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The film's genre is the first aspect to be conveyed to the audience, the trailer begins with two idents (Paramount and Bad Robot). The genre is shown through effects applied to the idents. Both idents appear on-screen through a static and distorted transition, emulating a poor signal. This is also further emphasised by the static noises used between the transition. This tells the audience the mood of the film, something terrible has happened. Creating a very bleak and hostile atmosphere. This reflects the films Horror and Thriller genre. The idea of 'something terrible has happened' is reinforced by the intertitle. It is presented with a low and deep hum, giving the audience a sense of intensity and adding weight to the words. The phrase 'formally know as "central park"', is mostly like to be noticed by the audience. Again says that something terrible has happened. Dialogue is also used again, to draw the audience in. "Are you still filming?", "Yeah, people are going to want to know", this engages the audience. Hinting that there is more to find out.
Throughout the trailer, there are multiple scenes showing explosions followed by load screams of those who witness them. This draws in the audience, teasing conflict but never fully showing it. Influencing the audience to keep watching the trailer and then want to watch the film to see the conflict. As well as this, in multiple scenes, a disturbing roar can be heard and who or what this roar belongs to is never revealed. This is a very effected way to engage the audience and give them a reason to watch the film. The audience is presented with a multitude of disasters happening, but what caused them is known. This is further reinforced in a monologue, 'something attacked the city'.
The audience is then given more insight into the film, the form of the monologue previously mentioned. The audience is shown a close of a man, distressed face, sweating and dirty. It begins with him stating his name 'Robbert Hawkins', this is a way of informing the audience on who the character is, and establishes them as the main character. Through this monologue, the producers can tell the audience what is going on and engage the target audience who would be interested in the plot.
Scenes of chaos are shown, with fast hard cuts bridging them together. Similar to what was used with the idents, static noise is used to add impact to the hard cuts, as well as a static effect being used between the cuts giving a further impact of the chaos and intensity. Going along with the genres of the film, monster, thriller, action.
There is very little use of intertitles, which is the best choice as it could have taken away from the intensity. One of the few intertitles states the name of the producer: J.J Abrams. This means audience members that are familiar with his work will be engaged as they enjoy his films. At the end of the Trailer, it only shows the title. Keeping the intense atmosphere, the logo also appears to flicker and glitch, staying with the theme. This is all complemented by the use of a found footage appearance, the audience is always seeing things from the perspective of the characters. From their camera.
The trailer opens with the crisp sound of a rifle bolt being pulled, non-diegetic, a hard cut to the barrel of a rifle. This immediately builds tension, adding weight to the use of the rifle. This signals the genre to the audience, an intense action-thriller. The camera pans up to an establishing shot, introducing the audience to another genre, Military. The establishing shot peers down at a street from a sandy house, down at a platoon of soldiers moving with a tank. The scene is quiet, very little noise, the only noise comes from characters moving and breathing. This keeps the audience engages, action is coming but the audience doesn't know when. The are multiple cuts to what can be seen down the scope of the rifle, again reminding the audience of the film's genre. As well as, telling the audience who the main character is and what perspective they will see the events of the film.
The very little dialogue is used to add tension, as well as, inform the audience of whats stake. The scarce amount of dialogue means each word has great value. 'she's got a grenade, she's handing it to the kid', combined with an audio snare rising starts to form an intense scene. The audience will begin to feel the stress that the sniper feels. Non-diegetic sound is also used to build tension, as the sniper is analysing the woman and child, the pump of a heart can be heard and well as deep breathing (both increasing in volume and pace). These are both non-diegetic sound effects, that are being used to make the audience feel the weight of what is at stake if he choices wrong. This idea of weight in decisions is further emphasised by the slow fade transitions to scenes of his wife and newborn child. This engages the target audience who enjoy a thriller experience. It gives them a peek into what is the threat and the consequences of failure.
There are almost no intertitles used in the trailer. At the end of the trailer, where all the audience can hear is the howling of the wind and the echo of a heartbeat. It cuts instantly to the title, black serif font on a plain white background. Simple, no distractions; the audience is still able to feel the tension from before. It then fades to another intertitle, reading "The most lethal sniper in US history". This informs the audience on another genre, the film is based on real events.
Gravity's trailer is fast and discombobulating, the audience is made to feel the dread and helplessness that the main character does. The shows the films thriller genre and will engage those who enjoy that experience. The feeling of hopelessness is reinforced by the intertitles that appear at the start, 'life in space is impossible'. As the spaceship is torn apart, the camera follows the main astronaut as they are violently throwing around. The camera's frantic movement compliments the harrowing soundtrack, showing that the astronaut is at the mercy of lifeless space. Though the intertitle tells you that there is no sound in space, the audience is bombarded with it. As the astronaut spins violently in the arm, a rising audio sting builds loader and loader. However, at intervals, it fades in and out. This helps recreate the feeling of spinning for the audience. Making them feel as dizzy as the astronaut. As well as this, dialogue bombards the audience as well, the astronaut's frantic breath and yelling. Along with, George Clooney shouting with an imperative tone down the radio. Making the audience feel the panic and chaos of the scene.
As Dr Stone (astronaut) is launched into the abyss of space, she cries out one last time. It is quickly silenced and only remains as a faint echo. This use of sound has a great effect, the echo makes the audience feel as if they are experiencing a deafening silence. As if there is too much lack of noise. This deafening silence creates a strong feeling of pressure, and the audience becomes aware that she is unlikely to survive. She drifts into space, rotating at an alarming speed. The camera stays in a tracking close-up of her face, so it spins with her. Making the audience feel the speed. As well as this, the close-up shows her face. Pure dread and panic. Pulses fade in and out, again creating a strong feeling of pressure.
Dialogue is used to introduce the characters to the audience and give them an understanding, of what motivates them and what they have to lose. The audience is told where Dr Stone's home is, she has a daughter. She gives a description of her daughter, 'little girl with brown hair'. This makes the audience invested in the character of Dr Stone, as they want to live to see her daughter. This draws the audience in, making them want to watch the full movie to see if she gets to see her daughter again. While this voiceover plays, a montage of her in multiple dangerous situations is shown. Again adding pressure ot her dying and not seeing her daughter.
With a little more attention to detail, this will be an excellent infographic showing your analysis of the trailer for 6 Days.
ReplyDeleteCLOVERFIELD: Very good. You write confidently about how the style of the camerawork and editing of the trailer establishes its thriller / apocalyptic / horror genre, through rapid cuts, glitches, static and alarming sound effects. You note how the central conflict is introduced by the protagonist and that the narrative is developed without resolving the enigma. Notice how the trailer builds to climax. You explain lucidly that the intensity is partly down to the minimal use of intertitles and other distractions which allows the chaos full reign.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully presented research into several additional relevant texts (6 days, Gravity, American Sniper).
ReplyDeleteTrailers Your camerawork has made a major contribution to the success of the trailers. You challenged yourself this year with new camera equipment and skills, using a Fujifilm XT-2 camera to create professional- looking footage, with strong colours and sharp detail. You employed a wide range of techniques (Dolly shots, low angle, worm shots, bird's eye view, close up, pans, follow pans and so on). Throughout the production, from planning to construction, you have paid close attention to detail and aimed at the highest standards, which is clear from your 30 detailed posts.
From the polished PSYX Productions that you designed and made to the whole battery of special effects, convincing mise-en-scène complete with superb costumes, military equipment and realistic locations, the main trailer makes a strong statement about threat and personal courage, delivered in a way that will appeal to its target audience.
The menacing soundtrack along with the voiceovers fits the military horror genre which is developed in a sophisticated way with some excellent editing. Particularly smooth is the wipe transition from the bird’s eye view drone shot of the operatives entering the military building to the wide shot of the Government Mansion with the monster floating above it suspended in space. The colour tones are carefully considered throughout to lend unease (close-ups of boots splashing through rain, foggy wide shots, rainy city streets, barbed wire sharp and spiked fences sharp against grey skies, dark alleyways). Confident green screen editing in the news broadcast scene.
Excellent camerawork / editing includes the arresting silhouette of the ‘burning’ monster with radioactive flames flickering around it, as well as views through the night vision goggles, lending tension and realism as the monster is tracked. The confrontation with the monster, with firepower created cleverly through special effects, culminates in hand-held camerawork to simulate the pursuit and a surprise moment of personal revelation – the photograph of the sweetheart. Following trailer conventions, the trailer ends on a moment of suspense that hooks the audience – will the lone operative succeed in destroying the monster? The trailer also meets all other trailer conventions (production company idents, title, tagline, intertitles, release date, institutional information) and fits the trailer genre well (fast-paced editing, building to a climax, clearly signals genre, engages audiences who seek action / adventure codes as well as horror codes).
Your production team has had to develop creative ways of meeting the requirements of your original treatment (such as cross cuts to live action shots of family) such as replacing them with photos, because of the impossibility of meeting up with your original cast during lockdown, and the difficulties of travelling beyond your local area. You were so efficient in the initial stages that you had completed a substantial amount of your principal photography before constraints, but were nevertheless forced to be innovative in working around the constraints. I have taken all of this into account.