Texual analysis of class and status

Downton Abbey class and status - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IscFlwFNB6I

Camera shots:

A tracking shot is used at the start of the film when the man is riding his bike; this allows the audience to keep up with the pace of the clip. Then a long shot is used to show the manor house which allows the audience to become similar with the setting and where the man is biking too; which in this case looks as if it is in a posh and wealthy area which could represent the class where it is set at this apart of the clip. The scene then changes suddenly and shows a mid-shot of a girl sitting on her bed; and then a high angle shot is used as she looks out the window as the man of the bike, bikes past her house. This high angle shot used could emphasise her class as it shows that she would have more power as she is looking down at the man on his bike. This could be shown through representation of class and status as the women is still in bed shows that she does not have anything to get up for, where as the man on his bike has to get up in the morning and travel to work in order to get money; show shows the man of being of a lower class.  Another tracking shot is used in which the camera angle is low as the main man is walking down the stairs, this also would represent that he could be quite powerful, the effect this camera shot has is that it make him look taller and bigger to represent the fact that he has a lot of power. From this shot after walking down the stairs it moves straight into a close up, this allows the audience to become familiar of what of who he is, this is because as he is the main man the audience need to become familiar compared to when they are in the servants room a mid and long shots of used, and also in this scene there are a lot of them in the kitchen so therefore it’s hard to remember all of their faces. Also a key point of when status is shown in this clip is when the main man sits down and has his breakfast; the other two women come in and stand over his shoulder, because they are both standing over him could show that he has more power than the women as he is sitting down and they are standing up. Also this shot shows him sitting at the top of the table which could show his power as he is head of the table, compared to the girls as they sit at the side of the table. Also with this being a mid/long shot allows the audience to see the difference between where they higher class eat compared to the servants as they are all in rows and in a compact space which represents the higher and lower class.

Editing:

The editing is also important when quick cuts are used; this allows the audience to understanding the different lifestyles very quickly, due to the comparison. This is shown when the lady Mary rings the bell and the frame moves onto the workers downstairs, and they are all eating their breakfast then all of a sudden they all jump up to them. This is high quality editing as it also shows the difference in class; as the servants jump up to the sound of the high class. Also there are two mid-shot used to represent the class and status at this point during the clip. It shows the busy working class looking after the rich and then immediately turns to the butler man standing in the Conner waiting over the rich. This shows that the higher class are rich enough to even have someone to look after them, then compared to the lower class as they have to look after themselves and work just to be able to provide for themselves and their family. Also a reverse camera shot is used to show the difference between the high class and the lower class as the lower class are seen as almost invisible to the other higher class in the house; compared to the working class as they know all of the names of the wealthy. Finally editing is shown when a long shot is used in both the working class room and the higher class room. The editing shows the difference in life style whereby the working class are in a small room and their all busy working. Whereas in the wealthy breakfast room they are all really calm and doing as they please.

Sound:

 At the start of the clip the sound shows key representation of class and status by hearing the diegetic sound of the bike along the pavement, this compares to the difference between the working class and the higher class as the working class have to make their own travel and because the higher class are so used to getting took places in posh cars and high class travel. This reinforce the lifestyle of the working class compared to the higher class. In lady Mary's scene when she got out of bed we hear the sound of the fire, as she has a fire in her room suggests that she is of a upper class as they can afford to do that and it also allows her to wake up nice and warm compered to that of the working class that have to bike in the cold to work and that have more than likely woken up in a cold room. A key
dialogue that represent the class of the working class and the high class is when one of the female servants says 'and they're off' this shows that they now have to severe them now that they are up and they have to jump up when they are ready. She has a angry tone in her voice which suggest that she is fed up of running after people like that.




Mise en scene:

At the start of the clip we see a man on his bike in the early hours of the morning, his costume is typical of that of a working class man, also as he is travelling on his bike could suggest this is the only way he is able to travel around as he cannot afford other ways of travel such as a car. Then as he is riding his bike and the camera shows him riding towards the manor house which shows a contrast in class. This is a contrasting clip as the clip then immediately changes to the girl just waking up. By her just waking up suggests that she doesn't have the typical life of a working class, as she is of a higher class she doesn't not have to rush around and earn money as people do that for her. Also as the man on the bike is already up, out and earning money, in comparison to the girl who has just woken up and a night white lace dress; the type of dress this is comes across as a rich women, as a working class women will be more likely to wear cheaper clothing material as they would not be able to afford lace. Also when the higher class people wake up they already look natural, compared to that of the servants who look as id they are in dirty clothing that they wear all of the time.