This document provides details about the shots and elements included in a film trailer. It begins with establishing shots that set up the sci-fi genre and banned artificial intelligence. Character introductions show the robot moving robotically and the brother as rebellious. Shots of a fight between the robot and brother are included to create intrigue. The trailer uses familiar settings and weapons to make the futuristic concepts more relatable. Enhanced blue eyes on the robot reveal its non-human nature and leave viewers wondering what will happen. The trailer concludes by prompting viewers to find out more online. Inspiration is drawn from films like Ex Machina and Legend to conform to sci-fi/thriller conventions.
1. This is the first frame that my film opened with. I decided to make this the first shot the audience
see as it gives them a lot of information. It sets up the narrative of how artificial intelligence has
been banned. This hints to the audience that the film is going to be of the sci-fi genre.This could
also be to do with the electronical music playing in the back ground, which follows the genre of sci-
fi.The audience could also guess that there is going to be a lot of rebellion in my film, as they
would have to look past the issue that they have been introduced with. As the matter has been
presented on the news, this connotes that AI’s are a serious threat. Sci-fi audiences will be
engaged with the wonder of what may happen, in a world that has so similarly been presented to
ours, along with the issues of the modern day.The audience know that something bad is going to
happen, concerning robots, and therefore would get a gist of what the film is about. I took
inspiration from this busy shot from “Ex Machina”, I chose the busy shot as it connotes that the
film is going to require a lot of concentration. The location looks expensive and high ground,
therefore the audience know that the film is very serious, and that there is hierarchy. The audience
will be familiar with the location of a busy office and a new presenter set, as most of them will see
them every day of their lives, therefore they can relate to the film automatically.
2. I chose this shot for the beginning to establish the genre.The extreme close up of the wires
connote technology, and technology is usually associated with the sci-fi genre. It also hints at
the rest of the story, as it shows the process of an AI robot being created. However it’s not
extremely clear, as I haven’t given the audience all the information that they need. This is so
that they will continue to watch the trailer in anticipation to find out more about the film. The
music behind is also associated with the genre of sci-fi, however its also very eerie, which links
into the other genre which is thriller.The audience are starting to understand that the process of
the AI robot being made, is actually illegal.The music helps to create suspense, as to what may
happen in the film. I took inspiration from Ex Machina as the trailer clearly shows the insides of
the robot, establishing the disruption in Todorovs narrative of theory, and that the main
character is different from everyone else. I haven’t included the dark light in my shot on the left,
however I believe that it still conforms to the conventions of other media products. In sci-fi the
lighting is either usually bright, which would be associated with the modern day, or dark lights
which makes the film eerie.
3. I have used the same font as my title to continue the genre of sci-fi and thriller, as well as to
keep the entire theme running throughout the trailer.The silver fading into blue has a sci-fi
element about it ,as silver is usually associated with metal, which also links to technology,
which foreshadows the themes in my trailer.The blue looks cold which represents the eyes
of the robot, as at the end of the trailer the robots eyes light up, to show that he isn’t human.
Originally I was going to use more basic text that audiences are use to seeing everyday.
However I thought it would be more visually interesting and memorable for the audience if
the titles were unique. I took inspiration from the intertitles from “Artificial Intelligence” as
it link s to the main character’s eyes, just as mine does. Both of the intertitles conform to the
sci-fi thriller genre as the colour are harsh and symbolise the contrasts within the narrative.
Therefore my trailer is similar to the real media products of the same genre.
4. This is a birds eye view of the robot and the brother fighting. I chose this shot for many reasons.
First of all I could establish with the audience how far in the future the film is set. I then put the
shot into black and white to make it look as if this footage had been caught on CCTV. Which
would make sense to the audience as it’s intercut with the footage from the news. I intercut this
footage by using a static sound effect, along with making the footage flicker on and off screen.
This gives the impression that the characters are breaking the equilibrium that has been set up
for the audience. This footage followed other shots that were intercut with static noise, to
represent how the characters will go against society no matter what. I took inspiration from the
trailer “Legend” as the birds eye view camera angle, put the audience on edge in the violent
scenes. However “Legend” isn’t a sci-fi thriller, therefore this camera shot differs from that
genre, and conforms more to the crime genre here. If I were to re-record this shot I would
maybe choose a low angle, and include more close ups of the weapons so that it conforms to
the thriller genre.
5. I had very few props in my trailer, as I wanted the main focus to be on the robot.This was to create more
hype, in order for the audience to consider what the robot is going to do next. However one key prop that I
did use was the base ball bat. I chose this because it’s a traditional weapon that is easily accessible to
anyone, this way the audience would be able to relate more to the film.The base ball bat also symbolises
how the brother wants things to go back to times when there was less technology.This could be
represented through his clothes.The leather jacket was more traditionally worn in the 80’s in the punk era,
when there was a lot of rebellion. Therefore we can tell from his outfit that he is a very rebellious character.
The bullet belt scream violence; immediately we can tell that the brother is the villain in propps character
theory. However the robot wears softer clothes, that help him to blend into the rest of society as an
accepted civilian. The girl wears more brightly coloured clothes, and has the most interesting outfit out of
all of them.This represents how the robot still finds humans fascinating, even though he has been
programmed to be like one.Therefore he picked to befriend the girl who is slightly different to his
definition of normal. All of these elements, the audience can relate to. In “inception” they use more
modern day weapons such as guns, not everyone will be as familiar with guns, as an American audience are
more likely to own a gun.Therefore my trailer challenged the conventions of a sci-fi thriller as non of the
weapons are up to date, but are more applicable to a wider audience.
6. The setting of my trailer takes place in the upper working class, so that the audience who are watching the
trailer can apply their own lives to the film.This is so that the thriller element of the film becomes even
scarier to them, as the possibility of a robot becomes more realistic to their lives.This is a mid shot that
tracks forwards, following the characters, shows the housing of normal people living their lives.Therefore
this shot in its self subverts to the expectations of sci-fi films, as they are usually set in modern day in high
tech buildings, where everything looks more shiny and impressive. Obviously this factor is due to my
budget, however the circumstances do seem more realistic to my target audience. However the shot I took
inspiration from sets the characters in a recognisable location of what looks like a library or a school
setting. My trailer does not differ to those of real media products too much.The audience would therefore
be able to relate to the film more so than a film which is very modern with glossy looking modern locations.
7. I introduced the characters in a single frame by them selves.The audience become
familiar with the characters. However the robot appears as eerie, as at first he moves
robotically, standing still, as if he is an operating piece of machinery.This way the
audience get to make up their own opinion on the characters, before they are
influenced by their interaction with any other character. Usually characters are
introduced one at a time, therefore I am adhering to the conventions of a normal
trailer. I got my inspiration from “Ex Machina” as the character of the robot is
introduced by standing eerily in a minimalistic corridor. I placed my character in the
same location, the audience can fully take in the character this way.Therefore my
trailer conforms to the conventions of the sci-fi thriller genre, and looks similar to real
media products, which gains more trust from my target audience.
8. I wanted to make it obvious that the main character was a robot.Therefore I enhanced the
colour of the eyes, to make him seem out of the ordinary. As he lifts up his head, the audience
are surprised with the blue eyes of the robot.The screen flickers white, in time with the music,
creating suspense, as the robot looks like he's suddenly about to do something dangerous.The
idea of the eyes lighting up, conforms to the stereotypes in sci-fi and thriller trailers as it shows
he’s not human, and the audience have no idea what could happen next. I also included this
because on my poster and magazine, I have enhanced his eyes to make him appear as
unnatural. Many other sci-fi thriller films include the piercing blue eyes elements, such as
“Irobot” and “Artificial Intelligence.” Therefore my trailer is similar to other media products, as I
use the same colours that are associated with sci-fi and thriller.
9. This is the last thing the audience see.The title with the hash tag is there so the audience can
go and find out more about the film as part of the marketing campaign. Many films will do this
so that people will spread the news about the film, and therefore they will make more of an
income in the box office. I didn’t include the colour silver in the title as I wanted it to be clear to
the audience what information they needed. The screen is simple, it states what social media
websites the film can be found on, as well as the institution text, to pay respect to all of the
producers.The eerie music fades out and leaves the audience wondering what could possibly
happen in the film. I took my main inspiration from the film “Legend” which helped me to
create an effective advertising screen for the audience to interact with. I wanted to make the
screen just as simple and clear as the “Legend” one, therefore I used a similar lay out.