Media key assessment-

1. MYTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF
ATEASERTRAILER.
Maddie pluck

2. A girl like her
How long is the trailer- This trailer lasts about 1 minute and 40 seconds,
where we are exposed to some of the different aspects of the film and key
themes.
Genre/ narrative- The genre of this film is a teen drama, we know this because
of the setting and the characters. Because of them we are able to establish
parts of the story in a short space of time.The story focuses primarily on
the blond female character (Avery), as she gets the most screen time.We are
exposed to two sides of this character and this is presented through the use of
hand held camera work in the style of POV.The other character which we
meet in the teaser is the girl with dark hair (Jess) who is presented as the
victim. From the teaser we are able to identify that the main aspect of the
narrative is the theme of bullying, face to face as well as there being a social
media aspect as well.
What questions does it leave the audience with-
After watching the trailer the main question which I am left with is
whether or not people find out about the way Avery is treating Jess. It
would leave the audience wondering if there are consequences to these
action and if anybody else is experiencing this treatment, would they come
forward? We also question if Avery finds out about these hidden cameras,
what would be her reaction? Is she exposed in the end?The question to
whether the school gets involved is also there as it is in the convention of
the setting as that is where most of the shots are set, so we assume the
school might notice this sort of behavior.This is something which
thousands of children experience every day and this is highlighted through
the phrase "based on a million true stories" this ads a more personal touch
to the film as it suggests that many people relate to feeling this way so this
might be a film which would appeal to concerned parents or people who
have ever experienced this, as well as even people who inflict this behavior
on others. It demonstrates the impact one person can have on another.

3. Mise en scene-This being one of the firsts shots of the of the trailer allows
the audience to see that this is a teen drama, as it is set in a school which we
can infer from the lockers and the school books held in hand. Because this is
where teenagers spend most of their time we know the story itself is likely
to be about school girls. Standing by the lockers in a group capture the
environment of a high school, as the audience might imagine other
characters passing these girls and feeling anxious or judged.This is reflected
in Avery's facial expression as it not exactly friendly or welcoming but rather
hostile and territorial.The girls are dressed casually butAvery stands out as
she is wearing a bright pink color which once again puts her at the center of
attention.This is not a particularly threatening color which might give the
audience a false sense of security. It is close to the color red which is usually
used to suggest danger giving the audience reason to dislike this character
or feel threatened by her.
Editing-This shot cuts from a hand held one where Avery is carrying the
camera so is the center focus of the shot.The group shot suggests
popularity as well as the idea of traveling in a pack because they seem more
intimidating in larger numbers.The simple cut connotes to reality which
highlights the idea of this being based on various cases of bullying
Camera- The camera shot being taken from behind might suggest that
everyone is looking over there shoulder, the duration of the shot might also
give the effect of someone walking past them.
Sound- the teaser opens with the typical school bell going off which once
again reinforces the key message of the genre, the non diegetic sound which
we here up until this shot, creates a happy tune which leads the audience to
think that this school is a safe environment where students treat each other
with kindness and respect.When we see this shot this is when the character
of Avery introduces herself which allows the audience to label her as the
main character.
I chose this shot as right from the beginning we see Avery at the
center which tells the audience she is the ring leader of the group,
the way the other girls circle her suggests they look to her, they
follow her and mirror her behavior.Though we cannot tell if she is a
horrible person at this point in the trailer we can detect that she
might be considered to be part of the more popular group which
usually connotes to her being mean or rude to anyone but her
friends, this is stereotypical to this genre which is why this might be
the firsts thought of the audience.

4. Mise en scene- This shot being set in her room, takes the audience away from
the school environment and gives them an insight intoAvery's home life, the
frame doesn’t give away much regarding the style of the room, however the
walls are mostly bear, which might be considered strange for a popular
teenage girl.We can see there is a single photo and although it is not very clear
we might imagine that it is important to her.We are once again exposed to the
color pink in her clothing and also around the bedroom, this perhaps reminds
the audience of her age, pink is described as the universal color of loving
oneself and others.This is perhaps the wayAvery wishes everybody to see her
but contradicts her true personality which is revealed later in the trailer.
Editing-The image is more saturated and gives off a grey undertone, when we
see these colors we link it to seeing a shot through the lens of a digital camera.
From this we can perhaps infer thatAvery is making a video of her self, where
she is describing who she is for the purpose of others, suggesting that she
might have a fan base.The discoloration also seems to create a less realistic
feel to the character as though she might be hiding something.
Camera- The close up gives us an insight as to who she is, and because she is
looking directly into the camera we get a sense as if she is talking directly to
us.
Sound- The non diegetic carries on with the more positive sounding music,
which leads the audience down a different train of thought where they
probably assume thatAvery is a nice girl, and perhaps from after hearing her
dialogue as part of the non diegetic sound.When she say "I'm just you average
teenage girl" our first though might be that people make her out to be
something she is not or that she stands out from the crown making her more
noticeable and therefore different.
I chose this shot as is allows the audience to familiarize its self with
this character. It is set in what we assume is her bedroom which
gives us a more personal impression of her attitude and allows us to
establish if she behaves differently in her own company even
though she is talking to a camera it feels like she is talking directly
to the audience rather than her peers at school.

5. Mise en scene- from this shot the audience might assume
that we are back in a school setting.The reason being for this
could be because we seen that some of the girls are holding
books,Which is a clue to this . We see that they are sitting all
together in line, they are all laughing, and though from the
trailer it may seem as though they are laughing innocently,
the way the girls are leaning forwards comes across more
menacing. The girls are also alone, as in they are not sitting in
a canteen or a hall with other students, this could be because
they are each others only friends as they treat everybody else
badly so everybody else might be too intimidated by these
girls making them utterly unapproachable to the rest of the
school.
Editing- We see this through Avery who is filming what she is
seeing so, the audience is essentially given a direct point of
view on the situation.
Camera- The group shot captures all the girls starring up at
the audience suggests they look up to Avery, this is captured
through the low angle looking down on them which we could
connote to being inferior, or less important in comparison to
the other characters.
Sound- The diegetic sound, when Avery is talking, she
introduces her friends one by one, and describes them all as
her best friends. Because Avery introduces them we might say
that she speaks for them or rather doesn’t allow them to
speak for themselves.
The reason I chose this shot was to introduce the characters which
Avery describes as her best friends.This shot allows the audience to
denote that perhaps this group isolates themselves from the rest of
the school, and work together to come across intimidating.These
characters do not receive that much screen time in the trailer so
they are perhaps not as involved as Avery but they also do not stop
any of the behavior which they witness so the audience would but
them in the same category as Avery as they are also bullying jess
because they are follower.

6. Mise en scene- This scene is set in the girls toilets at school, in convention to teen
dramas this is usually a location where lots of bullying happens this is because it is
away from the eyes of teachers and it is in an enclosed space which would make it
harder for the victim to get away. It is also where a lot of gossiping might happen in
terms of stereotypes it is where girls catch up and have their "girl time". Avery is
applying makeup and facing a mirror which might connote to the idea of her being
self centered and perhaps cares more about what people think of her than she lets
on.
Editing- The low key lighting and saturated color of this shot suggest something is
not right, the darker tones create a more cynical effect. This is the point of turning
in the trailer where the audience can identify Avery as the bully or the ring leader of
bad behavior.
Camera- When this shot is captured Avery is talking directly to the camera in the
style of an interview, where she describes her daily routine. The angle of the shot
focus mainly on Avery where faces her body more towards the audience, giving the
impression that she is addressing us. The shot group shot is slightly tinted which
reinforces the use of the and held camera as well as perhaps distorting the firsts
impression which we had of Avery and her friends.
Sound- From the dialogue Avery gives the impression that her and her friends own
the space which they are in and cannot accept anyone not respecting this. She uses
words such as "usually no one comes in" which suggests that there are exceptions
but are dealt with. She also uses the phrase "they kinda know". They, being used to
describe the student body, this might sound threatening to the audience as though
there are consequences if these girls are crossed. It tells the audience that people
in the school see how they act but accept it because they fear being on the
receiving end of the bullying. The laughing shows that the girls see nothing wrong
with how they treat people because no one has told them it is wrong. At this point
the music also changes, which alerts the audience that something is different, the
music becomes more intense thus creating an effect of the truth being revealed.
I felt this was an important shot as it is the first shot which changes
the mood of the teaser.The audience witnesses first hand the way
teenage girls can behave and the way they can address others in
certain scenarios.The fact that this is caught on camera from
someone within this group filming suggests that the girls believe
this is acceptable behavior because it is what they have become
accustomed to. It shines the light on Avery who reacts with
laughter at the way her friend has spoken to someone which could
show her giving approval.

7. Mise en scene-The setting is this shot is based in a corridor, we can
infer that this is most likely set in the school. Firstly based on the
fact that the narrative of this story is based upon what happens in a
high school environment, and secondly we can see a series of
posters on the wall which look hand made, perhaps by the
students.These small accessories build the plot and make the set
seem more realistic as it is what you would expect to see in the
average American school.
Editing- The transitions of this shot fades in and fades out, this
suggests a more mysterious vibe surrounding the character
perhaps empathizing that she doesn’t want to tell anyone about
her problems, however this is contradicted with the high key
lighting.The brightness exposes to the audience that Jess is going
through a hard time and though she doesn’t say it, the audience
can identify it through her body language and facial expression.
Camera-The mid shot allows the audience to see a bit more of
what is going on at this point. For instance we are able to see jess
move around as well as perhaps giving the audience some context
on the scenario.The camera is also slightly shaky which suggest it is
hand held, though this doesn’t quite create the point of view shot
we still get the impression of someone documenting what is
happening,
Sound- In this shot there is dialogue over the music which makes
what is happening seem more dramatic.The mise en scene allows
the audience to put what jess is saying into context as we see her
heading for the exit as she says she wants to go home.The tone of
voice of the boy behind the camera makes him come across as
concerned and genuinely worried about his friend.
This is the firsts shot of Jess, her introduction to the audience
reflects fear. She faces the camera and the movement suggest she
is trying to get away from someone.The audience would
immediately feel empathy for this character as she comes across
vulnerable .This could be due to the fact that she is alone therefore
an easier target for bullying.

8. Mise en scene- This being set in the school hallway, the
audience might link this to a place where we see the different
types of groups within a school. It is often presented as a more
hostile place to walk through because it is a narrow corridor,
when alone it might feel intimidating and as though everybody
is watching you. In terms of the audience this could be
something which they themselves have experienced this in their
lifetime.The poster in the background which can be made out
to be a sign against the use of phone in school this is a very
clever as it foreshadows that later on in the trailer that there is
online activity commenting abuse on someone's social media
account.The way this poster is positioned next to Avery
contradicts the way she behaves, as she does not follow these
rules as throughout the whole teaser we see aspects filmed
through what we could imagine is a mobile phone.
Editing-The black and white background suggest a darker
undertone which links to danger. Because the color changes it
reflects how
Camera- The mid shot of Avery walking past creates the
impression of aggression, where tangle of the camera is tilted
slightly upwards towards Avery and pushes her to the side of
the shot
Sound- The sound creates the effect of being bumped into, this
then provokes a reaction from Avery who curses at jess.When
she says this the music gets louder which could suggests that
words can have an impact.
I felt that this was an interesting shot to capture because it is one of
the few shots in the trailer where Avery is captured alone in school.
She does not have her group following her which leaves her more
vulnerable and exposed. It also takes away some of the power which
she would have had in the group. Her facial expression still carries a
look of anger, which comes across intimidating to the audience. In
comparison to when she is with her friends she seems more
menacing, bullying Jess for her friends entertainment but when on
her own she seems to be targeting Jess because of something
personal which leaves the audience wondering if jess ever did
anything to Avery to provoke this abuse.

9. Mise en scene-This shot is set in the school canteen, this is
conventionally a place where we see many different
stereotypical traits of a high school. For example it is seen to be a
very cliquey place where different friendship groups tend to keep
themselves to themselves.We can infer that this is the canteen as
we are able to see trays of food and in the background of this shot
we can see some other students.The facial expressions of the girls
are menacing, and intimidating.The idea of intimidation is also
shown in numbers where we can assume it is 5 to one as they all
seem to have their eyes focused in the same place.
Editing- This is a very short shot, where we see a quick movement
of Avery throwing something at someone, lasting less than a
second.The image is slightly saturated giving it a grey undertone
which reminds the audience that this is being filmed through a spy
cam, capturing all of Avery's actions.
Camera- The group shot capturesAvery and her friends in action,
where all five of them are in the shot looking directly at who we
assume to be Jess.The angle gives of the impression that jess is
looking up at the girls, showing that she is small and more
vulnerable when up against. However we know that this shot is
captured the spy cam
Sound-There is non diegetic sound and a faster pace music to
match the speed of the shots, over this there is also a voice over of
jess discussing the consequences if Avery found out about the
hidden camera.This is perhaps a foreshadowing as we see various
shots through these spy camera.
I felt this way an important shot to discuss as it is a point in the
trailer where we see a series of actions, and the different type of
bullying Jess is experiencing. She is not only being physically bullied
by this group but is being tormented everyday with hurtful words
which follow her home via social media.This shot demonstrates that
group of girls are not bothered if other people see them treating
Jess badly, perhaps because others are also scared of them and
are not brave enough to stand up against her, or even that they are
so used to seeing them act in this manner that the other students no
longer pay attention.

10. Mise en scene- From this shot not much is given away about the location,
however from other shots throughout the teaser we have seen similar white
bricks so we might connect this with somewhere in the school.The walls in the
shot are bear which could connote to feeling empty and worthless.The facial
expression and body language of the boy could make the audience think that he
is in love with jess as he seems to want to be connected, his eyes are closed and
his head is pushed up against her.This communicates the audience that he
wants to make her feel loved and gives away that his character is kind and cares
for what happens to Jess. In comparison, Jess is head is turned away from the
boy which could seem as though she is afraid to be seen as vulnerable and
doesn't want to show emotion in front of him.The way his arms wrap
around create a message of shielding someone, in this case from the rest of the
school.This suggests to the audience that the purpose of this boy in the film is
to be protective of Jess's character.
Editing- The shot fades in but cuts toAvery talking to Jess.This suggest that
what is Avery is saying hurts deeply and so cutting from this shot to the next in a
quick way, reflects the aggresiveness and harm which was intended from this.
The fact that we see this shot beforeAvery's might reflect the predictability of
her words as Jess suffers this everyday.
Camera- The low angle two shot, suggest that this is a very low point in the film,
letting the audience in on the way Jess is feeling, and as seen she is not alone
which gives us hope that the boy can help her through this difficult time.
Sound- The voice over is placed over a subtle sound of crying suggesting which
Jess is trying to not let what is happening get to her especially not infront of
Avery.
From this shot we can see Jess being comforted by her friend,
where the audience can identify that she is upset and her facial
expression even shows that she is scared of something.The body
language suggests to the audience that she might even be
traumatized by the whole situation. Capturing this point in the
trailer reflects to the audience that if nobody does anything about
a situation such as this the bully wont stop as they feel they have
no need to.Trailers often capture the lowest point in the film for
the audience to be able to identify a structure and a direction, in
order to question how the film will get better from this point
onwards.

11. Mise en scene-This scene is set in what the audience migh think is jess's
bedroom.This being set in the con=mfort of her own home might be the
reason why she feels more comfortable being upset and vulnerable as she
does not have anyone around her who can potentially use her sadness
against her.The posters in the baackground also remind the audience that
Jess is still a child, and that this upsetting behavior is taking away her
childhood.
Editing- This shot cuts from one to another in a slick and rapid way, not
giving the audience to much of a chance to see what else jess has to say,
this reflects the conventions of a teaser as it gives the audience a very quick
taste of the characters and the plot but doesn’t give anything away, always
leaving the audience wanting more.
Camera- The close up of Jess really capture the emotion she is
experiencing, her face is not centered to the screen which could suggest
that she feels ashamed or cast out. Her eyes are not looking directly at the
camera which might indicate that she is scared to face up toAvery, this
might also show that she has a lower self esteem which is made worst by
the constant bullying.
Sound-This being one of the final shots we here jess say that she doesn’t
understand why 'she' hates me so much.This communicates to the
audience that jess really doesn’t have any idea as to wy she is being
targetted, also allowing the audience to emphasize more deeply whith her
character.This dialogue is spoken over the non diegetic sound which at this
point is a very dramatic piece of music which encourages the audience to
feel more emotional towards what they are seeing.
This shot allows the audience to experience how deeply Jess is affected by
the bullying, like the close up of Avery this allows the audience to establish
what type of character Jess is.This also being set outside of school might
show a different side to her, one which is not scared or anxious, though in
this shot we might assume that she is coping with the stress and doesn’t
know what to do about her situation. Her facial expression carries a look of
worry and concern, unlike Avery who seems relatively happy in most shots.
Jess is always upset which reflects that the bullying seems endless and is
something which she has to face everyday, and because it is someone at
school she has to other option but to take it, unless she gets other people
involved which in convention is something most children are reluctant to
do.

12. Text graphics-
There are many text graphics in this teaser
which might link to the idea of social
media which is something we see in the
trailer.The color scheme remains the same
throughout as well as the font and
background.The color red is one which we
identify as dangerous, and the words
which are highlighted stand out, this
forces the audience to recognize the signs
that something might not be right. For
instance the first three text graphics we
see, follow the same structure where "a
girl" is seen on a white background
connoting to innocence whereas the rest
of the sentence is split by the red, which
could suggest this idea of perception
versus reality which we see is explored in
the trailer. It might also be
foreshadowing something bad which is to
come in the film, and the red highlight
exposes that. Another suggestion for the
red highlighting the text in a rectangle
might also be trying to recreate the
YouTube logo.This could be because we
see a lot of the film through a hand held
style which is similar to the way
youtubers vlog their lives. It incorporates
the theme of bullying in the online age, as
well as exposing someone in front of a
large amount of people, which is the main
reason we see the story being
documented.

13. Audience Representation
We can predict many stereotypes in this film. Like
most teen dramas we are introduced to two
opposites, in this case we have the blonde popular
girl, who is represented as confident, self absorbed,
and fake. In contradiction to a the brunet who is
represented as a shy and vulnerable character to
whom has been chosen to play the victim.We also
see the different behaviors within a typical high
school, for instance the popular girls are always mean
and the quieter girl is seen as a loner.The boy in the
trailer is also represented as a geek as we see his
camera equipment which makes him odd in the eyes
of other students. In this high school there is a clear
higher achy which divides the students completely,
making some easier targets to be picked on, simply
based on their hobbies and what their appearance is.
■ This film is targeted mostly towards
teenage girls, this is to get across the
message that being verbally bullied can
be just as harmful as the physical aspect.
13 to 17 year old's are most likely to go
and watch this film as they themselves
are still in school and are also have a high
chance of having various social media
accounts which is a theme explored in
the film therefore making it more
probable for them to be interested in
seeing this film.
■ Another group which this film might
appeal to are parents of children who
have been bullied, this is because they
might want some more information on
the matter as well as seeing for
themselves what being bullied is like in
order for them to help their child.

14. USP- (unique selling point)
■ The selling point for this film is to make people more aware of the issue of bullying.The
way the film is produced, creates a very realistic account of first hand bullying allowing the
audience to see it from the point of view of the victim.This in itself creates a unique take
on this problem and in a way allows the audience to experience this behavior themselves.
This technique really connects the audience and the characters as we see them up close
and get to know them on a personal level.The simplicity of this film highlights the fact that
this is just a normal school with normal students, and like every 'normal' school one child
might feel targeted for being considered as different.Though this is a low budget film it
tackles some very important themes which in todays society we all consider to be apart of
school life. Bullying is a very serious issue, one which can take a dark turn if not resolved
quickly. It is also something which many teens will be able to relate to.The fact that this
film has been made demonstrates that people are ready to stand up for themselves and if
they are not this film may give them the inspiration to do so.

15. How is this useful to my own teaser
trailer?
■ This relates to my own teaser trailer because it explores very similar themes, which are
this idea of bullying in the online age. Although my teaser is more pushed towards the
thriller side of the teen genre it does follow some of the conventions of a teen drama.
Especially the focus on a victim, and in this case our trailer reveals the worst possible
outcome of bullying.This trailer is also useful to my idea as it gives me some
inspiration in terms of editing, as our plan is to incorporate some hand held footage to
create the effect that someone is recording what is happening. Because this is the way
most of this film is shot, it gives us an advantage because we can compare the
different ways in which this can be done.