Trailer Analysis: TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (2011)

Teaser trailers are typically short in length and offer only a taster of the final film that is to come. This initial teaser for the spy thriller 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' is one of the very best examples of a teaser trailer to come out in recent years and succeeds in establishing the atmosphere and nature of the film and its plot line. It begins with someone's hands turning on a tape recording machine, indicating the time period of the film (it is clearly not contemporary or set many years in the past) as the soundtrack immediately begins to play and the next few successive shots fade in and out from black. The music chosen, from a horror film in fact, suits the trailer remarkably well in creating a sense of threat as well as mystery. The line "There's a mole...right at the top of the Circus" is followed by a series of shots that indicate who the main and supporting cast of the film will be...or more accurately (at least the trailer is edited in this manner) to present the potential suspects who could be the aforementioned mole.

Questions are even directed straight at the audience through the use of title cards, for instance 'How do you find an enemy...' again involving them whilst also leaving them, very much, in the dark, so they are eager to discover the truth and therefore watch the film, with the end words in bold for emphasis. The concluding part of this question '...who is hidden...right before your eyes?' is cleverly, and suitably, followed by a series of shots that include Tom Hardy's character with an alarmed look on his face after looking through a pair of binoculars. Benedict Cumberbatch's dialogue, at this point, "He killed our man in Istanbul" is edited to suggest the complicity of Hardy's character, by simultaneously presenting a number of shots of him, however [SPOILERISH] I know for a fact that he had nothing whatsoever to do with 'it', and so it is clear there are false allusions in the trailer, perhaps to mislead audience members - which is consistent with the uncertain nature of the film's mystery. 

The latter part of this trailer is dedicated to the expected montage of footage, showcasing a wide variety of locales and secondary characters. It is initiated with the sound of a gun shot (immediately making the film more exciting and dangerous) and George Smiley's line "Now's the time" - edited in a manner that almost breaks the fourth wall by acknowledging the fact that the fast-paced part of the trailer is about to begin. During the sequence, focus, as in the majority of shots, is of course on Gary Oldman's Smiley character, who is the unmistakable protagonist of the film, as well as Tom Hardy, whose character's nature we are uncertain of, but also interestingly Colin Firth. While of course, the actor's recognition will be a major draw for audiences, especially since his Academy Award win earlier in the year, his character does not seem entirely important by the way the trailer portrays him - yet he appears often. This is further demonstrated by his second billing at the end of the trailer - suggesting his character is of significance. [DEFINITE SPOILERY SPOILERS] Yeah, he is. 

The very final shots in this sequence include one of Benedict Cumberbatch appearing suddenly behind another character in an elevator, seemingly promising some man-on-man action that I know would get some long chinned fellows very excited, as well as a quick climatic shot of a man wearing an optical device - the sort you'd wear in Specsavers in the 1970s. Perhaps this shot is of some significance - or then again, it could be just an arbitrary choice of imagery - or perhaps even, again, it is an element of misdirection to intrigue the audience and ensure their ticket come opening day. All in all, this teaser is one of the highest caliber and its style is definitely something I would like to replicate for my coursework this academic year.

Trailer Analysis - CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010)

This third, and final, trailer for the 2010 remake 'Clash of the Titans' ticks many boxes in regards to the conventions of trailers for films of the fantasy-adventure genre, and in fact exceeds a number of one, working to create a successful promo for the film that builds a great deal of anticipation due to the strong, exciting editing and use of music. The trailer opens with an ominous voice over that accompanies a series of sweeping landscape shots, together with dramatic drum and thunder sound effects with every new shot to increase the intensity of the sequence. There is even a cheesy whoosh sound effect as the camera spins quickly (or the shots are edited to look as if it does) and the opening builds to a climax when Medusa attacks a character on screen and there is a sudden flash to white. Already at this point in the trailer the audience is engaged as a basic outline of the plot is set up and the threat or danger is revealed.

The main meat of the trailer is dedicated to establishing the lead character of Perseus, as portrayed by Sam Worthington. This is predominantly done in the following ways - a series of recurrent title cards, as well as lines of dialogue from other characters and Perseus himself that show who he is and what he is capable of. The former is achieved to moderate success, as the audience may be too fascinated with the striking visuals to catch each title card as they come. They introduce his heritage as that of a God, but his 'heart of a man' - therefore still ensuring his character is relatable to the audience (despite the obvious ultra-fantasy setting of the film). What is interesting is that these words are presented in a very slick, modern, and therefore anachronistic font - well at least inconsistent with the rest of the trailer. This gives the film a bit more of a gritty edge by combining modern aesthetics with the setting of Ancient Greece. This choice, alongside with the musical selection - which I will go into further depth in a moment - is presumably due to the success and popularity of Zack Snyder's film '300'. Warner Bros, who were also the studio behind that release, were clearly aware of the recognition of said film as well as the comparable elements in 'Clash', and therefore capitalised on it by applying similar, though not overly, techniques to the promotion of the film in order to draw the same audiences. The use of dialogue, however, is much more successful, as their position in the trailer amounts to some rather badass moments, for instance when the music is cut short for Mads Mikkelsen's character to say "But you are not just a man", immediately before all hell breaks loose and the trailer goes into full on action montage mode.

The following sequence of shots is the trailer's chief success. The twenty seconds or so that builds to the climax of the trailer is rammed full of highly kinetic, rapidly cut action shots, ensuring the trailer is constantly moving and the viewers are engrossed. This is achieved primarily through the use of the soundtrack to aid and in some parts overwhelm the visuals - however this is in no way a bad thing as the track chosen works spectacularly to make your blood rush in excitement. Again, like the choice of font, the music here is of a very modern variety - unlike what is typically employed in trailers of the sort. The track is, in fact, an instrumental version of a song titled 'The Bird & the Worm' by rock band The Used, however if you listen carefully there has been an attempt made to add orchestration and make sure it is not too out of place. Attention is paid to synchronize the visuals to the music - with almost every beat heralding a change of shot - while special effort has been made to match the attacks of the giant scorpions with the drums. This works to maintain a sense of cohesiveness and deter the notion that a random track has just been laid over the footage.

The montage builds to a climatic finish with a shot of Liam Neeson and his infamous (thanks to this trailer) line "Release the Kraken!" and we cut to an extended sequence of Perseus atop Pegasus facing against the aforementioned monster. This type of 'epilogue', for lack of the correct terminology, when a small scene follows the main end montage of shots, tends to be observed in trailers for comedy movies where there is a final punchline before the very end of the trailer. However in this case, and in a few other trailers for blockbuster movies, for instance the most recent trailer for 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug', it is done to showcase, perhaps, a standout sequence from the film. Clearly the filmmakers are very proud of the computer generated imagery of the Kraken, and want the audience to experience the same feeling of sheer awe when faced with it on the big screen. The use of the epic, hard hitting drums, builds up the the suspense and anticipation for the Kraken's huge roar, which brings us to end of the trailer. While this choice to present this short scene at the end of the trailer was certainly impressive, it however made me feel like I had spoiled a major part of the film that I, and I expect other people, would rather have kept till seeing the complete film for the first time. However, as an entirety, this trailer is simply very well put together, and is the strong point of what has been a rather lackluster movie franchise.

AS Coursework Reflection | Conventions

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

By 'borrowing' from them heavily.

• In what ways have your productions used or developed conventions from real media products?

In every imaginable way.

• In what ways have your products challenged or played with conventions?

Not very much.

• Is your work generic or experimental, or both?

Mostly generic, with a slight experimental edge, ie. the plot makes little sense.

• Have you developed a style?

Not one that I would be proud of.

• Have you been influenced by the work of specific directors?

I would like to say Alfonso Cuaron and Paul Thomas Anderson, but let's be realistic and put someone boring like Michael Bay.

AS Coursework Reflection | Post-Production

• What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

• What editing decisions were made? How did they inform the production?

Entire sections of shot footage and dialogue were cut out in order to streamline the opening and not exceed our time limit.

• What particular editing tools were used and to what effect?

Many editing tools were used to cut the footage and mix the soundtrack, as well as to edit the visuals to achieve a professional look and feel.

• How did the post-production process enhance the overall production?

It created a two-minute opening out of forty or so minutes of footage.

AS Coursework Reflection | Research & Planning

• What real media and audiences did you look at?

Various films of various genres, but special attention paid to action thrillers such as "Skyfall" and "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" and their respective audiences.

• How did they inform your thinking about your media production?

Very much so.

• How did you record all that research?

Through blog posts that analysed the conventions of these films as well as in depth analysis of their openings.

• What primary research was undertaken?

On site location scouting...

• What secondary research was undertaken?

Looking into film classification, movie studios...

• How did it inform the production?

• What is the effectiveness of these kinds of research?

• What quantitative and qualitative analysis methods were employed?

• How did the results form these inform the production?

• What is the effectiveness of these kinds of research?

• How effectively were storyboards/shot lists/script followed?

The shots we had envisioned in the early conceptual stages were accurately recreated on location for the final shots. Some of the dialogue was changed in order to make it flow and work better in the context of the scene.

AS Coursework Reflection | Creativity

• How did you use media forms to come up with something new and original?

Watched film openings on YouTube.

• Where did the ideas come from?

Other films.

• How did you work collaboratively to share ideas?

• How did you change things?

By tweaking the 'storyline' (if you can call it that) of the opening.

• How did you use tools like Adobe Premier Elements to achieve something imaginative?

• What stylistic techniques were used to appeal to the audience?

Fast paced editing. Exciting music. Sexy lead actors.

• What was the intended outcome of the production?

A finished film opening.

• How were these outcomes achieved in terms of page layout and camera shot choices (codes and conventions)?

We used various camera angles and shot types to conform and subvert the expected conventions.

AS Coursework Reflection | Digital Technology

• How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

• What software was used?

Google Chrome, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5, Paint.NET, Audacity

• What equipment was used?

Panasonic HDC-SD90, Toshiba something or other

• What were the technical pros and cons of the software and hardware?

Pros: well-organised, easy to use, professional

Cons: UNBELIEVABLY SLOW

• In what ways was technology used to create the production?

Technology was used to plan it, shoot it, edit it, render it and publish it.

• In what ways did the technology constrain or enable the production to be developed?

Conventions of the Crime Genre

Michael Shannon in June release The Iceman

The crime genre is one in which cliches thrive. These distinct conventions differentiate crime films from regular action or drama. These films are typically presented from either the perspective of the law or the mob. The protagonist is either an immigrant to the city, the new kid on the block, who we follow as he rises through the ranks (Scarface) , or a detective working undercover (Donnie Brasco), or in full view (The Untouchables), against a leading gangster in the business.

Characters that appear regularly in crime films are the mob boss, to whom family and loyalty are extremely important, who is either calm and collected (The Godfather) or just plain mad. Blundering bank-robbers (Killing Them Softly) tend to feature, while the hardcore psychopath who takes himself seriously tends to curse alot and takes sadistic pleasure in torturing their enemies (Reservoir Dogs).

Film Noir (L.A. Confidential) is a classic sub-genre of crime. Typically set in early 20th century Los Angeles or New York, noir explores the stylistic and alluring side to the dark underbelly of the gangster world. Heist films (Ocean's Eleven) are a very popular example of crime, however in this case the protagonists are typically much more likable than those found in the classic films that revolve around the mob, and they tend to stay away from extreme sex and violence.

Conventions of the Romance Genre

Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy in June release Before Midnight

Almost every romantic movie follows a similar structure: boy meats girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl again. This is a successfully tired but proven formula that attracts audiences of both male and female demographics, as well as a number of other conventions that distinguish romance from other genres.

The lead, unlike action movies, is often vulnerable, shy or socially inept, often just having broken up with a lover. He or she is attracted to someone who seems unattainable, and there is some sort of social divide that is stopping their love. A love triangle is a theme that is found in many romantic movies, with the object of affection engaged to someone they don't love, or an ex-lover wanting revenge on the lead. Age difference is a popular theme, such as The Graduate, Lost In Translation or the recent Liberal Arts.

Romantic movies can be divided into many sub-genres, the romantic comedy being the most popular, with an  almost universal audience. Teen romances have distinct cliches, such as the jock and cheerleader characters, and many romances are set around a particular situation, such as a wedding or a party. Other romances can span years, such as The Notebook or time travel romance The Time Traveller's Wife.

Conventions of the Action Genre

Brad Pitt in June release World War Z

Ever since the dawn of the 'modern action movie', there have been many conventions and cliches that you find in almost every mainstream action film. Gunfights and chase sequences are an extremely common staple, with both on foot and vehicular types, as well as fistfights and close quarters combat. Explosions are especially important. These set-pieces are often fast-paced edited.

The protagonist is often a very masculine character, appealing to both men and women, suave and intelligent, yet tough and brutal (James Bond). He is often seen shirtless, showing off his muscular physique, and can perform some kind of self-surgery in a matter of moments. He often has a romantic/sexual interest, who either he has to protect and rescue, or meet his match in her skills.

The villain tends to be rather effeminate in contrast to the hero, usually foreign, who hires henchmen much tougher than him. An exception is Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, who can match or even beat the hero. A common theme is betrayal and deception, as well as quest for vengeance (Taken). The hero can take an inordinate amount of bullets, and enemies can never fire guns particularly well. Action films can feature globe-trotting across exotic locations, or feature confined or restricted environments such as Die Hard or The Raid.

Conventions of the Horror Genre

June release The Last Exorcism: Part II

The horror genre, ever since the early 20th century, has a number of conventions that make it distinct from others, and are now popular cliches that attract audiences. Across most horror films, the protagonist and other victims tend to be young attractive women, or unlikable youths, who mostly deserve to die. The conventions of mainstream horror include the supernatural, suspense, and jump scares. Creepy young children tend to fulfill a villain capacity, as well as old women, and demonic possession is a major theme in films such as The Exorcist. Ancient curses, and angry ghosts often feature as a plot line.

The sub genres, such as slasher, zombie and the suitably dubbed 'torture porn', tend to feature extreme amounts of gore and violence, while vampire films usually feature erotic elements. These can some of the more popular horror films, as evidenced by the sequel after sequel of Saw.

Some of the more popular horror films of recent years, such as Paranormal Activity and REC feature a found-footage style, providing a modicum of realism which seems to attract the masses. These films attempt to portray the events as being 'real'.

My AS Media Studies Film Blog