An example of this when the father actor walks down the stairs there is non-diegetic sound used, music, calming and serene. This ironic music choice is followed by an argument of the rest of the family, breaking the tranquility the audience except to witness. Lack of respect is presented as soon as diegetic speaking starts from the children. Swearing and informality to a higher class family would be absurd, especially to an elder, yet here these morals do not seem to exist- suggesting this to be a discourteous family, thus putting them a lower class family. Stereo-typically, those with less class as seen to be less educated, successfully portrayed here with the speaking habits of the entire family. Alongside this the mise-en-scene continues to supports the representation of a stereotypical lower class family. For example, the clothes shown by the father are very scruffy, giving him a disheveled example. This supports a lower class family because they clearly do not have enough money/ choose not to spend money on clothes regularly and leaving himself unshaven and rather quite dirty. If it was twisted to a higher class family, stereo-typically, the father would be wearing a smart suit and be head of the house, where clearly this father isn't. Alongside the look of the father in this scene, there is what seems to be a teenage mother, conveying a uneducated "typical" under class daughter. As it conveys her to be a mother, a negative light is given to people of that standing, even though there is families who live like this, it doesn't mean all of them do. Continuing on from this point, the baby even has a tracksuit on, conveying a suggestion that all lower class citizens dress poorly like in this sense. Additionally, in this one minute, there are various camera shots shown. For example, there is a shot reverse shot when showing the argument of the son and father to show both sides of the argument, showing how the son gets up as he gets angrier showing no authority between the ages of this family type. Furthermore, a pan shot is used of the children when the father is speaking, showing an almost "gang" up on their father, the reason for this would have been to show a view on lower class families, even if inaccurate, it continues to suggests that families of this class do not have separation of ages. This opening minute also shows class simply through the quality of the footage. If this clip was of richer people, it would more than likely be very high quality, whereas here, the editing is clearly at a minimum and shows that the lower class families in a more natural light. This is important when representing class because if it were for a lower class and the quality was high, it would contrast the way the director is showing this family.
When going onto the next minute, the representation of class continues to convey the lower class in a negative way. Straight away you can see the editing of frames over lapping the word "greed" repeated then "me". This is created to animalise the father because this behavior is clearly normal for this type of family- having a lack of money turns people into animals- preying for as much as they get for "greed". This helped by the tone of the way he says the words- as if they are roars/groans. When one of the daughter says "because we want you" the same music from the beginning plays- as if now is the time there is going to be serenity, for a touching moment. Also at the time the camera slightly zooms from a close shot to an extreme close shot. This would have been used to show the emotion/ shocked looked from the father. It's important because it shows class that even if they argue with each other, they only have one another and soon make up- perhaps in a circle, repeated these stages over and over. When there is little speech there is an over the shoulder shot from the fathers view of his children, to show unity once again- as if the words said to and about the father didn't even happen. The mise-en-scene is also helped in this minute to portray a bad view on lower classes because of the state of the house. For starters, the walls don't have wallpaper of anything covering the walls suggesting a very dirty and unkempt house- perhaps this is a council house- stereo-typically where most lower class live. Also purely down to the size of the table and the surrounding suggests that this is a very small house considering there are so many of them- so it is implied that it is a very crammed packed house.
The last minute of the clip of Shameless is outside- showing the family the "house" that they are wanting, when really it's a caravan. There is a long yet fast pan from the caravan to the family to show how this is clearly not what they were expecting and it closes the strong view of the lower class families not being able to actually get a house- just a caravan. There is also a camera shot showing all of the family members looking at the father in shock. The mise-en-scene helps the representation of class because it shows the road by the house and it looks very messy and unkempt- much like the inside of their house, yet just by looking at the fences here implies to the audience that this is a very run down area so lower class families "all" live in these types of areas. Furthermore, the diegetic sound of the wind and outside interruptions continues on the view of how the editing has been used to help the convey the lower class negatively because clearly the boom mic isn't that close to them and is picking up extra sound just to show how horrible this area must be.
Theories applying to Shameless-
Lawler- CHAV stereotypes
A term of disgust and contempt. Argues that the media use the discriminatory and offensive language to vilify what they depict as a peasant underclass symbolised by stereotypical forms of appearance.
Newman- (20060 Sitcoms under represent the under class.Argues that there are very few situation comedies, television or drama which focuses on the everyday lives of working class who constitute a significant section of society/ When in the media working class are often depicted in a very non positive light dumb buffoon- Homer simpson and immature machos (phil mitchell)
Butsch- Working class portrayed as flawed individuals- Benefit cheats.
Swale- NEET
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