Class Representations

BY Aidan and Alan

Characters
The characters are based around two main class types with the rich being the
upper class and the servants being the lower class or as they are usually
seen as the working class.
Upper class characters - Ladyship, Lordship, Daughters,
Working class characters - Old butler, Miss P (the cook), William or the butler
with the newspaper, maid who brought the ladyship breakfast.
Hierarchy live upstairs which shows off that they are more powerful and rich
obviously than the servants who are seen below in the basement area and
because of their class dont have much status or power compared to the rich
upstairs or the upperclass.

Camera
Tracking shot is the opening shot as
the newspaper boy drives away from
the camera a big mansion is revealed
and the boy gets smaller in the
distance, the size of the newspaper
boy and the mansion in this shot
represents their relative wealth
compared to each other.

Aerial shot used at the very

beginning when the newspaper boy
is riding to drop off the newspaper,
this shot is used to emphasize the
newspaper as it holds information
which is very important plot point.

This scene uses the camera angles

to show the hierarchy between the
different servants, the butler who is
shown to be the head of the
servants in earlier shots is looked
upon with a low angle view when
speaking to one of the waiters. This
shows that hes the most important
person in relation to the downstairs
of the house/the servants.

I really like the way different servants are

represented, in this shot is a POV/over the shoulder
shot and a high shot at the same time and it's used to
show how the black haired servant thinks hes more
important as he works directly with the lord (his
dresser?) rather than simply ironing newspapers and
carrying food, his importance is also backed up by the
way he dresses and stands.

A Pull focus is used to transition between these two

scenes, and once it transitions it uses an eye-level
angle for both of these servants this show that when
both characters are looked at from an anonymous
perspective they are equal which is the complete
opposite of what the black haired servant thinks.

This is a tracking overhead shot

which then transforms to a low
shot, the scene shows the lord who
is the most important character
ascending down from the upper
floors (where the rich
people/important servants are) to
the main floor/basement, this
presents him as a divine character
almost as a god walking amongst
men, the music used also gives of
that feeling.

This shot to me was quite confusing at first as the

lord looks upon the butler at an eye-level angle which
puts them at the same level of importance, this is
used to show that the lord is a more
gentle/understanding lord even though the lord
stereotype is very mean and rough because there is
no consequences for him.
The lord is also quite concerned for the poor people
below decks as he knows they werent evacuated
first, for this scene to be played out in such a way to
make the lord seem gentle he couldnt be portrayed
as a lord at the same time. This is where the last 2
scenes worked together, the scene mentioned earlier
showed him as a lord where as this one shows him as
an average human being.

The 180 degree rule is used in this

scene, whenever someones
speaking everyone is behind the
table. This is done to show the
viewer who currently is in the scene
and makes it seem like a
friendly/homely atmosphere.
In the same scene slightly later the
180 degree rule is broken when the
lord reads a note, handed to him by
one of his daughters. The note has

A tracking shot is used again but

this time to show the lords
dominance, as he fast walks
through the corridor and slightly
disregards the ladyships servant
the camera follows him all the way
through to the door at the end. This
shot adds motion which makes the
lord seem more decisive and this
helps when showing his dominance
as he seems to be able to do
whatever he wants.

MISE-EN-SCENE
Low key lighting - As shown by the clip on the
right you can see that low key lighting is used
as well as it linking with chiaroscuro lighting.
This is done as it shows that servants because
of their class dont have the best conditions as you can
see by the dim of the light and the amount of dust
this shows floating around also there is lots of natural
light coming through rather than unnatural light again
this shows that the servants again don't have a
bright, vibrate accommodations like the rich do
upstairs and again this is because there class

Costumes - By the two images on the right we can

see the costumes are both very different. The
servants of the working class are dressed in
maids uniforms, suits and white shirts for the men
servants but they don't wear this because they
want to they wear it because its their uniform for
their job again showing their working class
because of the costumes they are wearing and
the fact they need to work. But compared to the
upper class in the picture on the right theyre
dressed in more posh, rich, colourful clothes and
they are dressed like this because compared to
the servants they can choose to dress like this.
Also it shows they are upper class because they
can afford nice clothes that are posh and colourful
and made out of certain materials.
High Key Lighting - This lighting in the upper part of
the house shows me that the upper class are seen
as more friendly and happy compared to the working
class who may not be safe or happy.

Props and Set Design - Again by the two pictures

above you can see by the set designs how both
rooms are different based on what class uses
them. For example on the wall behind the servants
is a dull, uncolourful colour and the bells and this
shows that this is a class not well looked after,
don't have much money, control or power, and are
just there purely to serve the rich but as you can
see by the picture on the left the wall behind is
colourful and bright and they have flowers on
stands and rich, vibrant pictures on the walls again
this shows compared to the servants that these are
the upper class because they can afford these rich
pieces of artwork and by the bright colours it also
shows to me or brings out the idea that they have
status and power compared to the dull colours

Facial Features and Expressions - Through out the

clip there was lots of different facial expressions
showing lots of different emotions. But I will talk
about three of the main ones spotted all around.
From both of the classes (working class and upper
class) the reaction and expressions shown by both
the rich and servants are both the same based on
the circumstances. As you can see from both of the
screen shots on the right they are both showing the
emotions in their facial expressions of shock,
despair and sadness. Now these screenshots don't
really split or show how the classes are different but
it does show how they are the same and feel the
same way about what has happened.
Location - You can see by the location this is filmed
that the family in there clearly have money and the
fact they are posh and rich and can afford a house
like this clearly shows they are upper class people.
So it shows that the characters are not poor, unposh
and that the house they live in can clearly show the
difference between the upper class and working
class.

Sound
Sound Effects - Straight away the
sound effects of the bells going off in
the basement show me that these are
servants and show that they are their
to do a job which again shows that
their class is working class but
compared to the upper class the only
bell noise you would hear is them
ringing the bell because they are the
more superior and powerful and rich
compared to the working class

Dialogue - How the characters

used different language and
dialogue based on how they spoke
to one another. For example the
lords and the rich spoke in more
posh, formal language but the
servants were less punctual and
had a different view towards the
upper class based on the dialogue
E.G. the bit weren't one of them
says no rest for the wicked shows
me that they aren't too keen on the
upper class and don't like them
that much.

Rhythm - For the upper class when the lord

was walking down the stairs the Rhythm of
the music was calm and peaceful but if you
compare this to the section were the
servants are in the basement getting the
breakfast ready the rhythm was quite fast
and had a sense of speed behind which
gives you the idea there rushing around.
You can split the two classes here because
the rhythm for the working class or the
servants like i said was quick and it shows
they have a job to do and the fact it had a
sense of urgency about it but the lord's
rhythm when walking down the stairs was
all calm which shows he does not have
much to do, does not have to cook
breakfast or rush around etc because of
him being the more superior class he has
the servants to do this for him.

Editing
Upon the opening of the telegram the editing gets quicker and the music
gets more dramatic and the tempo increases, showing that the news he has
just received is very important. However, the music used is still classical,
further establishing the upper class stereotype.
The editing in the scene featuring the servants uses a lot of short clips with
very fast cuts used to exaggerate the chaotic role of the working class.
The editing of the music in the first scene is very fast and the tempo has
increased a little however they type of music stays classical showing that we
are almost entering an upper class area and that the upper class own this
house.