Editing Media

Representation of Class and Status in Downtown Abbey

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


Camera Shots:
The first shot that we see in this scene is a crab shot which follows the actions of one of the servants, which  then opens up into an establishing shot where we see the setting of the country house in the background. This introduces the audience to the setting and gives us an idea to the characters we might expect to see.


We then see a mid-shot/ point of view shot of one of the characters who lives in the country house, we see her looking from the window as the boy passes on the bike in the perspective of a high angle shot. This may represent how the boy (who represents those of a servant status) is inferior to the woman in the house (who represents the people who live in the upper quarters of the country house).
We then see another point of view shot when we see the bells ringing in the servants quarters. We can see here that these characters have a lower class and status than those of the others in the house. They have to respond to these bells to meet the others needs which shows that they are inferior and have a lower position in the house and therefore in society than the others.


We then see another shot/ long shot/ establishing shot, where we can see all the characters seated vertically along the table with the head servant at the top of the table. From this we get a mid-shot of all the characters which allows us to see their costumes. This suggests to us that the characters are of a lower class and status as they are dressed in servants outfits, which is fit for their working purpose in the house.  We also see the food that is laid out for them on the table for their breakfast which is simple and practical. It is not fancy or well laid out like the upper class residents would have.
Shortly after this we see a point of view shot when we see the boy ironing the paper. We can see from this the type of jobs that they have to carry out which suggests that they are of a lower class. We  can see that they are inferior to those in the upper quarters of the house as they work to ensure that all of their needs are carefully met and have to pay attention to something as petty as making the newspaper looking presentable.


Later on in the clip we see a high angle shot of the main man in the house with his dog, walking down the stairs which switches to a side crabbing shot/ establishing shot. We can follow the movement of the character down the stairs who seems to move quite proudly and presentably down the stairs. We can see that he is a well off man from the setting around him. We can see the large glass windows behind him and the grand staircase, which show that the building is for those of an upper class status.


We then see a mid shot/ two shot of the man and one of the servants who is already waiting for the man to come down from breakfast. From this we can make a comparison of the two characters in the frame. The butler remains still in the corner and maintains a good posture where as the man moves around, looking for the different options for his breakfast. We also see a comparison in settings here. The table is neatly laid out, the room is much brighter and has flowers and grand pictures and sculptures in the background. Furthermore, the man has the whole large table to himself at which he choses to sit at the end. When we compare this to the shot we see of the servants table there are many differences. The room in which that was shot was very dull, we could see from the way the shot was framed that the servants were very crammed together. The lighting in the room also differs significantly. For example in the servants quarters it is very dull. This may show the poor layout of the room or the fact that they have to be awake much earlier in order to prepare for the others breakfast. In the upper quarters the room is very bright,  we can see the shadows of sunlight coming through which suggests that it is later in the morning and that the living conditions here are much better and more advanced.


We then see another point of view shot when the young women walks into the room and overlooks the paper that the man is reading. This allows us to see some of the stories in the paper which give us an idea of the era that the clip is set in/ along with the Mise En Scene. It may also suggest that they are all well-educated and take an interest in the news, something more typical of people of an upper-class.


At the beginning of the clip, we see an example of diegetic sound. We can hear the sound of the boy riding the bicycle past the window. From this we can see the working class status of the young boy and can see how the work he has to do is more labour-intensive than those who he delivers to in the upper-quarters of the house. Furthermore, in the background we can hear non-diegetic music. This immediately creates an uneasy atmosphere in the scene. We then see another example of diegetic sound, when the bells ring in the servants quarters. This again shows their lower status, as we can see that their role and purpose in the house is to respond to the others needs. They are lower in the hierarchy in the house. This is also representative of their position and status in society.


There is also several features of editing seen throughout this clip which help to add to the overall effect. For example, in the first part of the clip we see an eye line-match cut. Here we see the character looking at the object/character off screen, followed by a cut to their eye line and what they are looking at. This allows us to see the woman looking down at the young boy on the bike. This shows that her class and status as it represents to us that she may have more of a luxurious lifestyle, whilst the boy (of a lower class) has to get up early in the morning to work.


Following this, we see an action shot. This is when the woman rings the bell, the shot is the cut so that we see the bells ringing in the servants quarters. It matches the first shots action. From this editing we can see that the woman is of a more authoritative position in the house as her actions determine what the rest of those in the house do as a result.


We then see a cross cut used which switches the action from the servants gathered eating around the table to the boy who was riding the bike. This switch shows two actions occurring at the same time in different locations.  Later in the clip, we then see another eye line match shot/ insert, when the head servant looks at the bells ringing behind him. This again allows us to see that the people of a lower class and status have to respond to the others needs and have to be alert at all times.


We also see several examples of Reverse shots throughout this clip, for example in conversations between characters in the frame. For example, when the servants are preparing the food we see several cuts which link their conversation. However, when the main man of the house is having his breakfast, the two characters seem to be kept in the same frame so that we can see both of the characters. This may show the rushed atmosphere in the servants quarters, as these cuts make the scene seem more jumpy. Where as in the breakfast scene the cuts are kept more minimal and more subtle.

Analysis of Mise En Scene

Consists broadly of 8 areas:

• Colour: The teenage girl is wearing a mixture of white and red. This may suggest that she is at an in-between age, and the colours may show a mixture of innocence and danger. She is also wearing red lipstick which may add to this idea and suggest that she is quite rebellious. The two adults are wearing quite plane colours, such as blues and beiges which match quite closely to the background setting where the walls are blue and there is a variety of whites and beiges, for example on the curtains. This may suggest that they are quite a conventional family. The use of these colours almost makes them merge into the background, which makes the teenage girl stand out more which may suggest that she is meant to be our focus of our attention.
• Costume: The two adults are wearing more formal wear which may represent their age. They are both wearing good quality clothing which matches the setting and may show that they are quite well off and of the middle/ upper class. They are both dressed for the occasion, as the dinner looks well presented. However the teenage girl is wearing a red, white and blue jumper which looks more informal and may show her age and rebellion. She does not want to conform to what everybody else is doing around her but maybe wants to stand out and be the centre of attention. The two adults are wearing wedding rings which may suggest that they are a married couple and that they are a family. The way the women dresses may suggest that she is quite sophisticated and the male may have a good job based on the fact that he looks smart and well presented.
• Lighting: The lighting in this image is generally quite dull which may suggest that there is quite a dark presence in the room, they may be arguing or having a disagreement. The main source of light is the candles in the centre of the table, which again suggests that this family are quite old fashioned. The use of these candles in the centre of the table also create light on the teenage girl where as the two adults are in darker lighting. This may suggest that the girl is the centre of attention and that maybe the discussion and focus in their conversation is based around her and something that she has done.
• Body language/posture: The two women's posture differ quite significantly. The elder woman is sitting up right and has good posture where as the teenage girl is more slumped. This may be a stereotypical representation of her age and creates the idea the young girl may have a bad attitude and doesn't really care. The teenage girl is looking at the man with a stern and unhappy expression and the man has his fists clenched and has a sarcastic and frustrated expression which may represent some kind of conflict between the two. The women also looks annoyed by something, but looks like she is trying to refrain more from the argument.
• Framing: The whole of the scene and the way that the props are arranged is quite symmetrical. This may show a contradictory image of the family as the scenery makes everything look perfectly presented, whilst we can see them arguing around this. This may suggest that they are quite superficial and try to present a perfect image of their family when there's actually quite a lot of conflict amongst them. The distance of the characters spread along the table may also suggest that they are not very close.
• Hair and makeup: The teenage girl is wearing minimal makeup and has her hair tied up in a ponytail. This may suggest that she is not too bothered about her appearance, especially when she is around her family. She is wearing red lipstick which may suggest that she is quite rebellious, as a teenager she is keen to make a statement and stand out and this may be why she choses to wear the lipstick. The man has a normal hairstyle and represents an average middle aged man. The woman has short hair, which is more typical of elder woman which has been styled, which may suggest that she is quite sophisticated and takes pride in her appearance.
• Setting and props: The props are set up symmetrically which presents the family to be quite superficial. They try to present themselves to be the perfect family when in reality as we can see in this image they argue quite a lot. The props include things such as candles and some bright red roses which suggest that they may be upper class and suggest wealth. The red roses may show conflict, danger, love and lust. They are placed directly in front of the teenage girl, possibly because this relates to her character the most.
• Facial expressions: The teenage girl has quite a stern face. She is looking directly at the man who has almost a sarcastic expression on his face which may suggest the two are arguing about something. The woman seems to have a stern and unhappy expression to, but the way she is leaning back more and isn't looking directly at the characters may suggest that she is not directly involved in the conflict but is still not happy with one of the two.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Research

1. the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice; (how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?) The production companies who made The Grand Budapest Hotel were American Empirical Pictures, Indian Paintbrush and Babelsberg Studio. American Empirical pictures is a production company created by Wes Anderson the director of the Grand Budapest Hotel and has made other films such as Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaum. Steven M. Rales, an American business man owns Indian Paintbrush, which is responsible for funding films such as The Fantastic Mr Fox, another Wes Anderson Film. Babelsberg studio is the oldest and largest production company in Europe (based just outside of Berlin, Germany). Films such as inglorious basterds, the Bourne Ultimatum and The Hunger Games were all filmed at Babelsberg studios. None of the film companies used for the production of this film were classified as the big six and were all relatively small companies. This film was very successful with the budget that it had and was not produced by big companies. The production had a budget of $31 million and made a profit of $172.7 million. This shows that small production companies can make films that are successful as there budget was easily doubled in their profits. It is possible for companies to succeed however not on as large a scale as production companies within the big six who still dominate the global film market/industry.  Indian paintbrush is owned by Wes Anderson, who produces a specific type of film which often appears quite old fashioned and different to the conventional styles of modern films. This type of film wouldn't appeal to the wide general public, like the majority of films produced by the big six but perhaps more to fans of Wes Andersons previous work. It is true to say that big companies make the majority of money in contemporary media practise but it is still possible for small films to succeed and make money based on their budget, like the Grand Budapest Hotel.
2. the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicize a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?) There were several production companies involved in the making of The Grand Budapest Hotel. The film was funded by German financial companies and film-funding organisations. It is a British-German co-production.  The film was mainly funded by the German Federal Film Fund. The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures which is a sister company of one the big six, the twentieth century fox studio. It has distributed films such as Juno, 28 days later and (500) days of summer. The three production companies along with the funding worked together to produce this film. It is often more helpful for production companies to work together so that they can afford the costs to produce a better film which will gain a better reputation for them all. The overall effect of these companies working together to produce the film is advantageous outcome, where a better film is produced and a larger profit is made which promotes their business.
3. the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blu Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?) More people now buy films through the internet, downloadable content and home cinema than in the past meaning that films need not only to be available in cinemas but in other forms of media to usually be successful. The Grand Budapest was released on 284 screens in the UK. The film was also available on DVD and Blue ray after its release in cinemas. The film was/is also available for internet streaming, on sites such as Netflix which opens up its audience significantly as the majority of people chose to watch films over the internet rather than visit cinema screens these days. More people will now buy films through the internet which means that films need to be made so that they can be shown through the internet and multiple different ways.   
4. the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed  their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film?) More people now view films through internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema and blue rays and DVD than visiting a traditional cinema. This means that films need to be available in this form of media. For example on online stores where films can be viewed such as Netflix. The Grand Budapest hotel was released on Netflix and similar sites. Film companies need to be able to distribute their films to a wider range of media forms. This means more money in distribution costs as films have to be formatted to fit each type of media form. This may both be a disadvantage and advantage to small films such as the grand Budapest Hotel as they need to be able to distribute their film on a wider scale to be successful which takes a chunk out of the money they have for distribution costs but at the same time allows them to present and market it to a larger audience.
5. the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?) Different technologies have allowed us to improve the quality of the films we produce. For example editing is more advanced, and the use of special effects can add to the overall effect of a production. For example, in The Grand Budapest Hotel special effects are used in part of an action shot in the film, which add to its general appeal. Furthermore it allows institutions to cut costs during production. For example special effects can be used to create scenes which would otherwise increase costs in other areas of artistic production (EG: green screens can be used). Furthermore the increasing use of internet streaming etc. to view films has meant that films can be marketed at a wider audience. For example, the Grand Budapest is available on Netflix which is available to a worldwide audience, however it was only shown on 4 cinema screens in the USA and even less in other countries worldwide.
6. the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions; (how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?) Wes Anderson used several different techniques in his marketing of the Grand Budapest Hotel which helped with its overall success. For example he used ideas from a novel which linked into his film, something that those who are familiar with the book could've seen as a reason to see the film. A 3D model of the hotel was also toured in cinemas from Hollywood to Berlin. This shows that some marketing techniques are similar in different countries. Furthermore instructional featurettes were included with Andersons film which adds something extra to the film. Some larger scale productions may alter the way they try to attract their audience. For example by using different trailers, and posters etc, depending on the cultural tastes and varieties within a country. Smaller productions will be limited to do this with the budget they have but may still try and vary their marketing techniques to appeal to different cultures in different countries.
7. the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour. (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?) Link this area to the film. Use clear examples. I think that the developments are both good and bad. For example, a film like the Grand Budapest Hotel, which has a £30 million budget may have been more limited in the past when marketing films, as they would be restricted to the screens the film could be shown on. Where as with internet streaming etc become more widely available the film can be targeted at a worldwide audience.