The document discusses three movie trailers: Inception, Cowboys & Aliens, and Mr. Popper's Penguins. It analyzes the mise-en-scene elements of each trailer, including setting, costumes, props, and how they identify the genre. For example, Inception uses city scenes and suits to convey a serious tone, while Cowboys & Aliens uses western settings and costumes. Mr. Popper's Penguins starts in an urban setting with business attire but gets more casual and comedic. The document also discusses how Christopher Nolan maintains a consistent brand identity across his films and how the Transformers and Titanic franchises achieved synergy through music and iconic locations.

1. Mise-en-Scene

2. Movie Trailer #1 Inception

3. Mise-en-Scene Setting: City scenes dominate most of the scenes that are strung together in the trailer, implicating at the movie has a serious, business-like element to it. The city setting, causes the drama to seem either much more bigger than it really is, or bigger than the characters themselves Costume: Nearly all of the characters are depicted as wearing suits, which not only fits in with the setting, but also intensifies the seriousness that the trailer is trying to implicate. Suits implicate a confident and business-like atmosphere meaning that the audience is more likely to take the trailer seriously. Props: Props fit into the conventions of the typical action genre, i.e. there are guns, cars featured in chase scenes, electronic equipment, helicopters, etc…

4. Genre Identification Action Low key lighting created emphasises shadows, setting up an ominous feeling. The character’s body language is very rigid, which also conveys a sense of intensity. The use of a gun and the fact that the characters are wearing suits, could also implicate that the movie is also a thriller. The iconography has a major influence in linking the trailer to the genre, for instance the audience can tell that the trailer is part of a thriller or action drama because of the use of guns, cars, electronics, and vehicles such as helicopters and planes. Sci-Fi In most scenes where there are clear elements of the sci-fi drama the scenes are dominated by high key lighting, and contain a lot of visual effects added during the pre-production stages in order to make the seems appear flashy and unusual. Manipulating the shots add effects that could not be obtained during the original filming. The bright lighting and vivid colours helps to create a surreal effect.

5. Movie Trailer #2 Cowboys & Aliens

6. Mise-en-Scene Setting: Typical western setting, large open plain, dusty and desert like. Also set in a relatively small, old fashioned towns. Typical iconography for western movies are horses and large coaches or wagons. Wide open spaces normally imply that there will be action on a rather large scale, or sometimes the mass of land provided can make the action seem bigger and more exciting than it actually is. Costume: Typical western costume, large hats, shirts, boots and gun holsters, instantly recognisable with the old western genre without having the trailer tell the audience what type of genre it is. Incidentally the characters appear unkempt, however, we associate the scruffiness with an outlaw, so generally the audience expect the genre to be action packed instead of laid back. Props: The iconography associated with the props that are shown within the trailer greatly implicate the type of genre that the movie will be. For instance with western genres the movie generally addresses an old time period, so the audience expect to see horse drawn carriages, small towns made out of wooden buildings and shacks instead of tall industrial buildings. Therefore all the props that we see are old fashioned and crude in order to conform to the time period.

7. Genre Identification: Western Vs Sci-Fi Western: Western films are scene as action packed, therefore the low key lighting is used to imply intensity. The iconography is a major influence in showing the genre, for instance the costumes are that of what the audience would recognise as western outfits, such as the large hats, boots and gun holsters. Also the setting is used to imply what genre the trailer is. Since Westerns are normally based in wide open plains, or small rural towns the audience expect the film to be a western genre. Sci-Fi: A lot of visual effects are used during scenes that imply the Sci-Fi genre, for example, there are evidence of a lot of post-production, such as mechanical effects added after during filming. Bright high key lighting and artificial lighting can help to imply the Sci-Fi genre as they create a surreal effect.

8. Movie Trailer #3 Mr. Popper’s Penguins

9. Mise-en-Scene Setting: The setting takes place in a large American city, perhaps New York. It appears to be an American city due to the large skyscrapers clustered together and the yellow taxi’s that the audience associate with America. Since the setting takes place in the city the audience would think that there would be a serious element to it, however, because the trailer is comedic, we associate the city with being realistic rather than serious. Also, because this is a family film, it appeals to children and adults by challenging ideologies associated with adult life being serious and business-like, by showing that there can be comedy as well. Costume: The trailer starts out showing the characters wearing business suits and smart clothing, however, the more the trailer progresses the more casual the clothing becomes. The may represent how the movie takes on a more comedic atmosphere the more it goes on, showing that the characters revert from a serious state into a comedic one. This also shows how the characters loosen out and become more relatable to the audience as the film goes on. Props: In the trailer there is not much evidence of props, however, the few that are evident give the audience an idea of where the film is set. The iconography show gives us an idea that the film is set in a large American city, from the evidence of suits, briefcases, taxis, offices, etc…

10. Genre Identification Trailers are used to provide insight to the types of films that they are showing, therefore just by analysing the type of reaction generated by the audience we can tell what type of film it is going to be. “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” leaves the audience smiling therefore we know that it is going to be a comedy. It is set in a large city, which helps the audience to relate to the characters as they are placed in a realistic location. For instance, if the film was based in a fantasy location, the situation wouldn’t be very realistic and the audience couldn’t relate to the film at all, therefore it wouldn’t appeal to them, meaning that they wouldn’t want to go and see it. Also because it is set in a big city it contradicts the seriousness that the city connotes, meaning that all ready the audience are given a sense of comedy as a business man is thrown into an unlike, not to mention an amusing situation. Nearly all of the scenes are filmed using bright or ambient lighting, which gives off a warm feeling that can help to spread a welcoming atmosphere for the audience. However, when the narrative starts to become serious, the audience are given shots that are shown in dark light. This shows the atmosphere created through lighting and how quickly it can change.

11. Brand Identity – Christopher Nolan Low Key Lighting Tagline Same Font Cloudy Background City Based Theme Focal Character Title Anchor

12. Brand Identity

13. Synergy – Transformers/Linkin Park Linkin Park’s song “New Divide” is used as the main soundtrack for the “Transformers” film. The song is promoted by film posters and iTunes, which helps to promote the song as it attracts audiences from different backgrounds of genre, for instance people who haven’t heard of the band but like the film could be drawn to the music through film promotion.

14. Synergy - Titanic The main location for the film “Titanic” is based on the ship, which remains a constant theme throughout the film trailer and printed advertisements. “Titanic” is based on a true story, incidentally, it is the ship that is the most famous aspects of the film rather than the characters involved. The film’s title and main location help to promote the historic significance tied to the ship. When audience’s remember the film “Titanic” they remember it for the ship rather than the characters or the plot.