The Department for Opportunities – the Social Mobility Foundation’s advocacy and campaigning arm – has partnered with Creature London to launch its second campaign to raise awareness of the Class Pay Gap.



Following on from the success of last year’s Class Polish campaign, which used comedian Fern Brady to highlight the ridiculous of classism in the workplace, this year’s campaign takes a more sinister turn. Once again partnering with Creature London, the Department for Opportunities has created a short Horror Film starring Michael Socha (This is England, Being Human, Chernobyl), Jo Hartley (This is England, Eddie the Eagle, After Life) and Jonathan Hyde (Titanic, Jumanji, The Queen).

Stay Down is set in a typical corporate office. In it we see our working-class hero (Michael Socha) doing everything expected of him, yet still having to navigate constant subversive discrimination. Including from his elitist boss, superbly played by screen legend Jonathan Hyde. The film dramatises the insidious, unseen nature of classism as a sinister presence, striving to hold him down physically, and mentally, while strangely sparing others around him – who are therefore able to continue on and succeed, due to that privilege.

The trailer for the film also acts as the hero ad in the campaign, which will be shown in cinemas across the UK and will be supported by films posters on digital OOH and in print in this Halloween’s Guardian on Sunday.

The film will be released on the 1st November with an exclusive screening event at the Roundhouse and will be livestreamed and available to all by the Roundhouse, British Film Institute and the Department for Opportunities.

To further amplify the conversation about classism, and the Class Pay Gap, the Department of Opportunities is encouraging people to share their own class horror stories on Twitter and LinkedIn using the hashtag #StayDownFilm.

This article was originally published in Little Black Book.