the machinist trailer.pptx
TRANSCRIPT
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Codes and Conventions of a
Trailer
The Machinist (2004)
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Use of TitlesThe first text the audience sees is the Institution titling in which the
films distribution company is shown. This is a way of the audience
gathering information about the film and what genre the film shown
could be. The particular titling here is Paramount Classics which
sets up an expectation of a big budget, thriller film. When creating a
trailer in my own group, I will research a company that is most
suitable for my chosen genre of Film Noir.
Another title shown in this trailer is a critics review. The layout of this is howeverunusual for the style of the fi lm, as it has a much brighter background of yellow,
and almost graffiti like typography. This is not synonymous of film trailers as you
would expect the text to be the same throughout. However the tilted appearance
here adds to the distorted theme of the film and symbolises the protagonists
mind. These critical views appear towards the middle of the trailer, which sets up
the beginning of the horror and links the idea of Hitchcock, with the narrative
plot.
The title typography here changes and remains the same for the rest of
the trailer. This style seems more apt for the film as it is dark and sinister,
therefore reflecting the central issues of the plot. The text addressing the
audience also has soft edges, which appear to fade into the black, this
symbolises a ghost like presence and heightens the eerie storyline
further. It is also noteworthy that only one actor has been credited which
may have been done in order not to disrupt from the dark atmosphere
that has been developed throughout the trailer.
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Introduction of characters
The introduction of Trevor, the
protagonist, is mysterious, as the
first mention of him is by a
character who is unseen- the
waitress, Maria. The image of the
machine coupled with the sound
of her voice dehumanises the
character of Trevor, thus adding an
illusion of unimportance ordisorder. Secondly, the stylistic
approach to this introduction
symbolises disorientation and
confusion for the audience.
The grey scale filter of the image
also adds to the dark atmosphere
and the tinges of blue depict the
machinery and symbolise the
character of Trevor. As well as the
atmosphere of the colours, the
sound bridge leads to a
subsequent scene of the
conversation taking place- thusclarifying the characters for the
audience and taking them out of
the darkness.Trevor is the first character to be seen as this
introduces him as the protagonist, embedded, and
living this nightmare. He is introduced before
Maria, as she is seen to be a catalyst for the key
question of the film Who are you? positioning her
as Trevors element of reality.
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The turning point
The signifiers throughout the
trailer are structured by a game of
hangman, as they provide the
frame for the narrative. This is
clear to the audience as they arethe only chronological aspects of
the trailer, and gradually build in
curiosity and present more and
more information. It can be
argued that the simplicity of the
notes themselves is haunting for
both the audience and Trevor,
adhering to the thriller genre.
Before the turning point of the
trailer, the audience sees an
exposition of who the character
Trevor is, and his struggle with
insomnia and weight decrease. Thisaspect is presented through many
short cuts of his daily life, creating a
chaotic fast pace. However some
elements of his life are left out in
order to create intrigue amongst the
viewer. On the other hand, these
disregarded aspects symbolises the
missing parts of Trevors mind.
Therefore, the narrative lacunamimics the protagonists' psyche.
It can be said there are many
turning points in the trailer,
however it appears that the
most significant is when this
particular post-it note is shown,
as form then on, the soundtrack
rapidly increases in pace, and
volume, as the scenes and action
shown become more erratic and
chaotic- building to the climax of
the trailer. These fast paced
jump shots connote the chaotic
elements of Trevors nightmare,
and create smaller climaxes.
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Soundtrack and audio
All the sounds and score in this trailer appear to be elongated and dragged
down . This could be interpreted as the symbol of Trevors life being
drained of emotion, or lack of energy, as the score seems slow and
lethargic. There is also a faint sound of a mechanical clock, or ticking in the
background, which can also be said to be connecting the theme of
machinery and defeat, or conflict.
The third character Stevie is also introduced through a sound bridge, much
like Maria. Her voice was heard whilst the object of machinery was on the
screen, a repetition of the introduction of Maria. This lack of clarification for
that moment, forebodes the theme of a ghostly presence or voices in the
mind. The character of Stevie is therefore linked to the idea of sound as she
says If you were any thinner you wouldnt exist which then introduces the
first critical view. This then establishes the idea of a film noir, and the element
of horror- as well as Maria, Stevie is also a catalyst for this.
The editing aspect of the soundtrack is used to highlight the idea that one
clip in it s entirety, complete with audio can serve to propel and strengthen
the narrative of the film and therefore develop the trailer itself. This will be
important when choosing what scenes to include in my own trailer, as each
one must develop and fit with the audio in order to create the desired
atmosphere.
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Climax
The trailer begins to come to a climax as Trevor is seen to be piecing clues together on the post-it notes,. Although there is no central scene
for these 3 minutes, the post it notes are used a running pattern throughout, and thus develop the climax of the trailer. There is a dramatic
shift in the action and soundtrack as Trevor runs though the station, and consequently the scenes become more erratic and jump cuts
appear more frequently. As the action is continuously rising, the soundtrack becomes louder and the pace increases to heighten the tone.
The last final loud tone of the music is used to end the trailer as Trevors face very suddenly disappears in the darkness. This is a successful
end to the clip as it connotes the action and thriller form is a sharp and precise way.