1. Essay Structure Four areas…four sections?
Constant reference to representation
No big intro; get on with it
Keep conclusion short

2. Opening/Closing Sentence
Opening Sentence In this sequence from xxx, the technical features combine to construct representations of yyyyyy. This follows/challenges stereotypes of yyyyy. Concluding Sentence As we have seen, the representation of yyyyy is constructed by the combination of the technical codes in the sequence.

3. In summary
Write down what technique is used Give an example from the extract Explain how meaning is being created for the specific representation Can you refer to how its working together with another technique/write a comparative analysis for the opposing representation/link to theory

4. Chief Examiners Top Tips
Have a system for your notes-
use the notes table
Be selective from the text- richest moments
Know your terms- media language
Make it readable on the page- paragraph gaps

5. Representation of Class and Status
Remember this is class and status…the two may link together in the extract or it may focus on one of the two

6. Class and Status
Classes (eg Made in Chelsea) – often shown as rich, clever, snobby, very posh
Middle Classes (eg My Family)– often shown as “normal”, good family values, well behaved
Working Classes (eg Coronation Street) – often shown as poorer, less happy, less intelligent, but with strong community links
Lower / Under Classes (eg Shameless) – often shown as being criminals, no family values, no community links, bad parents etc
People have often noticed that in many TV shows, people of different classes, don’t mix. And when they are shown together, they are often shown as clashing andbeing very different.

7. What to Consider Can I identify what class characters are?
Are people from different classes shown as having different interests, personalities, attitudes, behaviours? If so, how?
Is their class represented as being important in their life?
Are people from particular classes portrayed as being better, more powerful, than others?
Are people from particular classes portrayed as being abnormal /weaker/ more pathetic than others?
How do other characters in the clip treat the characters from different classes?
What is the message the clip is trying to portray about class?

8. Class and Status Extract
Discuss how the representation of class and status is represented in the extract using the following:
Camera shot, angle, movement and composition
Mise en scene
Sound
Editing

9. Class and Status Extract

10. Merlin

11. Applying your notes
Read the exemplar essay for the Merlin extract on Learnzone.
Copy two high level sentences that analyse two different technical areas from the Merlin extract.
Now you write a high level sentence for the same two technical areas; applying the same sentence structure as the exemplar essay; but for the Cranford extract
Ensure you are meeting all the marking criteria (always referring to representation, using specific examples, applying terminology)…P.T.O for example

12. Example Sentences from Merlin Essay: 3 Point Sentence Structure