying pest spray at your local market isn’t going to get rid of these bloodsuckers.  Read more facts like this in the infographic below. Be aware of how to prevent bed bugs and keep your family safe.

Infographic Source: http://pointepest.com/bed-bugs-worst-nightmare/

Home Remedies for Snoring

Snoring is loud breathing during sleep. It is a common problem among all age groups and both genders, and it impacts roughly 90 million American adults. Snoring generally becomes more severe as people age. It can trigger interruptions to your own sleep as well as your bed-partner's sleep. It can cause fragmented and not so refreshing sleep which results in very poor daytime function (tiredness and sleepiness). The two most typical adverse health effects that are believed to be casually connected to snoring are daytime dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. Around one-half of people who snore loudly have obstructive sleep apnea. Check out these 20 Home Remedies for Snoring.

Infographic Source: http://www.caseydilworth.com/home-remedies-snoring/

Toronto Condo Prices Relative to Subway Stops

Thinking of investing in a condo in Toronto? Here’s everything you need to know about the price per square foot of a condo in Toronto, relative to the the city’s subway stations. This infographic provides a quick overview of the pricing in Toronto’s condo market, giving you the information you need at a glance.

Investing in a condo in Toronto can be daunting. We came up with this infographic to help people interested in buying a condo in Toronto stay organized and have relevant information about pricing and location at their fingertips.

Generally, the highest price per square foot for a Toronto condo is in the downtown core, with prices going down as you move out of the city. The most expensive subway stations to buy a condo near are Museum Station and Bloor-Yonge stations. The least expensive places to live are at terminal stations like Kipling and Don Mills.

Source: http://www.talkcondo.com/blog/condo-prices-around-major-toronto-subway-stops/

World's Top and Unusual Data Centers

Data centers are the modern esoteric temples. They are large, marvelous and powerful. But not a thing about its inner operation and the essence of its power is known by most people. For many of us, it is just a large structure housing thousands of miles of wires connected to racks in cabinets inside a freezing room. And yes, we do not know a lot about data centers. Let's just leave them to the experts. But we can enjoy the marvel of its structure and the great feats in design and architecture.

The unusual data center facilities and the behemoth ones in size and energy consumption are not brainchildren of eccentric designers. Rather, it can be seen as a response to the need for more energy efficient, earth friendly facilities and response to the need for better services.

Know more about the biggest, the coldest, the greenest and the unusual data center facilities in this infographic from INOC, the leader in outsourced NOC services

California Top 3 Dangerous Spiders

Do you know how many eggs a Black Widow spider lays? How about an Arizona Recluse spider, did you know they lay about 150 eggs per year? When you think of a Mouse Spider you might be fearful of their size or that they have a possible 20 year life span, but what you should be worried about with any of these spiders is if they bite you. None of these spiders will seek you out to attack, but if they feel threatened, watch out, their bite is powerful and can be life threatening.  This infographic will inform you about bite symptoms and how to effectively treat the bite if you are ever bitten.  You should always seek medical attention if bitten by one of these spiders.

Spiders are interesting to learn about, they all are very unique creatures.  You’re you and your family safe by learning these few details. This infographic is brought to you by your friends at Bull’s Eye Pest Control located in Murrieta, CA.

Infographic Source: http://bullseyepest.com/triple-trouble-california/

UK Water Quality...The Good, The Bad, The Dirty!

It’s Water Quality Month in August and we think that UK water quality is very important considering that four out of five people drink it on a regular basis. Anchor Pumps have taken a look at the UK’s water supply and the processes it goes through to become clean and ready to drink.

Anchor Pumps are the largest UK Grundfos Water Group Distributor as well as the largest stockist of Viking Internal Gear Pumps. The team at Anchor Pumps have over 100 years of experience combined in the pump industry.

Anchor Pumps have researched the water supply in the UK and found that over 1.5 billion is spent on bottled water which is 1000 times more expensive than tap water in Britain every single year.

Find out some more interesting facts about the best and worst areas for water supply in the UK by reading our Water Quality infographic.

Infographic Source: http://www.anchorpumps.com/blog/infographic-uk-water-quality/

PMP Certification process guide

The project Management Institute, which offers PMP certification globally, is recognized as one of the most credible institutions for certifying anyone interested in standing out for their project management skills. ForPMP certification process, you need to go through the following multi-step application process:

Ensure you meet the following criteria 

Criteria 1: Secondary school degree, not less than 5 years’ experience in project management, 7500 hours managing projects and 35 hours on project management education.

Or

Criteria 2: Under-graduate degree, you should have 3 years’ work experience, at least 4500 hours leading projects and should have invested in 35 hours of education.

Apply for exams on the PMI website

1. Start by creating an account on the PMI website
2. Go to ‘myPMI’ section to find the application form. You have the option of applying online or downloading the form, filling it up and mailing it to the PMI® US office using registered mail.
3. Submit the application. 

Pay exam fees 

Exam fees for members is $405, while non-members pay $ 555. You can enroll for membership by paying $129 yearlyand enjoy benefits such as lower fees.

Going through PMI® Audit 

If you’re informed that your application needs an audit, send your certificates to PMI within 3 months.If you pass the audit, you will take the exam. If you fail the audit, you will receive a refund.

Sit for the exam and get certified 

1.To schedule for the exam, loginto the PMI® Certification system
2.Chooseyour examination delivery method i.e. Paper-based Test (PBT) or Computer-based Test (CBT). If choosing to take PBT, note that PMI can cancel the event if a minimum of 10 people don’t choose this delivery method.
3.Choose a date when you’ll take the exam. The exam will consist of:

• No of questions: 200
• Allotted time: 4 hours 
• Pass criteria: 137 correctly answered questions
• Retakes: up to 3 times a year

4.You’ll be issued with a PMP® Certificate if you pass.

Keep earning PDUs to maintain certification status 

PMP certification expires, therefore you need to keep earning 60 PDUs under the following two categories which are defined by PMI.

• Education. E.g take a PMI publication quiz
• Giving it Back to Profession. E.gmanage projects for non-employers 

After earning 60 PDUs, you can apply for certificate renewal, which you’ll receive in 8 weeks.

Source: http://www.simplilearn.com/pmp-certification-process-roadmap-article