The document analyzes the trailer for the 2008 film "The Dark Knight." It discusses the various camera techniques, editing styles, sounds, and other elements used throughout the trailer. These include aerial shots, fast cuts, voiceovers, explosions, montages, and more. The analysis aims to break down how the trailer engages the audience and builds suspense. It concludes by noting techniques the writer may incorporate into their own film trailer, such as varied shots, editing, sound design, credits, and bookended scenes.

1. The Dark Knight Trailer Analysis

2. The trailer that I will be analyzing is ‘The Dark Knight’
(2008). The film is a action, crime drama film starring
Christian Bale who is the protagonist and plays the
iconic superhero Batman in which he fights crime and
stops villains in order to protect the city of Gotham.
The trailer, like most action trailers has a lot of fast
pace editing. Having other members also analyze
trailers, I specifically chose The Dark Knight because
it has a range of camera techniques ranging from
different angles and also has various lighting that was
used in order to create the scene, not to forgot CGI
creating muzzle flashes for guns and explosions.
Analyzing this would further increase my knowledge of
how me and my group can shoot our film trailer and I
can take some elements from this trailer and
implement them into my groups action trailer.

3. Immediately as the trailer starts it grabs my attention through the use of non-digetic
sound. From that instance we are then presented with an aerial shot with Batman
standing at the top of the building – looking at this already shows that our protagonist
has a lot of status. Following up Batman then jumps off building and what seems to
be an establishing shot and a birds eye view of Gotham city. The use of techniques to
start off the trailer is a style that I like and is something that I may play around with
when filming my trailer.
0:06–0:14 – aerial shot, establishing shot, fades

4. 0:17 – Production Companies
Production companies are then presented after Batman had jumped off and to
present the companies we have the iconic Batman soundtrack playing in the
background along with a transition which uses an explosion. Production companies
are one of the main things that capture the audiences attention because Warner Bros
is one of the big six companies so the audience knows that there is a high production
value involved when making the film. After we are also shown another company
legendary pictures and also DC universe to show that this film part of the comic
franchise bringing more attraction towards the film.

5. 0:22 – Voice over, Fast Cuts, Props
A voice over was used as narration for the trailer which leads from several scenes into
the scene where the voice is identified; it reveals our antagonist ‘The Joker’.
Throughout those several scenes fast paced editing was used to cut from scene to
scene which resulted in fast transitions which helps develop trailer as it builds up the
suspense. Moreover we are also given our first prop in this trailer which it the
batmobile (car) – cars are an iconic prop in action films and they often connote chase
scenes but in this particular scene we see the batmobile making a dramatic entrance
breaking down the wall to emphasize that Batman has arrived. This will without doubt
attract the audience towards the trailer.

6. 0:37 – CGI, Crane shot,
At this part of the trailer we are given our first real scene of CGI which seems to be an
explosion – with the use of an explosion it conforms the conventions that you would
see in an action trailer. Furthermore in this scene to help show the explosion it is
presented with a crane shot which gives a good view for the audience to see the
hospital blowing up. I like the use of these two put together because it really helps the
audience understand what is happening within the scene.

7. 0:50-0:59 – Montage of scenes
The trailer goes to show various scenes which are within the film, showing the
audience what the film may be about and how it develops. Other than showing the
action side of things it also shows a little bit about the drama side of film with Bruce
Wayne and his ex-girlfriend. In addition to these scenes we are also given another
prop the Bat-bike which can shoot missiles out of it. Foley sounds were probably used
to create the sound effect. Throughout the montage the soundtrack is progressively
getting louder which hints the tension building up even more.

8. 1:06-1:12 – Sound Effect, Sound Motif, Prop
At this part of the trailer we are given a variety of sound techniques used. First we
have the sound effects at both scenes above. Batman landing on top of a car and
breaking as we have an effect of the car being crushed and the windows shattering,
not to mention the soundtrack stops when he lands on the car. Moving on at Jokers
scene we have a Sound motif and this is when he shot the gun and the soundtrack
then begins to play again. In Jokers scene we also have a new prop – a gun. Guns
are a stereotypical prop in an action film and knowing that he is our villain the gun
connotes crime and violence.

9. 1:14 – Hand held camera
At this part of the trailer it was a hostage scene situation. By using the hand held
camera it made the scene dramatic by the fact that the people in the scene were a lot
nervous and scared and by using this camera technique it allowed the scene to fend
of that expression towards the audience as hand held the shot would to be a little
more shaky rather than keeping it still and steady.

10. 1:36 – Music tempo increases and soundtrack is getting louder, more montage of scenes
At this point of the trailer we are nearing towards the end. It all started when the Joker
in the scene said “go” from this point the entire trailer got a lot more melodramatic in
which the soundtrack’s tempo was going faster and the dynamics were getting a lot
more louder in the trailer. In addition to that we have one of the most iconic scenes
that you would see in action film, and that is fighting. It was a range of scenes of the
Batman and Joker battling out and there was heavy usage of CGI as buildings were
breaking, a lot more explosions and guns being fired.

11. 2:10 – Tracking
This last scene of Batman gliding and also tracking him with the camera. In addition to
that what you can notice is that it relates back to the start of the scene when he
jumped off the building the two scene links together. Again with Batman in the air
above the city, it comes to show that he has the most status in this film.

12. 2:14 – Title of the Film
The title of the film is revealed to the audience “The Dark Knight” and how it is
presented to the audience is by the title fading into the frame and then fading out. In
addition to this the Bat logo is in the background of the title behind it. Furthermore the
typography used is similar to the previous film of the batman series which is ‘Batman
begins’ (2005)

13. 2:28 – Release date, credits
The date in which the film will be releasing, this informs the audience and the people
watching the trailer when the film be out in movie theatres. Also below the release
date is the website of the movie which can allow the audience and fans to go on in
order to get more information about the film. At the bottom you can also see
production companies again, who was involved; Legendary Pictures, DC, Warner
Bros. etc.

14. What can I takeaway?
All in all I thought that it was a very interesting film trailer and has a lot of key codes and
conventions that I can pick out and indulge them into my own film trailer project. I will use
this analysis as a guide as to what I can do in order to make my trailer as attractive as this
one.
When creating a teaser trailer with my group; we must keep some things in mind such as:
 A variety of different shots and angles so that it can show different perspectives and take
advantage of the genre my film is based on (action)
 Range of editing techniques to make scene interesting and to conform the genre action
e.g. fast pace editing, cuts, CGI
 Make sure that we have the right sounds at the right scenes and they sync well so it’s
professional despite being on a low budget e.g. soundtracks, sound effects, voice overs,
diegetic/non-diegetic sound etc.
 Include credits – have transitions of production companies as many mainstream films do
this a lot
 Have montages because like this film it was able to show many scenes without
revealing the plot too much
 Maybe like The Dark Knight have a scene at the beginning which will link to a scene
near the end