Love, Rosie order of scenes analysis

I am analysing the order in which scenes appear in this trailer for Love, Rosie, a romantic comedy.

We start with a scene that's maybe 10-15 into the film and then go back to their childhood which is the beginning of the film. 
The film makes many cuts to scenes from beginning and middle of the film, with some at the end. For example, when we see Rosie and Greg about to sleep with each other, which is near the beginning it then cuts to a scene over an hour into the film when Rosie's friend says "You did what?", which is about a totally different situation. I think this is used so the storyline isn't given away and also to create different feels, e.g. happiness and then intensity in the part where Rosie finds out she is pregnant. More evidence is when Alex asks Rosie if she got into Boston and she says no, in the film this scene in after she finds out she is pregnant but in the trailer it is before. This shows that scenes can be jumbled around but still make sense. 

I will take this into account when making my own trailer as I would like to mix the scenes up so they are not chronological and end up giving the whole story away as trailers should tell audiences about the film but not the whole plot. I also want to analyse this trailer at a later date to fit in with my genre anaylsis as it is a romantic comedy aswell as a teen drama.

Practicing order of scenes in trailer

We created a pretend romantic comedy called The Crush where we decided what scenes

we would put where in the trailer. Here is the order of scenes we chose:

1. There is a view of the city of London, to set the scene.
2. Main character (Joe) is sitting in his office at work, sad and depressed with his boss shouting at him and giving him orders.
3. He is home and he is looking out of his living room window when he sees a woman (Scarlett) get out of the car, swishing her hair in slow motion and he looks in love.
4. They walk around the town together chatting he shows her around
5. He goes to give a moving in present to her and his boss opens the door, he is the husband of Scarlett, unknown to Joe. He drops the present in shock.
6. The friend of Joe (Dan) tries to talk Joe out of meeting up with Scarlett because he will get in trouble at work but Joe disagrees.
7. There is a christmas party and Joe sees boss arguing with Scarlett, Joe is drunk and punches boss. After he does it he says "okay maybe that was a bad idea" then gets knocked out by boss.
8. Joe and Scarlett go to a dance class.
9. Joe goes to kiss scarlett but she pushes him away.
10. Scarlett is crying and Joe is shouting "what do you want?" Scarlett replies "I don't know what I want!" 
11. We see a ring sliding off of Scarlett's finger.
12. The titles come up.
13. We see Joe and Scarlett walking around town at sunset we are at the back of them, they are joking and she pushes him laughing and he falls, she says, "oh my god I'm so sorry" still laughing.

During this task I learnt the importance of locations in a film trailer, as in order to create a genuine trailer, there must be lots of different locations. I included London, a house, a small town, a workplace, and a bar. This is quite a good variety that I will hopefully be able to achieve in my own film. I also learnt that the order of scenes should be mixed and matched so that the whole film isn't shown in the trailer. A lot of trailers mix up the scenes cleverly in order to maintain mystery, but also show audience basically what the film is about. I will use this technique in my own trailer.

Idea Narrative for my Film - Teen Drama

I have been thinking more about the narratives that I want to work on with my trailer. Recently in cinemas, there has been a lot of films surrounding the subject of illness and cancer, some examples include, The Fault in our Stars, Me and Earl and The Dying Girl and even more recently, coming out this week is Miss you, Already. I think that because it is an issue that is so widespread, it would be good to address it. I understand that it may be quite tough to re-create such an issue, whilst being courteous and understanding, however I think it will be possible. In addition, I wanted to add in the part about America as I will be travelling there at the end of this year and I would like to have the opportunity to film out there, increasing the number of locations in my trailer. 

I really like this idea as I think I can do a lot with it, friendship, sadness and happiness too. I will ask others about this idea and get their opinions to see if there are things that need addressing or altering. Here is my idea:




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Analysis of Me and Earl and The Dying Girl Theatrical Trailer

Me and Earl and The Dying Girl

'An awkward high-school senior (Thomas Mann) and a gravely ill classmate (Olivia Cooke) surprise themselves by becoming inseparable friends.'

I chose to analyse this theatrical film trailer because it is a recent film, coming out in UK cinemas in mid 2015 and also because this is the kind of film I want to make. Things I particularly love about this trailer is the music and the camera angles/shots.

Opening Scenes

The trailer begins by introducing us to the production companies, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Indian Paintbrush (both involved with The Grand Budapest Hotel). Then we get the first shot of a yellow school bus door opening then a pan from on top of a school. This instantly sets the scene as we, as an audience, are now aware we are in an American school. The birdseye view of the school shows the size and so, the insignificance of the people below. We then meet the main character who stares at the school hallways, which look like two pathways as he looks like he is stuck in the middle of both. This could represent a decision the character must make later on in the film. There are various panning shots in the trailer and I think this is so effective as it makes the film seem more free-flowing and less serious and dramatic. I also like the black screen and the ‘Oh god’ as it adds a comedic element. The shot of Rachel and Greg on the stairs is also effective as it shows Greg as being quite vulnerable as he has never been in this position and also shows the distance between the two, which gets closer as the trailer goes on.

Music

One of my favourite things about this trailer is the music. The music is indie which matches the nature of the film and also the way the music fits the action. As Greg is hearing sad news, the music stops, as if the happy, peacefulness of Greg’s life has been disrupted and he is faced with a new issue. The change in music, as a new song appears, shows a transition and a new journey for Greg. The music stops for both comedic and dramatic moments and this is really effective as we feel like we are in that moment with Greg, whether it be awkward or sad. The best moment, regarding the music, for me is when Greg’s camera flips up and begins to shoot as Imagine Dragons “I Bet My Life” plays. It sounds so powerful and so makes the whole film seem more powerful and triumphant. It then goes on to show happy moments during the film perhaps showing that even if you are sick, there will be happy days, which is such an important message.

Voiceover and Conventions

The voiceover used mostly throughout of the whole trailer is effective as we know that the film is the point of view of Greg and we see things through his eyes. Just from this voiceover we learn that Greg is ‘in’ with everyone although doesn't have his own group. This goes against generic conventions of teen dramas where there is usually a ‘clique’ problem for the main character as they are either ‘uncool’ or ‘popular’, though as an audience we can’t help but see Greg as an ‘outsider’. We see a few cliques present as Greg interacts with them all, this is done through clever shots of teens smoking in a bathroom and other teens sitting on a stage. We also get introduced to Earl, who is described as a co-worker, this leads into mystery as why he isn’t a ‘friend’ and also what they work on together.

Editing

The editing in this trailer is also really effective. I particularly like the split screens of the times of the times that Greg and Rachel have together. This is a good way of showing how their relationship forms and develops throughout the film without taking up a lot of time in the trailer. I also like how Earl and Greg’s films are featured in the trailer and the style in which they are presented. It shows that even though they are amateur and small, they are still proud of them and enjoy making them. The trailer seems to be split into four parts, first is Greg’s life before Rachel, then meeting and getting to know Rachel. After this there is a sombre mood as we see the real effects of the illness as we see Rachel with no hair, upset and frustrated. We also see Greg’s personal stuggle with calling people his ‘friend’. However in the fourth part of the trailer we see the happy times and the effect that Rachel has had on Greg’s life and vice versa. This splitting up of the trailer provides the different parts of the narrative without giving everything away which I think is essential in theatrical trailers, therefore I will strive to do this in my trailer.

Titles

The inter-titles are not used to tell the story unlike a lot of other films and is instead replaced with the voiceover. However, there are a few inter-titles showcasing the film and the companies, including one that says ‘From the studio that brought you Juno and 500 Days of Summer. Both of these films are so popular and are known for its realism, Juno showing teen pregnancy and 500 days of summer showing rejection and break-ups. This shows us that the film will be real, authentic and won’t just be a ‘touching romantic story’. The inter titles also showcases its winnings at the Sundance Film Festival, known for its independent films and also shows raving reviews from vulture.com, and The Guardian. After the title is shown there is another clip after which leaves us happy, as it is a comedic scene. Then the end slate is shown saying Coming Soon, with links to Facebook and a hashtag MEANDEARL, this is effective as it gives a chance for audiences to know more about the film.

Overall, I really love this trailer as it showcases the amazing narrative with clever cinematography and soundtrack. From looking at this trailer, I now have more ideas for my own, including the editing shots of the split screens and the different panning shots that are used. I also may consider using a voiceover instead of using inter-titles to set up the narrative. 

Generic Conventions of Teen Dramas

I have decided I want to make a trailer for a teen drama. I love watching teen dramas as I feel like I can relate to the topics in the films. In addition, I believe there are so many issues and topics that can be addressed in these films that I have a lot to choose from. 

I have included the generic conventions of teen dramas including, issues addressed, characters, props, settings and music. I added pictures of various films, including:

• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
• Love, Rosie
• The Last Song
• Mean Girls
• If I Stay

Particularly I would like to look at Me and Earl and the Dying girl in detail as it is a 2015 film and it is independent which is what I want to do with my trailer. In addition, my favourite film is Love, Rosie as I love the narrative and would like to look more into that.

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Analysis of Legend Theatrical Trailer

This trailer is for Legend, a gangster and crime thriller. As it's the theatrical trailer, it is 2 minutes and 23 seconds, therefore we are able to see a lot more of the narrative showing through. We begin to see that instead of an intense thriller, this film has hints of comedy and romance too.

Locations and Characters

We get to see the personalities of the characters in this trailer as we can now tell the difference between two twins, Ronnie being 'mad' and Reggie being the more professional out of the two. This is especially made apparent when Reggie is standing in front of a brick building with a posh car and then cuts to Ronnie outside of a caravan in the woods. Ronnie's character brings in a comedy element to the serious topic of the Kray twins which will entice audiences as it it original and different. Instead of seeing the serious Kray twins that are portrayed to us normally, we see a different, unique side. However, we still see the conventions of crime and gangster films, "money and respect", guns, girls and fights.

Voiceover

The shot of London is used again, but this time we have a voiceover setting the scene of "London in the 1960s.". We then are introduced to the characters through this voiceover. This is different to the teaser as we were left to discover the narrative and characters ourselves, whereas this time we are brought into the narrative. 

Storyline and Target Audience

We see more action in this trailer which is what this film is mostly about, however we see other genres too. When Frances is introduced we see a hint of romance being tied into the storyline and these seems to be the thing that the dispute is based around, love verses brotherhood, "blood is thicker than water'. Because of the action and crime nature of this film, we can expect the target audience to be males between the ages of 18 and 30. However, the introduction of romance could attract a female audience too.

Music

The music in this trailer is effective as in the beginning it is contemporary and feels like an intense gangster film, however as we get half way through the song changes along with the tone. The narrative flips to Ronnie's sanity and the friction between brothers and girlfriends. After some research, I found that the second song that is played is The Walker Brothers - The Sun ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore), and this song was played when the Ronnie Kray (in 1960s) shot and killed a rival gangster. I thought it was so clever how they added this song as a kind of easter egg to real fans of the Kray twins. It also made me want to know more about them which is just a good marketing technique. This song has quite a dreary tone to maybe match the seriousness of the situation, but also is still able to match to action, the gun shots being particularly effective.

Titles

The inter titles are used well in this trailer as they set the scene and the narrative of the story as well as the effective "Tom Hardy as Ronnie/Reggie Kray" which really gets out the unique selling point of Hardy playing both of the Kray twins. This also shows the editing well as it will become a talking point around the film. I like how after the title of the film is shown another clip is placed, this clip is light hearted and quite comedic so this will stick in the minds of audiences. The end slate of this trailer has the release date and the #LEGENDFILM and also links to their social media accounts, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. This is really good as audiences are able to connect with the film, therefore I would like to add this on to the end slate of my trailer. 

Overall, this trailer is really compelling as we find out more about the genre of the film, showing that it isn't a typical gangster film with the introduction of comedy and romance. We also get an insight into the different characters and the basic turning point in the film. I will take this all into consideration when making my trailer as I think showing the basic details of this film without giving too much away is important. In theatrical trailers, audiences get to see all of the different parts to a film so it is important to convey different setting, moods and tones in each scene, in the trailer.

Analysis of Legend Teaser Trailer

This is a teaser trailer for Legend, a gangster and classic crime thriller. As it is only 30 seconds long, it provides little insight into the storyline of the film, classing it as a teaser. It introduces the characters as well as the key themes in the film. This teaser would be used to entice an audience into wanting to know more about the film and eventually go and see the film.

Genre conventions

The trailer seems to have all of the conventions of a gangster, guns, suitcases of money, police investigations and explosions to name a few. These are made very clear so that we know exactly what this film is going to be like. Even though it is just a teaser, we still discover the basics, a film about the rise and fall of the Kray twins.

Opening scenes

The trailer starts out by telling the audience who the production companies are, for this film it is Working Title and Studio Canal. These are placed next to each other to limit the time needed in the trailer, making it quick and sharp, in order to get into grab the attention of the viewers. The first shot of the film is very effective as it introduces the characters straight away. Because this film’s unique selling point is the characters and actors it is so important to introduce them in the trailer. The main characters are the Kray twins, notorious English gangsters, who are both played by Tom Hardy. This is unique as one actor is playing both of the main characters who are in the same shot a lot in the trailer. This showcases the editing in the film, which will lead to discussions about the film in the media. 

Music

The music in the teaser is fast pace and thrilling to match the gangster/crime genre. The technique of the shots matching the fast pace of the music is so effective, this makes the action look exciting and dramatic. The booming noises, matching the action, also sound like gunshots which could be linked to the genre of gangster films. The music track is fairly contemporary which contrasts the narrative, set in the 60s. This could give a new, fresh version to the story that has been featured in many films before. This is effective as it shows that it is not like the other versions but has a slightly modern twist, including some comedy which is not always expected in gangster films.

Shots and Angles

The teaser features many different camera shots and angles. There are a few wide shots of the different locations, including the London skyline and a London street. The character also says “London is going to be the Las Vegas of Europe” and one of the Kray twins wants to “rule London”. I think it’s really effective how the trailer is able to set the scene with just a few shots and dialogue and we, as an audience, instantly know where we are without the need of a voice over. I would like to use many locations in my trailer as it looks more professional and exciting. Another shot that is used a few times is close-ups to the characters faces, this is effective as we can see differences between characters already.

 

 
Titles

The titles are also really constructive, especially the part where the main themes of the film are laid out, POWER, FEAR, FAMILY. These are also linked with gangsters and mobs as these values are very important to them. In addition, there are ratings from magazines, Empire and Total Film as well as Heat magazine. At the end it says the date of release and more notably it has the hashtag of #LEGENDFILM this will help to keep the audience involved and the production companies can follow the hashtag to see how the popularity of the film is advancing. This is something I want to include at the end of my trailer, so it looks more authentic.

Overall, this is a really effective teaser trailer as, even though it is short in length, it does not cut action and intensity short. We aren't given the full narrative which leaves us with some mystery to the story, but still leaves the audience gripped. I particularly love where the music matches the fast pace of the scenes and the words POWER, FEAR and FAMILY to help give a feel for the film on the whole. I will consider using these techniques in my trailer.

Diary Post #1

Today we got introduced to our coursework task and this year we have to make a trailer for a film. I really like watching upcoming trailers on YouTube, so hopefully this will help me when making a trailer. 

I have had a few ideas already, last year I made a thriller, so I want to do something different. I want to make a teen drama as this could address so many issues and also, there are a lot of new teen dramas, like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Love, Rosie, Paper Towns, so I can analyse the genre using these films. I watch a lot of teen dramas and I really like them, so I would love to create a trailer for one. 

My ideas so far include one about teen pregnancy or one about a girl with a terminal illness. I think both of these topics can be hard hitting but also can be put into a light hearted context. I will think more about these two plots and decide soon which one I think is better. 

My Year 12 Blog

This is a link to my year 12 blog:

http://elliesmithg321.blogspot.co.uk/