The birth of a nation trailer begins with intertitles reading that the film is based on a true story. This adds relevance to the narrative, increasing personal interest into the film. It also links in with the biography/history genre, of which conventional audiences of this genre would have an interest in topical plotlines. Institutional information is given as the trailer promotes the fact it was won awards at the Sundance Film Festival. This creates prestige which is well received by prestige, film literate audiences who would base seeing a film upon this. A period feel is created immediately through mise-en-scene and costumes, further reinforcing the historical genre. It also exaggerates the racial differences in status, as black people wear brown, ragged clothes while the white people wear fancy, coloured clothing – which is symbolic of the wider message of the film. The cold, sullen colour palate emphasises the dark nature of what the trailer is showing – making it more impactful for audiences and emphasising the hardships.
Sound codes are used to create dramatic effect through the diegetic clanging of chains as the slaves’ work. This creates a strong sense of realism and a highly immersive feel for audiences, causing them to sympathise with the slaves. Dialogue from the wider film included over the trailer helps to explain narrative element, and exaggerate the level of oppression of black people. Non-diegetic music (‘Rise-Up’ by Andra Day) exaggerates emotion, further increasing audience investment. The change in music signifies a turning point in the people’s attitude to the oppression, as they choose to rise up. This uplifting, hopeful feel makes audience’s want to watch on and see if they do.
Nocturnal Animals
A sense of the thriller genre is created through the trailer's visual codes, with a dark colour scheme adding to the ominous feel and sense of mystery. Rapid cutting teases the audience with suggestion of action without revealing too much of the plot line. The central character is introduced immediately with an extreme close-up of her face. This is accompanies by a non-diegetic voice-over, which the audience can infer is her voice. Dialogue from the wider film is included over much of the trailer, alongside non-diegetic piano music. In the dialogue, she speaks about her husband, revealing the central conflict of the film to audiences. However, they are only short snippets of conversation - which leaves gaps in the audience's understanding, urging them to watch the film to find out what happens. As the presence of non-diegetic music increases, a dramatic crescendo forms, as the audience feels intensity of the trailer increasing, appealing to thriller audiences.
Institutional information such as intertitles name dropping star talent, including A List actors Amy Adams and Jake Gyllanhaal and director Tom Ford. By also including the success of Ford's previous film 'A Single Man' audience's will infer the prestige and quality of his work and make positive assumptions of the film based on these. A cyclical structure means that the trailer concludes with anotehr extreme close-up of the central character's eyes, which now have tears in them. This reflects the trauma and drama that the film entails.
AMERICAN SNIPER: You are sensitive to the particular qualities of this film, based on a real person, with complexities apart from his role in the military, introduced through flashback and cutaway shots. You respond sensitively to the ways in which the camerawork and editing creates audience involvement both with the seemingly impassive protagonist and the narrative itself.
ReplyDeleteYou also make astute comments about the use of sound (and the absence of sound) and how this contributes to the unfolding of the narrative. It is clear that you appreciate the strengths of this trailer as a means of selling the film, and that if you make an action film, you have learned the value of engaging the audience through building tension.
GRAVITY
ReplyDeleteA detailed analysis with lucid understanding of how this functions as a trailer to engage audiences and sell the film, especially important in such an original film that is thriller rather than sci-fi. You write confidently about how the audience is engaged by the immersive camerawork and the powerful action elements. You distinguish the multiple interwoven strands of sound that create the main sequence’s sense of panic and impending doom. You analyse how the trailer is structured in three parts, the drama rising to fever pitch in the middle section which builds such an investment with the protagonist’s vulnerability, whilst the final section launches the drama of recovery. You analyse perceptively both how the opening silent intertitles function as reminders of the crushing odds against rescue, and write fluently on several aspects of sound and vision editing. You observe trailer conventions such as using the star power of Cuaron, Bullock and Clooney; you astutely comment on the placement of the Warner Bros logo at such a climactic moment – all promotional tactics. This piece of work reflects your appreciation of how effectively trailers can engage audiences; well done.
THE BIRTH OF A NATION
ReplyDeleteA shorter account than your other analyses, which is surprising, given the epic scale of this trailer. However, your first three analyses are very thorough and you have so far posted five in total, with the analysis for ‘The Birth of A Nation’ showing a clear grasp of how genre is signalled and how the historical period is re-created as well as the ways in which the colour palette contributes to the sense of authenticity. You note the prestige of the Sundance Film Festival screening (which led to the Grand Jury Prize, the film’s record-breaking $17.5 million distribution deal and rumours of early Oscar nomination), all of which launched the film’s reputation on the back of the trailer. You show good understanding of the various uses of sound in the trailer, from the rebellious inspiration of the song ‘Rise Up’ and the use of the voice-over to trace the narrative arc. The trailer seems to have made clear to you as an audience that the preacher evolved from being the white man’s tool in oppression to becoming a powerful instrument of revenge.
To improve: can you identify moments in the trailer that are constructed to be particularly shocking? That construct Nate Turner as heroic rather than merely a victim of oppression?
CLOVERFIELD
ReplyDeleteYour analysis is lucid, considered and thorough. You have written an impressive amount about a trailer whose trademark style is stubbornly resistant to coherent analysis because the mystery of the source of the threat, panic and destruction is deliberately withheld. You cover all aspects suggested by the bullet point questions, writing thoughtfully on genre, central protagonist, the cinematic style of ‘found footage’, the unsettling editing and the alarming sound effects. You see the cohesive structure beneath the apparent chaos, as you comment on the use of synchronous sound. Very good work, Ellie.