Prisoners Trailer Analysis - Research and Essay task

Adhere to the genre:

• Trailer starts by employing a happy, almost family warming tone by using slow cuts from close ups to mid shots of the different characters to suggest this family atmosphere. The bleakness of the weather and the colour choices, however suggest that this tone will change into something darker. The fact that there is very little non-diegetic sound in the opening sequence of the trailer also suggests something similar. The sound of the brooding drum that ends the 'Happy' sequence and introduces the production company (warner bros.) is used a lot in most conventional thriller trailers as it suggests a strong change in tone from something much happier to that of something much darker and sinister. We would like to create a similar effect in our own trailer, whereby we suggest that a change is going to occur and this adheres to the three stages of many thriller trailers. 1.everything is fine 2.something occurs 3.sorting out the problem - this is rather different to the previous two trailers that have been analysed as they both start in a fairly negative light, which could suggest something about the conventions of Crime/Thriller trailers and how they change depending on the tone of the film perhaps. 
• The pitta-pound sound that follows does not match the images (graphic match) that are presented to us (happy children running around). This clearly suggests that something is going to happen to the two little girls running outside. The use of motivated editing here, works well in conjunction with the sound as it suggests that perhaps the children are going to be kidnapped. This creates an effect of dramatic irony as we know whats about to happen due to the woman saying, "where are the two girls", strongly suggesting that they will be kidnapped. This adheres to the conventions of many crime/thriller trailers as they often employ this technique of showing happiness but suggesting a change in tone through other means. Crime/Thriller trailers often play on the darker, more sinister side of crime, depending on the movie and its storyline. 
• classic thriller/action music in the background with slow cuts from the parents of the young girls and the the criminals in the RV. Common convention in Crime/Thriller trailers is to employ an almost montage effect, whereby the shots flick from the protagonist and the antagonist and especially in the trailer suggest that the antagonist has the control. 
• Bankable actors (Hugh Jackman and Jake Gylenhall) - gives them a lot of screen-time in order to attract a larger audience.  
• loud brooding sound whenever the attention is switched to the criminals - mid shot of shadow figure (film-noir in style) creates tension and keeps the audience guessing which is essential to crime/thriller trailers - this idea of creating tension without giving away too much of the story. The low key lighting used whenever the 'bad guys' are in shot is also used a lot in Crime/Thriller genre as seen in Eastern Promises to highlight their criminal activities and causes the audience to distance themselves from the character. This has been of influence to us when deciding upon our genre and style. 

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