Downtown Abbey Representation practice + essay notes

Who (out of the 7 core representation areas of society) are being represented in this clip? (you can choose more than 1 category if you feel it's relevant)

Status is being represented. we can see through the activity of the different classes and they way they are both presented through costumes, music and mise-en-scene

2. How are they represented to us? (what messages are we told about these groups? What are they like? What are their lives like? What are we encouraged / persuaded to think about them?)

we are told through the conveying messages that there are two separate groups in the household. the lower, hard-working class and the the higher more luxurious family who expect the lower class to do their duties each morning. they are rich and well sophisticated. we know this through the wise words of Robert crawley who answered his daughter who had the question of; "I thought it was supposed to be unsinkable"(7:59) with; "Every mountain is unclimbable until someone climbs it so a ship is unsinkable until it sinks" showing us as an audience he is wise and knowledgeable. There is also irony through the classes as we see more strict authority is shown with the lower class compared to higher even though they have more power over them. the director of the lower class give a sense of cold and an unfriendly nature during the opening scene as pressure is built up for perfection.

Camera:

• wobbly hand held shots -rush and time pressure vs steady smooth shots for the upper class
• low angles during papers
• long track of daisy
• lack of focus on working classes faces-not important
• tripod used for all of Mary's shots

Sound

• dramatic music-distilling links with rush
• dialogue presented by those in the wc is harsh and cold
• music changes between classes
• softer music for Mary
• busy diegetic sound in kitchen-busy
• harsh strings during initial sequence
• intrusive bells maintain frantic pace

Editing

• The bike scene with the boy gives us another establishing shot  of the house
• Dull colours for lower class
• Gold/bright colours for higher class
• match on action during cleaning
• extended cut following key members of staff
• continuity editing-high pace through cleaning sequence
• desaturated light for the working class

Mise e scene

• bedroom contrast
• the characters with more authority are kinder and show more compassion
• "is thy ladyship awake?" vs "for once in my life id like to sleep until i wake up natural"
• rag clothes
• worn furniture/non decorative
• workers seem to blend in
• stained sheets and clothes
• open shutters to let light in
• scared of consequences