This document analyzes and summarizes the structure and key elements of the film Inception's movie trailer. It breaks down the trailer into its main narrative components: the exposition, complication, rising action, and climax. For each section, it highlights the film techniques used, such as shots, music, dialogue, and visual motifs, and how they advance the plot and build tension throughout the trailer. The overall analysis gives insight into the complex ideas and dream-like world of the film that the trailer sets up for audiences.

1. By Hannah Burgess, Katie Charman and
Lauren Hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hP9D6kZseM

2. The Exposition “What’s the most
resilient parasite? An
idea.”
These three opening shots
combined with the Asynchronous
sound of the characters voice
over are part of the exposition,
setting up the key concept of the
film, IDEAS.

3. By looking at who produced the film,
the audience can get an idea of Logo’s of production companies
what the film is about. Legendary
Pictures often produced films with Superman Returns,
elements out of the ordinary such Batman Begins,
as superhero’s or people with an The Dark Knight Rises,
ability that others don’t have. 300,
Warner Brothers produce Wrath of the Titans.
blockbuster films with highly
profiled actors, this shows that the Harry Potter’s,
actors in the film and that the Happy Feet,
producers and directors are well Horrible Bosses,
accredited. Syncopy are partnered Sherlock Holmes.
with Legendary Pictures.
Coincidentally, Syncopy derives Batman Begins,
from the medical term “Syncope” The Dark Knight
which means consciousness which Man of Steel
is a key theme explored in this film.

4. The Exposition
The Exposition allows the
characters and key themes to
be introduced. The High angle
shot of the girl shows that she
is being taught something or
introduced to something new.
The next CGI long shot of the
road being uplifted and rolled
over, shows that there is a
fictional element to the film.

5. Expositions -> Complication
A series of confusing Close up and
Long Shot images all lead up to the
Complication. The pace of shots
change from relatively slow paced
long clips, to faster shorter ones in
comparison. The drums in the
music become more prominent and
the music becomes louder.
“An idea can transform
the world and rewrite
all the rules… .”

6. The Complication
“… Which is why I have
to steal it”
Through mise-en-scene shown
in the medium shots, the
complication is shown, Initial
although there has been
violence, the protagonist has
been separated from it, however
here he is seen with a gun that
he knows how to use. This raises
questions about the protagonist.
The string instruments in the
music become faster which
causes the tension to increase.
This leads onto the rising
action…

7. Rising Action
The fade to black and sudden rise in the non-diegetic
music shows that action is about to happen.

8. Rising Action
At the start of the trailer, the two characters were shown
standing close together which highlights their friendship and
closeness. However within the rising action, the two
characters are shown further apart and arguing which
represents the change in mood and relationship between
them.

9. Rising Action
The same shot of the glass of water, shown at two
different points during the trailer, is significant. In the
Exposition the class is used to highlight the calmness of
what’s happening, yet in the rising action it is used to
show a shift in atmosphere.

10. Rising Action
Sound bridges are frequently used throughout the trailer
during the rising action. This helps the viewer partially
understand what is going on but also shows that the main
character, Cobb, is still in control and giving out instructions.
The main characters names are shown during the rising
action as they help break up the action by a placing them on a
black screen and thus attracting the audiences attention as
this is the most tense part of the trailer.

11. The Climax
The sudden shift from rising action to the climax is where one
of the characters says in a panicked voice “We need to break
out of here, give him the kick!” This scene is followed by a slow
motion shot which see’s a man falling into a bath tub. The
motif of water is used a lot throughout the trailer which could
lead the audience to start to wonder what the significance of
it is.

12. The Climax
The use of short clips in the climax show that this is
where the main action is taking place. Distorted shots
are now also being used, which could represent a sense
of confusion and that the dream like world is starting
fall apart.

13. The Climax
The asynchronous sound of the girl screaming
“Wake me up! Wake me up!” is loud and because
of the repetition it sounds extremely panicked and
tense. This adds a sense of danger to the trailer
as the girl is in need of help.

14. The Climax
By having the title of the film appear at the end of the trailer helps the
audience remember the name of the film and therefore me more inclined to
go and watch it. The background is also in the shape of a maze which could
give an insight to the audience of what the films about.
In addition, the construction of the title is reflective of a maze. This is linked
into the concept of the film as the protagonist struggles to differentiate
between the many ideas and the film it self includes lots of complex ideas.