Upstairs downstairs analysis - Social Class

How is the representation of social class represented in this extract?

Throughout this extract mise en scene, camerawork, sound and editing is used to represent social class through this television drama. In the first scene, the mise en scene is used to immediately show the audience what the scene in about and which social class is represented in it. The characters in this scene are all dressed in tuxedos for the men and dresses for the women are sitting around a large table that has lot of expensive looking food. This instantly tells the audience that these people are from a higher class because the working class from the time period could not have afforded to dress this way, have butlers and lead this type of lifestyle. Another aspect of the mise en scene the represents this social class is the way these character speak. These characters are all well-spoken as they speak with correct grammar and courtesy, one of the characters addresses his own father with “yes sir” which is not a way working class people would speak to their father. This type of language suggest that these people are highly educated, which reiterates the fact the they are of higher class because only the upper classes could have afforded education in this period.

 In this upstairs scene, some non-diegetic sound of a violin, which is played throughout this scene, is used to set a calm and elegant tone of the scene. There is also diegetic sound of conversations and of butlers pouring drinks in the background. By having this sound of butlers pouring drinks in the background suggest that this is such a common thing in their lives that they don’t really acknowledge it very much. The characters in this scene are also speaking about very stereotypical upper class things such as the universities they graduated from, politics and business, which all reiterate the fact that they are of a higher class. In the upstairs scene, conventional camera shots are used such as close ups, over the shoulder and two shots. These shots are all static and no movements such as panning or tilt, which could be a representation that these people’s lives are calm, under control and not chaotic. Most of the camera shots in this scene are in focus with the speaking characters, and out of focus on the people in the background such as the butlers. This is used to keep the audience engaged with the main character in the scene and not get distracted by events in the background, however it also gives the audience the impression that lower class people (such as the butlers) are not as important as the upper class, so they are shunned to the background of this scene, but also in society. The editing in this scene is very low and smooth, as one camera shot is used for about three or four seconds before it cuts to the next camera shot. This slow editing matches the tone and atmosphere in the scene which is very relaxed.  

In the next scene in the extract of the downstairs of the house where the maids are, the mise en scene immediately shows the audience these people are working or lower class and shows the huge contrast between two classes. The lighting in the scene is dim and much darker than upstairs as they only have a few candles, whereas upstairs they have a large quantity of candles lighting the room up. The downstairs also have a table, however unlike the upstairs, they do not have any food on it at all, which shows that they cannot afford to have a table full of food because of their social class. The appearance and clothing worn by the maids instantly shows that they are of a lower class than the people upstairs because they are wearing grey raged clothes with aprons, which clearly informs the audience they are working and separates them from the dinner guests. 


The language the maids and the even the butlers use when they are downstairs is a huge contrast to the upper class people upstairs. Apart from the main butler, the other characters downstairs are not well spoken as the use such phrases as "Errrghh they look like something the cat sicked up" and seem to have northern accents, which are often stereotyped as being less educated and usually from a lower social class. The sound downstairs is all diegetic sound such as quick footsteps, cutlery, running taps and washing dishes. These sounds show how busy they are and helps create a frantic and chaotic atmosphere. 


The editing in this scene in very fast paced as it cuts to different camera shots quickly. This shows how hectic everything is and added to the frantic atmosphere that is apparent throughout the scene. The camera work used to film the downstairs scene is completely different to the upstairs scene. Unlike the upstairs scenes, steady-cam is used and there is more camera movements such as panning and tilt. The camera panning is used to follow the characters as they walk across the room and the camera shots or not steady at all, it shakes around a lot which makes the audience more part of the scene. This also helps show the chaos and panic in the scene as they rush to send the food up and this could also represent the lives lower class people in this period, that they do not have very much stability in their lives. 

Holby City Analysis

How is the Representation of Gender Constructed in this Extract?

The extract begins with an overhead tilted camera angle of a dark corridor in a hospital. This unusual camera shot immediately sets the tone for the next scene because the tilt suggests that something is wrong in the scene or things aren't running smoothly. The dark lighting in the scene also adds to this tone and gives the audience the impression that the characters in the opening scene are not very happy. The first camera shot of the extract features a sign in the corridor saying "way out". This sign subconsciously informs the audience about what the next scene is about and the scene turns out to about a doctor trying to break up with his girlfriend and trying to find a way out of their relationship.

In the opening scene with the two doctors, the representation of gender is challenged by the mise en scene. The male character is wearing a pink scrub which is considered to be a feminine colour and suggest that this character has feminine characteristics. The character goes on to say "Your dumped, you were a huge mistake. I never wanna see you again." which is a very common phrase used in TV drama when a woman breaks up with her boyfriend. The man also does most of the speaking in the scene, which is unusual considering that women are stereotyped as speaking the most in a relationship. Despite this representation of gender in this scene, they also include some stereotypical attributes for the female character. Women are often considered to be dependent on men and this is represented in this scene when the nurse says "...I'll make a little call to daddy, you how men get protective over their little girls". This stereotype is emphasised in the next scene where she is crying on the phone asking for her "daddy" which is a phrase associated with little girls. In this scene of the woman crying, an aerial shot is used to show her vulnerability and insignificance.

In the next scene, male gender is represented in a typical fashion by the camera shots used and the mise en scene. The man greets the doctor with a firm handshake and at the end of the scene ends up throwing a punch at him  which follows stereo types that all men are aggressive and solve a solution by having a confrontation or fight. The camera shots used in this scene are low angles looking up at each of the character to show the power they both have.

In the next scene with the two men/doctors discussing a patient, they originally shown as stereo typical men by the mise en scene because they begin talking about sports and boasting about how many bones they had broken, each one trying to prove they are manlier than the other which is something are often associated with. However the camera shots used give the audience a different representation of the male gender. A two shot of the men is often used which is unusual camera shot to use for two people having a conversation. They also use numerous close ups of the two characters and sharply cut between each other, which builds up sexual tension between the two men.

Throughout the extract, the sound is all diegetic as they only have the sound is from footsteps and machinery in the hospital  and no music is used, which makes the extract more realistic and makes the audience concentrate more on the conversations talking place rather than being distracted by a song in the background.
The editing is fairly quick paced and the sound of the next scene is running before the scene actually begins which makes the hospital appear hectic and gives the audience the impression that there are many things happening in the hospital. Overall the extract represents genders in a stereo typical way, however it also challenges the stereo types using the camera work, mise en scene, editing and sound.

Exam question

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of ethnicity using the following:

• Camera shots, angle, movements and composition
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise on scene

In this extract of the TV show, Hotel Babylon, there are many way in which representations of ethnicity is shown through the camera shots used, editing, sound and mise en scene. 

The extract begins with one of the hotel workers bumping into one of his old friends. His friend is represented as a black Jamaican man by the mise on scene and the language he uses. This character has a large chains and ear rings on which suggest that he is wealthy, however from the way he speaks about girls and parties and the language he uses such as "breadrin" suggest he may be from a lower social class. This is juxtaposed to the other black man that's working in the hotel who is represented in a very different way. This man is dressed in a suit and he is well spoken which is not stereotypical of a young black man.

The media extract also includes a pair of maids that appear to be eastern European by the way they speak and the stereo type of maids working in hotels being eastern Europe. The camera shots of the maids as they are entering the room are shot from a high angle looking down at them, which implies that they are insignificant and have little power. One of the maids is wearing a cross, this is a signifier and signifies (Saussure) that she is a religious woman which may be one of the reasons why she walks out of the room. The man in the room, paying for the service is represented as a Japanese man. This man appears to have a lot of money to spend because we are shown a close up shot of the money on the table. The Japanese are often stereotyped as tourists and a technology advanced nation and this is represented in the extract because he is staying in a hotel room and using the remote controlled stereo system. Some of the camera shots of the Japanese man as he's watching the two women are at a low angle looking up at him, which emphasises his wealth and power. The editing in this scene is very fast and cuts to various camera shot such as close ups of characters facial expression, two shot and wide shots.