Martha Marcy May Marlene is a 2011 Thriller/drama directed by Sean Durkin. Before entering the site, an image of the protagonist appears, within the letter M. Representing all the alias' she portrays in the film. Below the image the names of the main cast are listed, This is used so the audience can see who is in the film. We want to include this within our website. On top of the image, reviews flash up, giving the audience a hint of what the film is about, and what critics think of it. This will persuade the audience to go and see the film. We are planning to use this for our film website.
As you enter the site, the background changes to black, which creates a sense of mystery and suspense, conforming to the Psychological Thriller genre. The white stars on the black background, move into pictures of the Antagonist, further connoting a sense of suspense to the audience. The white stars also spell out the themes explored within the film, such as "Possession" giving the audience an idea of what happens in the film.
The user is able to click on certain parts of the image, which leads them to another picture, which was likely used in the film. The image is shown to be slightly distorted, conforming to the Psychological Thriller genre, as the audience is not given all the information of the plot. At the top of the page, the website has a sidebar, linking to two social media websites, Facebook, and Twitter, therefore appealing to a wide range of audiences.
This was the first official poster released for the film directed by Johnathan Demme, when it came in 1991.
The poster shows the protagonists (Jodie Foster's) face with a butterfly covering her mouth. Her eyes, usually blue are red. The faux skull markings on the moths head, show that the skulls are made up of 7 naked women, which is believed to be homage to Salvador Dali.
The poster shows a contrast of light and dark; the protagonists face being white, and the background around he fading to black. This use of colour suggests the presence of both good and evil in the film. This use of colouring conforms to the Psychological Thriller genre. On top of this, the use of the deaths-head Hawkmoth across the protagonists mouth, and the high contrast of her face matches the dark tone of the film, allowing the audience to immediately be aware of the genre.
The title "The Silence of the Lambs" is interpreted in visual form on the poster. The Protagonist is displayed to represent the lamb, and the high key lighting of her face connote some sort of innocence about the character.The moth across her mouth represents her being silenced. The red colouring of her eyes, and the dark colouring of the moth could represent the danger she will face in the film, as well as adding to the mysterious and sinister atmosphere of the poster.
The film is shown to challenge the classic thriller conventions by having a female protagonist, which is the only character displayed on the poster. This can be considered unusual for the Psychological Thriller genre, as the protagonists are usually all male. By challenging these conventions the poster could potentially appeal to a wider audience.
The use of the typography in the red font is used to connote the danger the protagonist will face in the film. The colour also conforms to the Psychological Thriller genre.
The first shot of this trailer is a tracking shot, first showing the audience the 'Missing' poster and then moving towards the crowd of people holding candles. The lighting is low-key and the diegetic sound of crickets in the night creates an eerie ambience. This is contrasted by the non-diegetic contrapuntal piano music which sounds upbeat and romantic. There is a sound bridge to the next shot- a midshot of Nick speaking into the microphone, with Amy's parents to the right of him, and a poster of Amy framed in the background to his left. Everyone believes Nick is the only thing standing between Amy being reunited with her parents and this framing further suggests that. It is a low angle shot, and possibly a point-of-view shot, as Nick is standing on a stage, above the crowd. This presents him as powerful and dominant. Nick is also presented as powerful in the next shot, in which Amy's head is against his chest and she looks up at him. His hand is stroking her head and she is in a vulnerable position. The non-diegetic love song continues and the lyrics depict everything the audience is lured into believing Amy is innocent.
Three shots of Nick Dunne are used, separated by two contrasting shots- one of them kissing and then of the first sign that something is wrong when Amy disappears. The shots of Nick zoom in each time, closer to his face as he realises for the first time that something bad has happened. Nick is framed alone; the long shot leaves him in the middle of the screen, surrounded by the interiors of the house, the cool tones of the shots on his own, contrast the warm yellow tones of the shot of the couple. Their lives have changed so drastically from then to now, and this is evident in the lighting. The shots of Nick have high-key natural lighting suggesting that the truth will be revealed while the kissing shot is low key, and only their silhouettes are visible clearly. The eye level midshot presents a balance in the relationship that is no longer there.
The last shot of Nick in this sequence, is a low angle close up, presenting him as powerful and is one way in which the audience are made unsure of what happened to Amy. His face is lit naturally from the windows on the left but the right side of his face is left dark, conveying a duplicitous nature and a hidden truth, once again handing the audience false clues as to what has happened.
Throughout the trailer, there is a variation of lighting- often a high-key lit shot will be followed by a lowly-lit shot. Other shots incorporate both light and darkness- such as the shot of Nick pulling down the blinds. His face is in the background of the shot and is dark and appears sinister as he shuts the light out. The blind is in the foreground- and is brightly lit by natural light. It is also white which furthers the contrast to Nick's shadowed face in his dark home.
Fast paced montage editing is a convention of teaser trailers and the shots are often cut quickly to prevent giving too much away to the audience. The screen goes black just as Nick grabs Amy, and the audience are more likely to watch the film to find out what happens next. To add drama, this is where the music gets faster and a fast paced drum beat comes in. This is supposed to be the most romantic part of the song, but when paired with the contrasting abusive shots, it is twisted and becomes disturbing.
The straight cut editing gets faster as the teaser trailer progresses until the last shot of Amy's body in the water after being drowned. This creates tension and intrigue, which is the ambience a Psychological Thriller wants to leave with the audience. The water is dark and appears murky- which contrasts Rosamund Pike's fair skin and blonde hair. She is often labelled as an English Rose. The fade to black after the shot adds more mystery as Nick Dunne's voiceover pleads innocence while the audience can see her body on screen.
The trailer finishes on the line "I did not kill my wife. I am not a murderer," which reiterates the main plot, and leaves the audience to decide whether they believe him or not. The last shot matches the poster and the website- shots similar to this are used to connect the trailer with its ancillary products, and help to promote the film to a larger extent.
The non-diegetic sound of an alarm clock beeping synchronously with the straight cut editing of the opening montage depicts a sense of normality and mundanity. The high-key lighting and the emphasised diegetic sounds of each shot add to this image. Everything is as it should be.
Until the alarm clock sound effect increases in pace and it soon begins to sound like a heart monitor measuring a quickening heart beat. The distortion of a mundane sound, into one that symbolises panic and danger, highlights how easy it is for someone's life to spiral out of control- even when it was seemingly perfect before. This could be a representation of addiction itself- one may think they have it under control but by the time they realise, it's too late. The use of the reviews at the beginning is to lure the audience in. The contrasts between the black background and the white typography is eye catching and draws the audience's attention.
Similarly, the alarm clock beeping is a sound people often find tormenting and uncomfortable which further draws their attention to the teaser trailer. The three shots used in the opening montage are examples of graphic matching and don't allow the audience to see the protagonist's face, leaving them wondering who this person is.
The time-lapse is used to present the passing of time, as the protagonist travels to the party. The sun is setting which not only depicts the sky going from light to dark, it depicts the protagonist transforming from good to evil.
This is emphasised by the use of breaking the fourth wall in the next shot, as Bethan takes a drug, looking directly into the camera. This act of defiance is paired with a non-diegetic pop song remix, to further highlight the distortion the protagonist is experiencing. The lighting has now become low-key and the lights of the party are multi-coloured, adding to the warped, distorted tone. Not only this but the use of a Fish Eye lens makes the point-of-view shots blurred and hazy, giving the audience insight into how one would feel under the influence of drugs. Some of the shots are lit with red lighting, perhaps symbolising danger and evil- addiction is not only dangerous, it can bring out someone's dark side.
Other than red lighting, layering is also used to give the effect of disfigured reality. An extreme close up of the protagonist's eye is layered with a long shot of her spinning around absent-mindedly, portraying the two sides of a person struggling with addiction. One is aware of what they are doing, while the other doesn't realise the consequences of their actions. Drugs provide the protagonist with a sense of both entrapment and escape. The music increases in speed as the intensity of Bethan's addiction worsens.
The use of the overlapping typography combined with the distorted music and silhouetted shot of Bethan taking one drug too many symbolises utter chaos as the protagonist's addiction goes from bad to worse. The fast paced editing that follows this, emphasises the downfall of the character as she continues to become more and more dependent on the drugs. Close ups of these drugs are used to present their significance on the plot. Bethan uses them as a short-term escape but is ultimately trapped within her addiction. Compared to their dark, low-key lit surroundings, the pills are brightly coloured and evoke a sense of both emancipation and intrigue.
The fast-paced straight cuts are parallel with the sound as they were in the opening montage, to present the drugs have now become a part of the protagonist's daily routine. The cold-tone shot of the protagonist staring into the mirror- looking afraid and puzzled as she slowly wipes her bleeding nose, is preceded by more warm-tone shot of her laughing and once again breaking the fourth wall.
The contrast of emotions are intended to make the audience feel uncomfortable while also giving them a close up look on the different ways in which one can be affected by addiction. The penultimate shot of the protagonist running, mirrors the tracking shot at the beginning, when Bethan is mundanely walking to the party. The alteration in lighting as well as the increased shakiness of the hand held shot signifies the huge juxtaposition between the start and end of the Teaser Trailer. The music stops momentarily as the screen goes black- leading the audience into a safe sense of security. When you think the addiction may be under control, the serenity is interrupted by the last shot of the protagonist screaming under water.
The last shot of a teaser trailer should be memorable in order to ensure the audience watch the following trailer and eventually the film and the jump from pitch black to a predominantly white shot as well as the abrupt increase in volume, does this effectively.
Whiplash is a 2014 Drama directed by Damien Chazelle which follows the story of an aspiring young jazz drummer. Interestingly, unlike most film posters, the majority of the page is taken up by large bold reviews. The typography is very clear to read and is a large font. The text at the top and the bottom is a vivid red, and the middle is a very pale blue, these colours both contrast against the black background, causing them to really stand out on the page, drawing the eye straight to them. The colour red could be used in order to draw immediate attention to this information, which tells the reader which awards the film has one, the title of the film and the main actors playing in it. This follow the conventions of a film poster, by attempting to persuade the reader, the awards suggest that the film is unmissable, the named actors draw in fans of these celebrities, and the title is bold and red so it is more memorable.
The pale blue tint of the rest of the typography is also seen on the small image of Miles Teller, it can be suggested that, because of the negative connotations of the colour blue, this represents the protagonist's disappointment and disheartened nature throughout the film. It can be depicted that the contrast between the red and blue typography mirrors the narrative, as the red connotes the protagonist's passion for drumming, this is the brightest and most vivid aspect of both the page and his life. Whereas the blue connotes the constant disappointment he feels and the negativity he receives from his drum teacher (J.K. Simmons). This is the most prominent aspect of the page, covering the majority of it, mirroring how he allows his teacher's discouragement to over take his whole life, including his passion.
Additionally, the contrast between the small scale of the image of Miles Teller and large bold reviews demonstrates how the protagonist values praise over his own self. Within the plot of the film the protagonist injures himself and makes himself unwell in order to please his drum teacher, therefore the overwhelming size of the reviews suggest that this are more important to him that his own life and health.
Furthermore, throughout the film the protagonist strives for praise and encouragement, yet receives near to none, therefore this poster displays what he has always desired and never achieved, as he is surrounded by positivity an praise.
The simplicity of this poster demonstrates his focus on drumming, and the spotlight both highlights his desire to perform and both literally and figuratively be in the spotlight, and it suggests the pressure he feels to be one of the greatest jazz drummers.
This is the website for Gone Girl, the 2014 Psychological Thriller directed by David Fincher.
The media plays a big part in the plot of the film thus it is incorporated into the website design, as it is made to look like a news announcement on a television screen. The photos in the background are the audience's main focus, and this is an idea we might use for our own website. The photos change often, to show another shot from the film, giving the audience hints about the plot but never giving away the plot twist.
As the focus is on the photographs, the rest of the website is quite minimal- to prevent the audience getting distracted by anything else. The typography of the buttons at the top of the website are the same as the title on the poster- that specific typography is associated with the Gone Girl franchise. The word 'gone' is always written in the same typography, it is used as a trademark of the film.
The release date of the film is made to look like the date on the TV screen, to once again fit in with the theme of the media. It is underlined in yellow, to make it stand out. The majority of the photographs have quite low key lighting, and often blue tones, so the subtle use of red and yellow especially at the bottom of the screen, is effective.
The links to the other social media pages for the film are included in the top right corner, in white which stands out against all of the photos in the slideshow. Other links such as to the trailers, and the synopsis are disguised as part of the Breaking News bar at the bottom but still accessible. The website also has quiet non-diegetic music playing in the background, from the soundtrack of the film.
For the film, a second website was also made called findamazingamy.com. This was made as part of the franchise, as the film centres around Amy, who goes missing. Her parents set up a website for anyone to leave information and to spread the word.
Once again the photos are the main focus, and match the photo used in the main poster. The words 'Gone Girl' don't need to be used on either the website or the poster, because people already know the film from the large amount of promotion.
Under the Skin is a 2013 Science Fiction-Horror film directed by Jonathan Glazer. The darkness and psychological disruption of this film was a prominent inspiration for our teaser trailer.
Within the narrative of this film one of the most important aspects is the ambiguity and mystery behind the protagonist, mystery is a common convention within Psychological Thrillers, therefore it can be argued that Under the Skin has elements of a Psychological Thriller, along side Science Fiction-Thriller. We took inspiration from this ambiguity for our teaser trailer.
This website is very minimal, with only part of Scarlett Johansson's face showing, as you scroll down the website the typography moves and changes, but the picture remains still. The colour lit onto the protagonist's face slowly shifts through several bright colours, such as red, pink, and blue - these colours are very bright and are the most prominent feature of the website. The stars in the background are very slowly, almost unnoticeably moving. Due to the film's Science Fiction side it can be suggested that the protagonist's face is presented in the middle of the dark night's sky in order to suggest the vast expanse of the universe, which leads to the idea of extraterrestrial life.
However, although the dark sky indicates the infinite nature of the universe, the pivotal aspect of the website is the protagonist's face, due to its central framing and large scale, demonstrating that she is the most significant aspect of the film. However her face is partially shadowed, suggesting a duplicitous nature. Additionally, the vividity of the red lighting on Johannson's face contrasts the stark black sky behind her, this connotes danger, and causes her to stand out against the mundane nature of humanity.
When on the website, once the audience has scrolled down, there are very clear media links to purchase the product. This is explicit advertisement, and allows easy access for the audience.
There is a common typography seen throughout the website, this is a very clear and easy to read font. It can be suggested that this font contrasts the abstract nature of the film.
The pastel blue colour scheme of the typography contrasts the black background, making it stand out.
Once the audience scrolls down further, reviews are presented on-screen. Unlike the media links, these take up the majority of the page, becoming the central focus, additionally, use of contrasting colours of the green typography against the red light on the protagonist's face makes the reviews stand out further.
This follows the conventions of a website, as its aim is to entice and persuade the audience, so by displaying all of the positive reviews and feedback across the whole of the screen, this reiterates to the reader just how good the film is, persuading them to watch it themselves.
The very first shot in this teaser trailer is an off centre still shot of the television, from behind the sofa, the mise en scene in this shot initially appears to be depicting normality, as an average living room setting is displayed, with a comfortable sofa, a table lamp and tea cups, which all connote comfort. However, the low-key lighting of the room creates an eerie feel, which is harshly contrasted by the bright colours on the television screen. The vivid colouring of the TV causes this the become the central focus of the shot, even though it is not central on the screen. This depicts the significance of the media, and television throughout the narrative of the film. This significant is also presented throughout the trailer though various other shots:
Such as this 'We got a winner' shot, which displays a television presenter and an audience to a TV show, as the bold typography mirrors that to one that would pop up on a game show. Additionally, the non-dietetic voice over of the character saying 'I'm going to be on television', reiterates this importance of the media and specifically the television.
The next shot is a central still shot of a dimly lit fridge. Similarly to the previous living room shot, upon an initial glance one may analyse this shot to connote comfort and an average life, do to the family photos, fridge magnets, and untidy side counters. This shot depicts normality through the mise en scene. However, the low key lighting changes this, as the room is very dark all apart from the white fridge, which stands out in the shot, becoming the pivotal factor. This demonstrates an aspect of the narrative, as the fridge is displayed as somewhat daunting, this is because of the character's anorexia, as within the plot she develops a fear of the fridge as it will tempt her to eat.
One of the main factors to the plot of this film is the use of drugs, this is depicted all the way through the trailer. One effective way in which this is done is through the use of extreme close ups, such as:
Extreme close-up shots of the characters' eyes, which convey the physical effects that drugs have on their bodies; as the shot displays their pupils dilating.
Various extreme close up shots of drugs, such as a syringe, a lighter, and pills. These illustrate to the audience that the characters are using a dangerous amount of different drugs; it depicts how their lives are arguably drug-orientated, due to the sheer amount of it all.
Love is an theme which is displayed throughout this teaser trailer, it is depicted through various different shots:
A sexual love is conveyed through this elevator shot of the two characters kissing. Simultaneously, there is a non-diegetic voice over of the female character whispering 'I love you', which adds to this theme of love.
This shot has a post-effect over it which causes it to appear as if it is footage from the elevator camera, this could suggest that the characters are willing to express their love no matter who is watching.
Furthermore, the same sexual love is presented though this extreme close up of the characters kissing, the kissing effect mirrors this at the same time. The indiscreet nature of the shot is very apparent, as it is straight in the audience face and leaves them nowhere else to look, and the sound effect also makes this shot very explicit.
Similarly to the previously discussed shot this suggests that the characters do not care about hiding their love, but want to express it regardless of the audience.
Familial love is also portrayed through this trailer, as it explores the love between the mother and son. This is conveyed through this close up of the two characters embracing. This is an important aspect of the narrative as their relationship is weakened as they are both caught up in drugs and addiction. The contrast between the bond they have prior to the drug use and their isolation after the drugs have taken their toll really emphasise the negative effects of drugs.
This shot depicts a romantic love between these two characters. Here they are displayed to be running together, holding hands, through a bright, sunny park. The high-key lighting of this shot connotes their happiness together, and contrasts the low-key nature of the rest of the drug-filled trailer. This suggests their happiness before their drug troubles.
These shots are contrasted against the shots that are displayed in the later part of the trailer, which depict the very negative effects of addiction
This is close up shot is very low-key and presents the female character in a negative light. Her make-up is smudged, she is sweating, and looks very exhausted. This displays the character craving the drugs she is addicted to. Money is another theme that is a apparent through the trailer, which is depicted through various close up shots of money. From this it can be suggested that the character has run out of money and is therefore suffering from withdrawal symptoms. This is also displays through the blue lighting on half of her face, which causes her to appear sickly.
Distortion is a common theme throughout this teaser trailer, various aspects manipulate the shots in order to convey this, and the content of the film is highlighted in several ways. One very effective and common way in which this is done is through the editing; many of the editing techniques effectively exaggerate aspects of the trailer, such as split screens. These split screens emphasise the effect of the drugs and suggest that this is how the mind is effected. Additionally, as the drugs are presented on screen simultaneously with the characters, it suggests that they are losing as sense of self and allowing the drugs to take over.
A fish-eye camera lens is used throughout the trailer to reinforce the impression of distortion, it is presented as a point of view shot, and indicates that this is a mirror of the character's mental state.
Pace is used for effect in this teaser tailer, aspects of it are cut and overlapped to result in multiple shots being displayed on screen within a very shot space if time. This could be mirroring the internal chaos that is occurring within the characters. This fast pace is made to appear even faster when is it immediately juxtaposed by a following longer, slower shot. This draws attentions to these slower shots. signifying their importance and creating intensity.
The post-productions editing, such as layering, again reiterates this theme of distortion, as it physically distorts the onscreen images, making it difficult for the viewer to distinguish between images and be sure of what is happening.
Post effects such as the one seen on the right, are used to exaggerate the character's emotions, the onscreen action clearly conveys their distress, and the effect on top of this further demonstrates it.
As Teaser Trailers are typically less than 2 minutes long, it is a convention to use fast-paced montage editing, in order to fit in a variation of shots and parts of the movie. However unlike most teaser trailers this Teaser Trailer is made up of one shot, which automatically makes it interesting to watch. The screen starts off black, and soon there is a fade into the shot: a corridor with two bright red elevator doors at the end of it. There is a chandelier attached to the ceiling, and paintings on the walls- signifying this is quite a luxurious hotel.
The credits roll upwards and it is more reminiscent of the ending of a film, rather than a teaser trailer. The non-diegetic sounds starts quietly at first and it is difficult to determine what the sounds are. A high-pitched melody plays over the buzzing, creating an eerie, tension-building soundscape. The typography is simple, so that the audience can read it easily and quickly. The shot is still motionless- it is only the music that continues to build suspense. The lack of movement makes the audience feel uneasy- as though something shocking will soon happen. The non-diegetic buzzing sounds get more aggressive and the melody gets faster.
As the elevator doors are also red, when the blood first spills out of the wall, it is unclear what is happening. There is a contrast between the deep red of the elevators and the pure white of the walls, which is further illustrated by the gallons of blood that sweep through the corridor- staining the white walls. The source of the blood is left unexplained and the sheer amount of it is enough to make the audience feel uncomfortable. It fills the corridor and even has the strength to drag one of the sofas towards the camera. Blood engulfs the screen and the audience can see the shapes of furniture moving, as it is appears to float away in the river of blood. The screen turns to black- although not in the gentle fade that the audience is lured in with at the start- a blunt straight cut that leaves the audience guessing the possibilities of the teaser trailer and what the full film will be like.
Within the narrative of this 2012 drug fuelled film Judge Dredd a new drug has been created causing everything appear to the consumer to be happening at 1% of its normal speed. Therefore within these drug using scenes an incredibly effective slow motion edit is utilised in order to depict the drug usage.
In addition to this, another post-production effect is used, where the colours are greatly enhanced and saturation of the shots is highly increased. It is interesting to note the contrast between the dull colours used to convey the rest of the film, for example the grey-tinted establishing shots at the start of the official trailer, and the enhanced colours used to portray these drug induced shots. It can be suggested that this drug usage presents the characters a sense of escapism, as they can leave their dull, crime-filled lives, and be lit up in the vivid, colourful and enjoyable life of drugs. The colour usage present a physical contrast between the life they have and the life they desire.
The fade from vivid to dull used in this shot demonstrates as the effects of the drugs wear off and reality of the situation sets in:
The colours switch from very saturated and bright, to dark and dull, the most prominent colour changing from yellow to grey.
The use of extreme close ups demonstrate the importance of this drug and the significant effect that it has on its users, in this shot the focus is on the drug, even though it is not the centre of the scene, as everything in the background in blurred ad faded, this really depicts the strong effect the drug has, and how it takes control of the person and the situation.
The opening shot of this teaser tailer is an extreme close up of the protagonist's eye. This is very shocking to an audience and immediately captures their attention, and invades their personal space, forming a sense of discomfort. The character's eye is very wide, dilated and bloodshot, this automatically connotes a sense of panic and fear, and depicts that something is very wrong, to the audience.
The following shot displays the protagonist waking up with her partner. The natural lighting allows for the protagonist the be lit with sunlight, whereas the partner, whose face is hidden, is shadowed. As his face is hidden and he is shadowed this creates negative connotations, and depicts that the male character is hiding something.
Positions of power are established in several ways throughout this trailer, one of which being the framing of characters, particularly in this shot. The audience is presented with a central, front on, medium-long shot of the male character, which focuses the audiences' attention onto him, whereas the female character is displayed through an over the shoulder shot, she is out of focus and heavily shadowed. This gives the power to the male character and grants him with a more superior and pivotal position. Additionally, the low-key lighting resembles the female character's confusion and negative emotions.
This displays very effective use of graphic matching, as the sequence flickers between the protagonist in her home and in hospital wear. This highlights her disorientation, it could suggest that this is a flashback, due to her lack of memory. It hooks the audience as it creates a sense of mystery and tension as it causes the audience to question what has happened in her past.
Several of the shots within this trailer obtain very low-key lighting, which could depict the darkness and deceit found within the film. One example, is this shot, which portrays the protagonist's husband lingering by the door, watching her as she sleeps. This is a very disturbing shot, as it distorts the traditional view on marriage, and creates the impression that the male character's intentions are not as he says, but perhaps are much darker. This is done by creating a sense of mistrust and fear throughout the trailer, this is done through the cinematography, music, typography and the narrative. For example, the use of red in the typography 'What if everything is a lie', connotes pain, blood and evil, which could represent what the protagonist has experienced in her life.
The music is very tense and dramatic, it builds tension by beginning as very slow and eerie, conveying the disturbed nature of the film to the audience. This conforms with the psychological thriller convention of the use of contrapuntal music, as the sound is high pitched, slow, piano music, which would usually be associated with serenity and tranquility, but in this trailer it is distorted by a low pitched ominous swooshing sound, which causes the music to appear dark and eerie, which mirrors the onscreen action and enforces the sense of fear. A change appears when the phone rings and there is a high pitched sound which evokes tension within the audience, this signifies the thrilling side of the film. As the on screen action unfold, the music mirrors it throughout the trailer, as it grows in intensity and creates fear and tension in the audience. The music constantly builds up to a climatic point at the end of the trailer, this creates anticipation, which is followed with very quiet sounds and a non-diegetic voice over of the protagonist.
The narrative such as 'Sometimes when the truth is painful I don't always have the strength' and 'He says he's protecting you, but don't trust him' reiterates this lack of trust and sense of fear, as it suggests that the protagonist has a very disturbed past and is now left confused and unable to trust anyone in her life.
Evidence of her disturbed and traumatic past is conveyed repeatedly throughout this trailer, such as flashbacks to her attack. These flashbacks are presented in black and white, along with this being done to convey to the audience that these are flashbacks, this effect could be used to depict the darkness and the trauma of the events.
The past paced editing used in these sequences highlight the panic felt by the protagonist as she is being attacked. Additionally, as conveyed in the narrative, she is an amnesiac, therefore, cannot fully remember her past, so the fast paced disjointed editing represents her inability to remember the events properly and chronologically.
Three shots of Nick Dunne are used, separated by two contrasting shots- one of them kissing and then of the first sign that something is wrong when Amy disappears. The shots of Nick zoom in each time, closer to his face as he realises for the first time that something bad has happened. Nick is framed alone; the long shot leaves him in the middle of the screen, surrounded by the interiors of the house, the cool tones of the shots on his own, contrast the warm yellow tones of the shot of the couple. Their lives have changed so drastically from then to now, and this is evident in the lighting. The shots of Nick have high-key natural lighting suggesting that the truth will be revealed while the kissing shot is low key, and only their silhouettes are visible clearly. The eye level midshot presents a balance in the relationship that is no longer there.
Whiplash is a 2014 Drama directed by Damien Chazelle which follows the story of an aspiring young jazz drummer. Interestingly, unlike most film posters, the majority of the page is taken up by large bold reviews. The typography is very clear to read and is a large font. The text at the top and the bottom is a vivid red, and the middle is a very pale blue, these colours both contrast against the black background, causing them to really stand out on the page, drawing the eye straight to them. The colour red could be used in order to draw immediate attention to this information, which tells the reader which awards the film has one, the title of the film and the main actors playing in it. This follow the conventions of a film poster, by attempting to persuade the reader, the awards suggest that the film is unmissable, the named actors draw in fans of these celebrities, and the title is bold and red so it is more memorable.
The very first shot in this teaser trailer is an off centre still shot of the television, from behind the sofa, the mise en scene in this shot initially appears to be depicting normality, as an average living room setting is displayed, with a comfortable sofa, a table lamp and tea cups, which all connote comfort. However, the low-key lighting of the room creates an eerie feel, which is harshly contrasted by the bright colours on the television screen. The vivid colouring of the TV causes this the become the central focus of the shot, even though it is not central on the screen. This depicts the significance of the media, and television throughout the narrative of the film. This significant is also presented throughout the trailer though various other shots: 
Extreme close-up shots of the characters' eyes, which convey the physical effects that drugs have on their bodies; as the shot displays their pupils dilating.
In addition to this, another post-production effect is used, where the colours are greatly enhanced and saturation of the shots is highly increased. It is interesting to note the contrast between the dull colours used to convey the rest of the film, for example the grey-tinted establishing shots at the start of the official trailer, and the enhanced colours used to portray these drug induced shots. It can be suggested that this drug usage presents the characters a sense of escapism, as they can leave their dull, crime-filled lives, and be lit up in the vivid, colourful and enjoyable life of drugs. The colour usage present a physical contrast between the life they have and the life they desire.
Several of the shots within this trailer obtain very low-key lighting, which could depict the darkness and deceit found within the film. One example, is this shot, which portrays the protagonist's husband lingering by the door, watching her as she sleeps. This is a very disturbing shot, as it distorts the traditional view on marriage, and creates the impression that the male character's intentions are not as he says, but perhaps are much darker. This is done by creating a sense of mistrust and fear throughout the trailer, this is done through the cinematography, music, typography and the narrative. For example, the use of red in the typography 'What if everything is a lie', connotes pain, blood and evil, which could represent what the protagonist has experienced in her life. 
