Downton Abbey ITV1 promo

Downton abbey is a period drama (mid 1800's) being shown on ITV1 at the moment. The trailer for which uses many features and conventions that are key in television dramas to make them how they are.

The zooms used in the trailer are both fast and slow, and are used throughout the clip. A fast zoom is used to show the shock on the girls face when she sees the body being carried through the dark. This accentuates the horror and suprise she is feeling and helps the audience to empathise with her emotions. Slow zooms are also used on some of the more boring shots (shots where not a lot other than a conversation is happening) to add intrest and also draw the audience into the scene.

Non-diegetic music has been added in post production in a choral style, but a fairly modern song. This is so that the period drama targets this generation whereas it might not have if it had chosen an older song. The haunting choral voices give a sense of unease about the clip, especially with the clever choice of words "i'll be watching you" in the song. The cuts of the shots are quite slow at the beginning, however when the music increases in tempo, the cuts get faster and faster until the music slows again and we are left with a closeup of the "main characters" face. The fast cuts are here used to build tension and create a sense of excitment in the audience, without actually telling them anything that is going to happen in the series. This makes them want to watch the drama and therefore makes this clip an effective trailer.

Many different shot types are used in the trailer, although most of them are tracking shots. I think this is for two reasons. Mainly, to give the viewer a sense of following the characters through a very quick synopsis of the programme, so it is almost like a continuous path through the clip. Also, I think that it corresponds nicely with the lyrics of the music; "I'll be watching you", making it seem as though the viewer is literally watching the characters when they arent supposed to be. I think the lyrics have shaped the trailer quite a lot, because most of the clips seem to be people looking at each other and conveying a lot by what their facial expression is.

A long shot is used when a couple of characters are walking outside of the abbey.

shakey shot when boy is carried into house.

text

blurred forground

fast cuts

soft lighting in the romantic bits

graphic frame shots, door mirror window

blurred edges to create period feel

period costumes - sets the time period

long shots to set scene

extreme close up

close up on characters facial expressions

tracking

follow style due to tracking