Downton Abbey

by Emma Marriott

  For filming, Diana recruited a few more people to be background dancers and oversaw all the dancing during the two days they were shooting in the magnificent ballroom of Wentworth Woodhouse. Filming usually involves lots of takes and the dancers were required to repeat the action again and again. ‘As the day progresses people get tired,’ says Diana, ‘but they also get better as they get used to what they’re doing, especially if they’re getting positive comments from the director.’

  On a personal note, Diana was delighted to see that almost the final scene of the Downton Abbey film was one that included dancing: ‘Having worked on almost all of the television series, it was the icing on the cake really, and the fact that I was involved was very special.’

  AFTER THE FILMING

  Once the ten weeks of filming was finished and the grounds of Highclere, Harewood and the other locations were finally clear of the travelling circus of trailers that accompany all film units, the process of post-production could begin. Over a period of several weeks, director Michael Engler and film editor Mark Day worked closely in the cutting room to create the critical ‘director’s cut’ of the movie. Together they went through every scene, editing out lines, reordering, adjusting or removing scenes all together. Their aim was to achieve just the right pace, excitement and emotion, whilst fitting all the action within the film’s eventual running time of two hours.

  Mark (with his assistants Sascha and Thy) had in fact been working on the movie since day one of filming (and for a week or two before in preparation). After each day of shooting, ‘rushes’ (or ‘dailies’ as they are called in the US) are sent through to the editor in the cutting room who starts to put together a scene, gradually building up the scenes as the shoot progresses. Each scene is shot from a number of angles, varying from wide or mid-shots to over-the-shoulder takes focusing on the actors’ faces. There are many different shots for each scene, and each may require multiple takes, for example if an actor makes a mistake or the director wants a different performance.

  Consequently Mark received a great deal of footage each day, all of which he had to sort through to assemble each scene. On set, Michael and the producers also looked at rushes every day and checked with the cutting room that they had everything they needed. ‘If, for example, we had only two days left of filming at Highclere,’ explains producer Liz Trubridge, ‘Michael might check to see if he needs to pick up on anything else.’

  Once filming was over, Mark could go through his initial cut with Michael: ‘At this stage, it will be a much longer version of the film as I always include all the scenes in script order, as that’s what the director has had in mind during the shoot,’ explains Mark. ‘But I’ll have in my head scenes that can be cut or restructured. I might be wrong and the director might want something entirely different for a scene – it’s all part of the process, and things change and evolve over the many weeks that we work together.’ The aim of the director’s cut is to make the most of every scene and every performance. If it’s an emotional scene, such as the one between Violet and Mary at the end of the film, the edit should convey that sentiment, hit just the right pathos, whilst remaining true to the characters. Similarly, the final ballroom montage was a crucial scene as it will be the last time audiences see many of the key characters so the aim of the edit was to capture the wonderful looks and performances of each couple dancing.

  Once Michael and Mark had worked through everything and had a cut they were happy with, they then showed it to the producers, Gareth and Liz, as well as Julian Fellowes, who passed on their own notes and ideas. When Focus Features had also given their approval on the cut, the film was shown to test audiences both in the UK and US. For movies, this is standard practice, but it’s not such a regular occurrence for television productions, so this was a first for Downton Abbey.

  At each screening, around 250 cinemagoers watched the film and some of the production team sat in with them. ‘You can pick up a lot from the audience’s body language,’ explains Mark, ‘whether or not they shuffle around and how they respond to seeing characters for the first time or to certain moments in the film.’ Audience members filled out a questionnaire and focus groups talked about various issues, such as areas they didn’t understand, or characters they liked and disliked. The feedback from these test screenings often proves invaluable and following this there may be the decision to shoot another scene or two. A couple of scenes were added to the Downton movie: Branson’s conversation with Major Chetwode in the village pub, which helped to clarify their storyline, and a scene that emphasised the antagonism between Mr Carson and Mr Wilson.

  Once the new scenes had been slotted in and all the executives involved were happy with the cut, the film edit was ‘locked’ and the real post-production process kicked in. This involves the ‘spotting’ of various elements, from visuals effects to sound and music. For Downton, visual effects mainly involve removing any signs of modernity, such as spotlights, alarms or vapour trails in the skies from overhead planes. In the movie, grass was also made to look a little more pristine, particularly after the hot, dry summer of 2018 when it was shot, and rural Pickering Station was transformed to recreate King’s Cross Station.

  With the visual effects in place, Ben Smithard and the film’s colourist Gareth Spensley can ‘grade’ the film – balancing the colours and illumination of the movie, adjusting its contrasts, hues and textures, all of which adds to the atmosphere and famously rich feel of Downton Abbey.

  Vital also to Downton Abbey is its audio, its sumptuous music score and the sound effects and design, which serve to underpin the drama and storytelling of the movie. Emmy-award winning composer John Lunn, who wrote the original title track and worked on the entire television series, similarly composed the music for the film. ‘We knew we wanted to retain many of Downton’s original themes in the movie, because it’s so integral to the show and is familiar to the fans. That was really brought home to us when we had a test screening of the movie in Los Angeles – as soon as the title music came on, the audience started cheering and tearing up. So the essence of the title music is very much the same but it’s now on a grander scale, and recorded by a bigger orchestra.’

  From the outset, the music transports us to the world of Downton Abbey, as familiar chords and a pulsating rhythm accompany the visuals on screen as the letter wends its way to the house. ‘The opening music should give you a flavour of the journey you’re about to go on,’ adds John, and in fact the first five minutes of the movie are entirely filled with music, which builds to the moment when the camera finally pans up to Downton Abbey; the chords open out and we are treated to the full splendour of the title music.

  John first wrote the music on a keyboard, matching all the action and sequence of scenes from the final edit of the film. A team then helped to orchestrate and record his compositions, which were played by a seventy-five-piece orchestra and John on the piano.

  Once John had created the music for the movie, the show’s re-recording mixer Nigel Heath blended it together with the sound effects and dialogue to create the finished soundtrack. This building process starts with the dialogue track recorded using radio and boom mikes during filming. The sound crew normally do such a good job that very little needs to be re-recorded but sometimes actors are required to re-do the odd bit of dialogue – known as automated dialogue replacement (ADR) – if there’s an intrusive noise in the background, or the producers have requested a slight amendment to a line in the script.

  During this ADR process, some of the actors were also asked to provide background voices, as Nigel explains: ‘Downton has a large ensemble cast so for big scenes, such as the dinner party, we need the actors to provide background chat, in order to create an authentic soundscape.’ This chatter shouldn’t, however, detract from any key dialogue in the scene. ‘We make sure the principal dialogue is razor-sharp and then we smudge and defocus the background dialogue so the audience is steered to the key action.’

  At this stage, ot
her sounds that can’t be captured during filming are added, all of which gives extra depth and realism to the movie. In a purpose-built studio known as a ‘Foley stage’ specialist performers create authentic sounds to synchronise with the action on screen. For example, for Carson’s footsteps they always use the same pair of shoes (so even if we can’t see him on screen, we know it’s him) but the stage is adapted to different floor surfaces, from gravel to a sprung ballroom. Similarly, the Foley artists always use the same prop to create the familiar sound of Violet banging her stick on the floor. Occasionally the sound crew on location will capture a specific sound effect on a ‘wild track’ when the camera isn’t running, as they did at Highclere when they recorded Andy winding the clock.

  This layering of sounds, along with crashes and noises coming from other rooms, creates the effect that Downton Abbey is a busy and active house. ‘We wanted the house to feel alive, so when you’re in the servants dining area, you might also be able to hear the kitchen or corridor off-screen,’ explains Nigel, ‘Similarly if someone drops a real bombshell of a line, you can cut the background noise to create more impact and drama.’ This technique was used to good effect when the Downton servants plot their revolution – once the wine cellar door was shut all background sound was taken away, heightening the atmosphere.

  Upstairs, the sounds are a little different, you might hear birdsong or a clock ticking. There’s an illusion of space and air, whereas in the servants’ quarters the sounds add to the feeling of claustrophobia and heat. The noises used for Carson’s garden give a real feeling of being outdoors and you can almost smell the flowers. For a movie this immersive feeling could also be enhanced with the use of Dolby Atmos surround sound so that when, for example, Mr Barrow walks down into Turton’s nightclub cinema audiences initially hear the hubbub in front of them, but when he enters, it comes from all around.

  All these layers are then blended together to form the film’s soundtrack, which is married to the pictures before being packaged into a digital format under the guidance of post-production supervisor Ann Lynch.

  And the final film is complete. For the first time in its history, Downton Abbey will be shown in cinemas across the world. After years of planning, a project that has been a labour of love for so many people, the Downton Abbey film is finally here. The doors to the great house will open once again to receive guests.

  WELCOME TO DOWNTON ABBEY – WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU.

  Archive Photography credits

  Bettmann/Getty Images; Borthwick Institute/Heritage Images/Getty Images; Central Press/Getty Images; Donaldson Collection/Gety Images; Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Gety Images; FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division; Hulton-Deutsch/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images; Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images; SSPL/Getty Images; Topical Press Agency/Getty Images; Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images; W & D Downey/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

  Select Bibliography

  Catherine Bailey, Black Diamonds: The Rise and Fall of an English Dynasty. London: Penguin Books, 2007.

  David Cannadine, George V. London: Penguin Books, 2014.

  Jessica Fellowes, The World of Downton Abbey. London: HarperCollins, 2011.

  James Pope-Hennessy and Hugo Vickers, The Quest for Queen Mary. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2018.

  Kenneth O. Morgan, The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984.

  Jeremy Musson, Up and Down Stairs: The History of the Country House Servant. London: John Murray, 2010.

  Ted Powell, King Edward VIII: An American Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.

  Emma Rowley, Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey. London: HarperCollins, 2013.

  Adrian Tinniswood, The Long Weekend. London: Vintage, 2018.

  Adrian Tinniswood, Behind the Throne. London: Jonathan Cape, 2018.

  John Van Der Kiste, George V’s Children. Stroud: The History Press, 1991.

  Acknowledgements

  It has been a real pleasure and a privilege to enter the world of Downton Abbey and to meet and talk to the extraordinarily talented and dedicated cast and crew involved. My thanks to Gareth Neame and Julian Fellowes for giving me their time and granting me access to their remarkable creation. Thank you also to Liz Trubridge, Michael Engler, Mark Hubbard and all the Downton Abbey crew who have generously spared time out of their busy schedules to talk to me, particularly Anna Robbins, Anne ‘Nosh’ Oldham, Mark Day, Lisa Heathcote, Donal Woods, Ben Smithard, John Lunn, Nigel Heath, Jill Trevellick, Mark ‘Sparky’ Ellis, Ann Lynch, Diana Scrivener, Gina Cromwell and Kimberley Bright. A huge thank you also to Charlotte Fay who essentially made this book happen, and was immensely efficient, helpful and cheering throughout. Many thanks also to all the Downton Abbey cast who gave me their time and insights into filming – it has been a real honour.

  At Headline, many thanks to Sarah Emsley and Katie Packer for their dedication and support. And thanks also to the supremo-editorial and design team Emma Tait and Dan Newman, for their sterling work, support and friendship over the (very many) years.

  About the Author

  EMMA MARRIOTT is a writer and editor, and author of several popular history books, including the bestselling series I Used to Know That: History and The History of the World in Bite-Sized Chunks. As a former in-house senior editor at Macmillan UK, she also has extensive experience editing a wide range of television and film tie-in books.Emma lives in Bedfordshire, England with her husband and three children. You can sign up for author updates here.

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  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Foreword by Julian Fellowes

  DOWNTON REVISITED

  Gareth Neame: Producer

  Julian Fellowes: Writer

  RETURN TO HIGHCLERE

  Behind the Scenes: The Opening Montage

  Lord and Lady Grantham

  Anna Robbins: Costume Designer

  Lady Mary and Henry Talbot

  Country Estates

  Anne ‘Nosh’ Oldham: Hair and Make-up Designer

  Lord and Lady Hexham

  Women in the 1920s

  Tom Branson

  Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

  Michael Engler: Director

  Behind the Scenes: The Grand Dinner

  Lord and Lady Merton

  A VILLAGE FIT FOR A KING

  King George and Queen Mary

  The King’s Daimler

  The Real King George and Queen Mary

  Lady Bagshaw

  Lucy Smith

  Royal Tours

  Behind the Scenes: The Parade

  Major Chetwode

  Free Ireland

  AT HOME IN SHEPPERTON

  Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes

  Mr Barrow

  Behind the Scenes: Thomas’s Night Out

  Anna and Mr Bates

  Behind the Scenes: The Wine Cellar

  Mrs Patmore

  Daisy and Andy

  Tony Sellick

  Working Women

  Mr Molesley and Miss Baxter

  Dancing Partners

  Behind the Scenes: A Step Back in Time

  Mr Bakewell

  The Royal Household

  Mr Wilson

  Mrs Webb

  Miss Lawton

  Mr Ellis

  Monsieur Courbet

  YORKSHIRE’S GREAT ESTATES

  Princess Mary

  The Real Princess Mary

  Lord Lascelles

  Behind the Scene
s: The Ball at Harewood

  AFTER THE FILMING

  Credits, Select Bibliography and Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Copyright

  First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

  Text copyright © 2019 Focus Features LLC. Licensed by Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

  For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.

  www.stmartins.com

  Artwork © 2019 Focus Features LLC. Downton and Downton Abbey ™ and © 2019 Carnival Film & Television Limited. All Rights Reserved.

  All brand names, service names, product names, titles, and copyright material used in or on this book are trademarks or copyright of their respective holders. No permission is given by St. Martin’s Publishing Group or its subsidiaries for their use by any person other than such holders and such use may constitute an infringement of the holders’ rights.

  Original photography by Jaap Buitendijk with additional photography by Liam Daniel © 2019 Focus Features LLC

  Costume sketches by Anna Robbins © 2019 Focus Features LLC

  Buckingham Palace Royal Arms © Crown copyright

  Designed by Dan Newman at Perfect Bound Ltd

  The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  eISBN 978-1-250-25661-4

  Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension. 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.

  Originally published in Great Britain by Headline Publishing Group, an Hachette UK company

  First U.S. Edition: September 2019