Analysing film trailers (2)

Apocolypto

• Costume/make up - Most films within the 21st century are set within towns and cities with all the characters wearing 'normal' clothes, whereas in Apocolypto the characters make up and costume is completely niche. Niche target audiences can be a good and bad thing, but in this situation I think this is effective.

• Camera/Editing - The use of jump cuts and establishing shots within the trailer give a clear insight to the film and the location of the film, however it is not giving away too much information on the film. When creating a trailer I think it is key that you do not give away too much of the story line as this means the audience will not come to see your film after seeing the trailer, the overall task of the trailer is to get the audience to go and watch the film.

• Sound - The use of sound within this trailer is very simple yet effective, it links in with the naturalistic theme within the film, and the calm music is towards the start of the trailer whereas when you start to see the action the music becomes more upbeat, this signifying the chaotic action within the film. Sound is very important within a trailer as again it gives the audience a clear idea of the type of film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngWBddVNVZs

Analysing film trailers

Taken

Camera:

• Towards the start of the trailer, we see the use of an establishing shot where we can see the location of the film; Paris. By using an establishing shot it engages the audience as we would be questioning why the film is set in France when the characters live in America. Establishing shots are very common within trailers and film as setting the scene is a very important aspect.

• Again, at the start of the trailer, we see the use of many cut shots. The cut shots are very significant as they are all shots of each family member. This highlights to the audience that the family may be a key part to the plot of the film.
• Throughout the whole trailer, medium close up shots are used when the characters are on the screen. The medium/medium close up shots allow us to see the emotion on the face of the characters. This further implying that this is a very emotive film, due to it being about a whole family in distress due to the capture of their daughter.

Sound:

• For the first thirty seconds of the trailer, the music is very upbeat and happy, this linking in with what we can see on the screen, a birthday party. However, when we see the shot of the plane taking off the music straight away turns more serious. The music would turn serious as that plane journey turns out to be a significant part of the film.
• As we see in many trailers, the use of diegetic sound through the narrative is a key part in all trailers. The spoken narrative is used in a trailer as it gives the audience a clear understanding of what the film is about.
• Right at the end of the trailer, the use of non diegetic sound is used; the sound of heavy breathing. Again this gives the audience an idea as to what the film is about. Heavy breathing clearly highlights that this film has action in.
• The heavy breathing at the end of the trailer is a genre clue, along with the multiple camera shots of the guns, car chases and fight scenes. Genre clues are key in a trailer as it is important that the audience are fully aware of the genre of the film.

Mise-en-scene

• The mise-en-scene throughout this film is very minimal. One key thing I picked up on was the costumes; the costumes of the characters are clothes you would expect to see in reality. This may highlight how things such as what happens in this film happens within society today. The normality of the film, for example the costumes and overall location highlight this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ02_Uzf7So

Analysing short films

The Black Hole

Camera

Throughout the first minute of the short film the camera stays very simple, in a medium long shot. However, when the black hole that is printed on the paper comes out of the printer, the camera zooms in, highlighting how the black hole is the subject of the film. When the actor goes to take the piece of paper with the black hole on, we see a close up, this enables us to be able to see the actors facial expressions. Clearly the black hole symbolises something which we as the audience are unaware of, this being an anti-narrative.

Mise-en-scene

Throughout the short film, the mise en scene stays exactly the same as the film is set in one location, with the actors costume staying the exact same. Within short films, this is something we expect as you do not have the time to include a lot of different scenes with changes in costume and location.

Lighting

The lighting within this short film is very different to what we expect as an audience, the lighting throughout stays the same, this highlighting the flow in narrative. The dull lighting represents the story of the short film, which overall is very dull and boring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk


The Stairway

Camera

As the short film starts, we see the use of an establishing shot, this sets the scene for the whole short film. The camera throughout the short film stays in a medium shot, mainly with the audience being able to see the facial expressions of the character. Towards the end of the film, we see the use of a long shot as this gets in the whole body shot of the actor along with the surrounding, the use of the long shot allows us to see how the character has become distressed.

Mise-en-scene

The mise-en-scene within this film is very simple as it is all set in one location, even though it starts off in a normal hotel, we see how it suddenly changes to a room of stone. However, it then goes straight back to the hotel. The actors outfit throughout the whole film stays the same, this highlights to the audience how everything happened in a short space of time.

Lighting

The lighting at the start of the film starts very bright, signifying how everything at this time was fine. It then quickly goes into dark lighting and stays this way throughout the film. this again highlights how the character is distressed due to not being able to find the ending of the stairs within the hotel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=std0jjpnI78



Peanut Butter Lips

Camera

The film starts off with a medium close up of a book named 'Peanut Butter Lips' this is a direct link to the title, this is a common convention with films and trailers. When the two actors are in conversation, we see a close up along with the camera constantly switching onto the actor who is speaking. Throughout the short film, the majority of film, medium shots are used, medium shots highlight the facial expressions of the actors and give the audience a clear idea as to what is going on within the story.

Mise-en-scene

Throughout the short film, the two actors costumes stay the same, this highlighting how the storyline all happened in one short time period. On a whole, the short film is set on the bench, the only time see a change in location is when the camera goes into the kitchen to get a birds eye view shot of the sandwich,

Lighting

The lighting throughout the short films stays exactly the same, usually lighting shows the mood, however as the lighting stays the same it highlights how the mood throughout this whole film has stayed the same. Also, the use of bright lighting allows a clear more effective film.

Short films research

Todorov's narrative theory:
Equilibrium
Dis-equilibrium
New equilibrium

Mode of address within short films:
Direct address e.g dialogue
Voice over
Written narrative/dialogue

Key words:
Enigma - A narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a puzzle to be solved.
Linear narrative - A plot that moves in a straight line without flashbacks or digression.
Parallel action - A narrative device in which two scenes are observed as happening at the same time by cutting between them.
Anti narrative - Something which deliberately disrupts the flow for effect.

Introduction to the task

LO: To explore the requirements of A2 Media Studies.

For A2 we have been given the option of two tasks, to create a short film or a trailer for a film.

Option 1: A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both, together with two of the following three options:

• A poster for the film
• A radio trailer for the film
• A film magazine review page featuring the film

Option 2: A promotion package for a new film, to include a trailer, together with two of the following three options:

• A website homepage for the film
• A film magazine front cover, featuring the film
• A poster for the film