Monday 17 November 2014

Mise en Scene - Downton Abbey - Class & Status

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IscFlwFNB6I

Colour.// Green pleasant background shown when the paperboy is biking towards the Abbey, sunlight beams over the background whilst the paperboy is almost a silhouette. The downstairs of the Abbey in the servants quarters is very dark which suggests not much care has been put into the downstairs to maintain high standards in comparison to the upstairs where everything is elegant and implies it is a high class place.
Costume.// The paperboy is wearing lower class clothing, seems to be a cold morning because he is wearing clothes that will keep him warm, the kitchen workers all wear similar clothing that suggests the job they do in the Abbey vividly. Waiters all wear suits because they will be present in the upstairs area of the Abbey and therefore must look suitable to be in the presence of the upper class. The upper class men all wear smart clothes such as suit's with ties to breakfast and the women wear dresses, this shows they have to maintain the high standard of clothing wherever they go.
Lighting.// The opening scene shows a contrast of darkness and light, the background is lit up by sunlight which shows the Abbey's gardens whereas the paperboy is almost in darkness making him a silhouette. The downstairs of the Abbey is pretty dull when it comes to lighting, whereas the upstairs uses lighting to make it look grand and of high class.  
Body language/Posture.// The posture of the paperboy changes when he gets to the door to deliver the paper, he stands taller to look smart/formal upon delivery, when he leaves he slouches on his bike. The lady who is in bed moves eloquently and slowly, she maintains a similar posture throughout the scene. The man walks around with his arms behind his back, he maintains this posture whilst walking around and comes to a halt in the dining room when the man of more significance walks in, he holds his posture the same to look formal in front of the man with more authority. 
Framing.// Camera shots are used to represent social class through the way that it often uses a low angle shot when looking at a member of the upper class, this is used so the audience look up to them as well to show their authority at the given time. Whereas the lower class are looked down on from a high angle shot to show they are weaker in society, they are also in the lower quarters of the abbey which represents the idea that they are less significant.
Hair and Makeup.// The lower class workers wear little/ no make-up because they are working, they also have their hair tied up to keep it out of the way when preparing food to ensure high standards of hygiene are maintained. The waiters have clean cut hair and side partings to look smart in the presence of the upper class, the upper class men have similar clean haircuts. The upper class women have their hair done neatly and wear make-up, this shows the divide between the upper and lower class when they are compared.
Setting and Props.// The woman who is lying in bed merely has to ring a bell and her breakfast is brought to her in bed, she is given a table with her breakfast on which she can place over her lap which enables her to eat in bed. She is also given a newspaper that has been ironed to ensure the ink is dry, this shows they aim to maintain high standards so the upper class are looked after well. The abbey itself is a very large building which immediately implies it is for the upper class, it has huge gardens as well to convey the same meaning. The newspaper is significant in the scene because the characters are reacting to the headlines, the whole scene is based around these headlines which sends a chain reaction through the abbey. The paperboy is delayed due to the big news, the news is then passed on through the abbey as quickly as possible to get the news to the upper class whilst maintaining high standards.
Facial Expressions.// The upper class tend to keep themselves from showing too much expression, this is portrayed when the Lord finds out that the Titanic has sunk, he shows very little concern even though he knows people on board. The lower class however show more expression, the head chef looks concerned when the lady of the abbey rings her bell to signify she is ready for her breakfast, this portrays the idea that she is nervous because she wants to maintain high standards to keep the lady happy. The lord shows a harsh look of concern when he opens the golden envelope, this causes the women to look at him with some concern as well, he leaves quickly and heads upstairs to wear the lady is still in her bedroom.

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