Trailer Analysis for A2 Media Studies coursework.

1. ALOHA (2015)
Textual Analysis

2. By looking at the title of the film, Aloha is a well-known
greeting word from Hawaii origin. Therefore, we can
conclude that this whole film will be related to Hawaii or
even takes place in Hawaii.
The trailer started off with a quiet atmosphere showing the logo of
production companies that are working on the film. The start of the
trailer, with no sound, makes the audience to feel disorientated. This
is because they might get confused, wondering if the trailer is already
started or not, why there is no sound or background music?

3. He is the first character to show up in the
trailer which makes the audience to assume
that he’s the main character.
Then, this guy shows up. It reveals that
this guy is the main character in this film.
Thus, it subverts the codes and
conventions of the trailer, where the first
character to show up is the main character.
A shot of those two guys above alternating, then this man looking at
both two characters, where this can be seen by the movement of his
eyes. The atmosphere was very quiet making the audience
disorientates, ‘Why are they not talking? What is happening?’. The
uniform that they are wearing, giving out clues, what kind of job they
have, and the oldest man looks like he is at the top of the hierarchy.
However, the face expression of the main character doesn’t look like
he’s scared of him which conclude the relationship they have in
between. It connotes they might have known each other for so long.

4. The tempo of background music
synchronise with the title that pops out one
by one. It gives out the feeling of
excitement and energetic to the audience.
The credit to inform the audience who has been following the writer’s and
director’s works. To bring the anticipation out of audience and guarantees the
audience that this film is worth it to watch. By showing the award that the writer
has will bring the confidence to audience watching it and makes the audience
wonder how good is he.

5. This man talking about second chance,
this signifies he is offering the main
character a new job?
The voice saying ‘your old boss wants
you back’ indicates that he is back to his
old job. These shots at the side portray
that the main character travels to
somewhere else to start the new job.
The lei around his neck symbolises that
he’s in Hawaii, which is related to the
title of the movie.
This is where the L cut and
sound bridge editing are used.
He’s talking about the girl that
is going to work under the
main character.

6. Another L cut and sound bridge editing are used to introduce
the main character’s ex-girlfriend. By looking at these evidences,
the blue shirt guy could be the best friend of the main character.
This conforms the codes and conventions of romantic comedy,
where there will always be a best friend character which will be
the ‘helper’ to the main character.
Reunion of the main character and his ex-girlfriend.
He doesn’t even remember how did they broke up
since the reason is because its his fault. I could be
that he is too workaholic, making the ex-girlfriend fed
up with him. By looking at them conversing, even
after they broke up, their relationship is still not bad.

7. The use of the cut for editing, when
they are having conversation is to
make it simple without using too
much transition which could make
the audience feels disorientate.
Considering the genre of this film is
romantic comedy, the editing
conforms the genre. Unlike the
action genre that always has heavy
transition and rapid succession of
shots, this film relate to romantic
comedy genre has the opposite
editing.
This is where the L cut editing used to
strengthening the cut with their conversation.
This cut is good to use where the audience
can see the main character face expression,
when his ex-girlfriend is talking about him.

8. Then more shots of Emma Stone in this trailer,
even if its past more than half of the trailer. This
connotes the important character the she has in
this film. She could be the heroin or princess in
this film.

9. When they show this title, talking about goodbye,
they alternate the title with scenes of the main
character and his girlfriend portraying about their
previous relationship.
The title is connected and for this title, there are
shots of Emma Stone with the main character
signifies that the main character wants to have a new
relationship with Emma Stone?
The font’s colour and background colour used subvert the codes
and conventions of romantic comedy genre where in romcom
genre, the colour of the font usually is bright and look

10. The order of the actors’ name are shown in order from the most main
character to the character that is not so significant character. Their
name and the alternating scenes of the character synchronise with the
background music of the trailer to keep the continuity of the editing.
This type of editing captivates the audience to engage with the trailer.

11. The title of the film shown at the end of
the trailer with simple font used.
The specific date does not really show but
they still want to let the audience to know
that the film is coming real soon. They also
put the official Facebook name in order to
inform the audience that they have Facebook
page, in case the audience wants to know
more about the film. Especially Facebook is
on of the popular social sites that a lot of
people use this days. The also said that the
film is not yet rated to notify the audience if
they wonder what’s the rating for the film.