Trailer Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXDNsPRTANw

Idents

At the beginning of every trailer, each production company features their ‘ident’ within the first few seconds of the trailer. As we can see, the production company of ‘This is England’ is IFC Films, along with Red Envelope Entertainment. These idents appear on screen for a short period of time, around 1-5 seconds put together. The reason for including the companies ident in the beginning of the trailer is because it allows the audience to become aware of the production company which has produced the film, as well as audience members familiarizing with the company as to previous other films they have created and so forth.

IFC FilmsIFC Films stands for ‘Independent Film Company Films’ therefore showing us that this company isn’t a huge Hollywood conglomerate therefore the film would have been produced with a low budget.

IFC Films produced the 2011 film ‘Fish Tank’ which is another coming of age film. Similar to ‘This is England’, ‘Fish Tank’ is also set in a rural city in England. By using cities as their main set location, it refers back to the production company being independent as they have a very little budget therefore their story line’s focus on the events which occur in ‘social realism’ i.e. drugs, violence, abuse, poverty etc. This means that we will be seeing similar types of events featured throughout ‘This is England’.

Red Envelope EntertainmentRed Envelope Entertainment is a production and distribution company which normally requires it service to the online streaming company ‘Netflix’. REE helped distribute ‘This is England’ on TV channels as well on DVD. After producing/distributing over 100 films, REE is now closed.

At the beginning of the trailer an establishing shot is used to set the scene of the film. This shows the typical conventions of any trailer by featuring an establishing shot of a location to familiarize the audience as to where the film is set. Over the top of the clip, using a fade in transition, text appears on screen showing the film’s achieved awards showing the title of the award along with the date. As this film is produced by an independent company (as we can see on screen ‘British Independent Film Awards’) by featuring the awards that this film has won in the trailer, it shows the audience how successful the film is, reeling in customers and creating a huger fan base.

Using another fade in and out transition, we are introduced to the first character. Usually, the first character featured in a trailer is normally the main character, therefore we can assume that this young boy is the main character. As you can see from the first medium long shot it shows a young boy around the age of 12-13 years old. For a coming of age film, the main character has to be a young teenager/young adult, this is because the target audience for the films are viewers around the same age who can relate to the main character. In the second print screen, a long shot is used showing a side profile of this boy whilst using a tracking shot to follow him walking down the street. The costume used reflects the time period of when this film is set (1983) for example, flared chord trousers, blue bomber jacket and brown leather satchel. By using the long shot, it allows the audience to see the characters costumes therefore identifying the time period. This means that the film is based on what England was like in 1983 from this boys POV.

Using another fade transition, we are shown a wide angle shot of what appears to be Shaun’s home (the young boy). A voice over cuts in of a female’s voice saying “Had a good day at school?...” this again refers back to the Shaun’s age as he is still in school. The actioning of Shaun reflects the answer of the question. Shaun angrily takes off his coat and throws it down on the floor, the behaviour portrayed by Shaun demonstrates the typical teenage behaviour towards school, linking in with the coming of age genre. A cut then shows a medium long shot of an older lady, who we can assume to be Shaun mother. She speaks again saying “…Shaun” due to the fact he didn’t answer her question, which shows that he doesn’t like school. The costume of the mother again represents the time period that the film is set in i.e. the perm and wide lensed glasses.

A cut then takes us to a medium close up shot of two boys who look around the same age as Shaun. A voice over of Shaun is used as a sound bridge over the two clips shown in the above print screens. Shaun says “I've been picked on 3 times today!” This becomes clear to us as the medium close up of the two boys shows them pointing and laughing at what could only be Shaun. We know this as the following clip shows a close up of Shaun looking insecure and alone as in the first frame there is two boys and the in the following frame its just Shaun. This line associates with the genre of coming of age as it highlights the common activities that happens in adolescence; bullying.

The following wide-angle shot shows Shaun sitting on the sofa with his mum. As this clip is shown, non-diegetic music is faded in the background using an acoustic guitar to create a calm and mellow atmosphere, reflecting the mood that Shaun is in. Shaun begins to explain why he is being bullied and its because of the clothes he wears i.e. his flared trousers. This again highlights the main issues of bullying to do with appearance of a teenager and not ‘fitting in’. This could show us the type of character that Shaun is, as he is being presented as being ’different’ and ‘standing out’ which could determine what will happen during the film i.e. doing anything he can to fit in which is common for most teenagers.

The three following clips are shown above in the print screens which a featured after the discovery of why Shaun is being bullied. These next three shots show another time when Shaun is being bullied, where the first print screen shows a medium two shot close up of two boys who seem to be a little older than Shaun, around 15-17 years. This is typical bullying shown by an older group of teens victimize someone younger than them. The character whistles to get Shaun attention which is shown in the close up shot in the second print screen. The third print screen then shows a wide angle medium long shot of Shaun starting a fight with the male character shown in the first print screen. This again reflects the type of character Shaun is as he retaliates to what the bullies say therefore showing he isn't afraid or linking to Shaun being used to it.

Another cut then takes us to the first set of titles. The colour scheme for the titles is very simple, just black and white. By using the colors black and white it could link with one of the main issues raised in the film which is racism, again linking back to the common problems seen in a social realism film. The text says ‘England, 1983’ this first sets the location of the film which is in England which we also know from the title of the film ‘This is England’ along with the date of when the film is set, in the 80’s. The editing transition used for the text is a quick appearance of each word coming from the left, as if someone was hand writing the credits on. This also links with the white background which could also symbolize paper and the black as the ink. When the titles appear on screen, the non-diegetic music increases in volume as well as tempo, uplifting the previous atmosphere of the scenes.

The next several clips are featured using the editing transition of montage editing. Following from the previous clip of the titles ‘England 1983’ the next clips show various important highlights which has happened in England in that one year. By including this, it educates the younger target audiences as to what it was like and the events which happened in that year.

Followed on from the montage editing, it cuts to a close up shot of Shaun’s face, taking us back to the same conversation he is having with him mum about his school. He says “I don’t like it here mum” firstly, the accent of Shaun shows that he is from Birmingham, as he has a Birmingham accent therefore making it clear whereabouts the film is located, in the city. A cut then takes us to another close up of Shaun however on a different day as the costume he is wearing (shirt) is of a different pattern then in the previous clip. A voice over is cut in of Shaun, carrying on his previous conversation. He says “…I liked it better, when we were with dad” when the word ‘dad’ is said, a close up shot of an old portrait of what must be Shaun dad appears on screen. The picture shows us from the costume that he was in the Army, insinuating that Shaun had lost his father.

The next clip takes us back to the titles, again using the same design and colour scheme. The titles say ‘Shaun went looking for a friend’, this instantly tells us that Shaun has no friends and that he is lonely which is a common issue which young teenagers suffer with therefore making it become relatable.

Followed straight after are clips showing the new ‘friends’ that Shaun finds. This becomes comical to the audience as it is far from what we expected when the credits said Shaun was looking for friend as he has found a friend in a grown man along with his other friends which are shown in the wide-angled medium long shot in the second print screen. As you can see from the character costumes, all of the grown men have ‘skin heads’ which could mean they all belong to a certain ‘gang’. Their costume are all very similar also, with skinny jeans, boots, shirts and braces, juxtaposing to the costume and appearance of Shaun. Also within these two shots you can see that the male characters are smoking and drinking down a graphitized alley, this could foreshadow that these characters are no good and look for trouble. Throughout the two clips, the first character he meets (first print screen) introduces Shaun to all of his ‘main men’ telling him their names i.e. milky, pukey and gadget. All being identified with nicknames, again linking back to being part of a gang.

The voice over of the same character carries over the next clip (sound bridge) he says “… and this fat idiot is gadget” referring to the young male in the first print screen using a medium close up shot of this character eating, proving the males comment about him being ‘fat’. The scene then cuts to a close up shot of Shaun face laughing. By using a close up shot it intensifies this characters emotion of laughing and being happy which we haven't seen as he has been appeared as miserable and unhappy. This shows us that by meeting these group of people he has found friends and happiness.

It then cuts back to another set of titles which is normally seen when watching a trailer. This is because, the titles used in between the different clips featured tell a brief narrative of the plot in a few simple words, making it clear to the audience the directors intentions of how the audience perceive the characters and storyline. These set of titles follow on from the previous set as it said ‘Shaun went looking for a friend…’ and now it says ‘…he found a family’ which means the people that he met as intentions of just being friends led to him finding love and family within in them, meaning he could be part of their gang.

The next three clips show Shaun ‘fitting in’ with his newly found friends. Previously I made a comment about the fact all the males has skin heads. This becomes apparent from these three print screens that it is crucial within their gang to do so as the female characters are going to shave Shaun hair. We can see that in the first print screen from the medium long shot of the girls holiday hair clippers whilst Shaun sits down. Again the costume of the females are very bold, along with their wild hair cut’s showing what the fashion was like back then. The next print screen shows Shaun getting his hair ‘buzzed’ followed by a close up of the end product. I also mentioned previously about their costumes, now Shaun is being dressed in patterned long sleeved shirt with tight jeans and braces. This links in with the typical behaviour of a young teenager, for example Shaun was once lonely and now he has friends he will do whatever he can to fit in and be one of them i.e. changing appearance and behaviour. He had changed behaviour wise in the first print screen he says “Just frickin’ do it” changing the way he speaks in terms of manner and language. In the background, a voice over from an older ‘brummy’ male says “What a transformation” which could imply that he was pressured into changing the way he looks.

The titles appear on screen again shortly afterwards, using the same transition as well as design and colour scheme. It now says ‘And discovered a place to belong’ which would refer to being part of their ‘gang’.

The next three print screens show a slow motion montage edit of the gang spending time together, especially focusing on Shaun acceptance in the group. These next few shots show them wondering around the streets of Birmingham, similar to what teenagers do. As these clips go on, non-diegetic music cuts in.

As the non-diegetic music slowly fades however still being able to hear it, we are shown a close up shot of a female character (1st print screen) followed quickly with a cut showing a close up of Shaun’s face asking he “will you be my girlfriend” which is a common activity of teenager, finding their first love however this becomes comical as this girl is clearly a lot older than Shaun. It also shows that Shaun has created a new confidence whilst being in the gang, being very sure of himself. The last print screen shows a long shot of the two characters holding hands, again making it humorous due to the age gap as well as the long shot emphasis the difference in height.

A cut then takes us back to the scene where Shaun is getting his ‘make over’. Here we can see he is completely being changed by the girls, for example; new jeans being folded at the bottom to show Shaun’s boots (similar to the costume of pukey, milky, gadget etc.), patterned shirt with all the buttons done at the top with coloured braces over the top along with the skin head (like all the other male characters. Whilst this scene is happening, Shaun says “This has been the best day ever” referring to spending his day with his new friends and becoming part of them. It also links to young teenagers being very extravagant with their words depending on their mood i.e. this is the BEST day EVER purely because he is happy but it isn't necessarily the best day ever.

The next clip takes us to a medium long shot of Shaun in his new attire and his mother. From the body language of his mother, it shows that she isn't happy along with showing her authority as Shaun’s mother. She says “I just wanted to thank you because he says he is being bullied at school and you helped him out” As his mother is speaking, the clip then cuts to a medium close up two shot of the two adult characters which brought Shaun into their group (print screen below). As you can see the male character is winking. We know that he is winking at Shaun because followed quickly after is a close up shot of Shaun’s face looking in the direction of where the two are seated. By Shaun’s face and body language of biting his nails it looks like they had previously been up to know good as Shaun looks guilty whilst he mother is thanking them.

The scene then carries on to his mother finally saying “…but the hair is not good” in the first print screen showing a close up shot. The next print screen cuts to a medium long shot showing Shaun’s reaction what what his mum says which is him laughing, again this shows a change in his behaviour being more arrogant and cocky since being around his new friends.

The next scene shows an establishing shot of a trailer park, this is proven by the various cars and trailers in the same shot. Also we can see a line of people walking into one trailer, which could mean a party of meeting is going to be held. In the second print screen a wide-angle shot is used showing the inside of one of the trailers. We now know who owns the trailers as all the familiar characters are inside. Shaun stands out in the second frame as all the characters are sat down whereas Shaun is standing up. Different non-diegetic music is cut in, however with the volume low indicating that someone is going to speak. Unlike the previous music being very upbeat and happy, this music is very slow and eerie which could foreshadow bad things are going to happen.

One of the characters says “Shaun I’d like you to meet someone” followed by a close up shot of a newly introduced male character. Similar to the other members of the gang, this character also has a skin head along with a shirt and braces. However, unlike the other characters, this character has two small tattoos on his face, which would mean he belongs to a different group or he is the man in charge. He says “You’re a proper little skin head then yeah?” with a Birmingham accent, therefore showing that he is from around the area also. We know he is speaking to Shaun as the next cut takes us to a medium close up shot of Shaun (print screen below). From this clip, Shaun looks around for moral support before he replies with “yeah” which shows that this male character frightens hi which could further mean that he will do what he wants because he is scared. From the third print screen we can see the close up reaction shot from the other male, he laughs in responses if to say ‘welcome to the group’ as well as not believing his ears because there could be darker ways of being a skin head that he doesn't’t know about yet.

However, in this scene a wide angled shot is used showing the characters in a different room. From the body language and action from Shaun, you can see that he is trying to hit the male character (Combo) therefore going against my previous point of Shaun being intimidated by him. This clip is shown on screen for less than a second, matching with the climatic point of the non-diegetic music before dying out once the punch has been delivered. By the clip being on for such a short amount of time, the audience are unaware of what might have spurred Shaun on therefore causing dramatic tension.

Another set of titles are featured straight after, fizzling out the dramatic point of Shaun’s punch. Here they have featured the director of the film and their previous work they have done. They have included this because it allows the audience to recognize that work the director has already done, as well as knowing whether he is a well known and successful director. They do this because it guarantee's customers to watch the film, because if they know they director is good and if their previous work is a favourite of someone’s then it influences the audience to go and watch the film, therefore creating a bigger fan base. It introduces the name of the director ‘Shane Meadows’ along with introducing the ‘international smash hit…’ which we don’t know of yet.

The non-diegetic fades out once more followed by the voice of Combo cut in, he says “No-one has ever took a swing at me like that” taking us to the first print screen showing a close up shot of Combo’s face with his closest friend out of focus behind him in the background shot. He then adds on to say “Its like looking in the mirror” cutting to a close up shot of Shaun’s face. By doing this, it visually shows us the comparison between the two male characters, as if Shaun is the young Combo and Combo is the old Shaun. Also, by including the line “its like looking in the mirror” it could insinuate the trouble that Shaun’s about to get himself into, as Combo gives off the vibe and persona that he is an evil character. Also, by showing a close up shot of Shaun looking happy and smiling, it could link in with the loss of his father and not having a father around therefore Combo seems to be his father figure in life meaning he would do exactly what Combo does and asks.

The next clip shows a medium close up shot of Shaun at the local shop, stereotypically we can see in the second print screen that the corner shop is run by an Asian character (Ethnic Representation). The first print screen shows Shaun’s cocky/arrogant behaviour come out when he says “Get me a bottle of whiskey and 7 cans of lager now” as we can see the way he speaks to the other character is rude therefore showing a change in behaviour since being around Combo as he appears as aggressive and intimidating. The second print screen shows a medium close up reaction shot of the owner, as you can see from his facial expression that he is confused as he is a young boy but his behaviour is of a thug. This could link in with how influenced young teenagers are, by the industry of media and the people they hang around with to fit in, and this scene emphasizes this.

The scene soon escalates, cutting to a medium long shot of the owner of the shop physically kicking Shaun out of his shop. Although the rest of the scene wasn’t featured in the trailer, it allows the audience to make up their minds on what Shaun did to get kicked out of the shop i.e. thug behaviour. In the corner of the frame you can see a character coming through the door. Vaguely you can see a red bomber jacket and tight jeans which is a representative of their gangs appearance.

A cut then takes us to the character behind the door now inside the shop, and its Combo. He shouts “Get your f****** hands off him” followed by continuous shouting of “OI OI”. In the frame you can see a prop in Combo’s hand of a machete. This shows us that Combo resolves things with violence, along with being a thug scaring people to get what he wants. Also, by Combo having this kind of weapon it could result in both Combo and Shaun planning this trip to the shop as in the next shot (print screen below) you can see a medium long shot of Shaun laughing whilst watching Combo confronting the shop owner. In Shaun’s hands you can see different brands of food in his hands, showing that he is about to shop lift. In the foreground of the shot, out of focus, you can see the blade of the machete in Shaun’s eyeline showing that he can easily see that Combo is attacking him with this weapon however finding it funny, therefore showing the change in behaviour of Shaun, being under the influence of Combo.

A cut then takes us to another scene, showing a medium close up of Combo with the same character in the background out of focus in his shot. Here, Combo speaks up about how many Englishmen are unemployed whereas foreigners aren’t, raising the issue of Racism featured in the film. This links back to the previous shot in the corner shop of how Combo reacted to the Asian shop assistant.

A series of clips are used shortly afterwards, showing different Englishmen and the other group members listening in on what Combo has to say. The voice over of Combo is used saying “here’s the line boys, join me” to represent his side of making a stand however another male voice over cuts in of Woody’s character saying “your well out of line, he’s just a kid” linking to the print screen shown above. This close up shows part of someone’s finger, we can assume it’s Shaun's as the chronological order of where the frames are placed links with the line “he’s just a kid” therefore referring to him tattooing Shaun’s finger. We know that Combo has various tattoos over his body, having two small ones on his face. The symbol which is being tattooed is of a cross which could be symbolic for them being religious however going against the issue of Racism.

A cut then takes us to a medium close up showing Shaun looking at his new tattoo on his finger. The voice over of Woody continues, he says “the things you’ve said have made him want to stay”, this could mean that Shaun doesn’t go home to his mother anymore, and he has become a runaway. By the tone of Woody’s voice it sounds concerned, meaning that if Shaun does stay he will get into all sorts of trouble and he is too young. A cut then takes us to a wide-angle shot of a window with an English flag being put up so its visible for the whole street. By doing this it shows that they are patriotic as they are expressing their love for their country, however it could also emphasize the abuse they give to foreigners to point out that it is England and they aren’t English. Shaun’s voice over cuts in whilst the flag is being put up, saying “I want to make my dad proud” which could mean he is doing what he is to make his father proud as he fought for his country therefore also making his father very patriotic.

Another cut transition takes us to the same location which was featured previously when the whole group were playing football. The first print screen shows a close up of Combo intimidating an Asian boy, we know this because of the costume that he is wearing. The second print screen shows two more Asian boy’s using a close up two shot, their facial expressions show that they are scared. It then cut’s to a close up shot of Shaun’s face looking smug, again he is watching over Combo be aggressive to foreign people, meaning that Shaun will soon imitate how Combo acts. Throughout these three clips, Combo says “if I see you on my streets again, I’ll slash ya” again threating with violence to scare them off. Also, as we can see he is terrorizing another Asian character therefore showing a reoccurring problem with this particular race.

A cut then takes us to a close up shot of an unknown character. This character is presented very differently from the previous characters we have been introduced to. For example, this character has glasses along with wearing a black suit and tie which connotes authority, showing a business man. In the background of the shot, out of focus, you can see a poster which says ‘Vote Nation’ with the English flag in the middle of Vote and Nation. This links in with this characters dialogue when he says “Its time to take our country back” referring back to the racism issue in this film. Again, it also links back to how Combo acted towards the Asian characters. It also links back to the title of the film ‘This is England’ because its all about how they want to keep their country English. The dialogue carries on through two other clips, the second print screen shows a wide-angle shot of Combo doing graffiti, the shot allows the audience to read what Combo is writing, again using a racist word. It also matches the dialogue of what the character is saying as they are using clips which show racism towards the foreigners. The third print screen shows medium long shot of Combo and Shaun, along with the other male character who is always near combo. Combo and the other character should “YEAH” in response to the first print screen however we see Shaun sat down quietly however he is still involved therefore going back to being under Combo’s influence.

Non-diegetic music cuts in, being up tempo yet dramatic music to fit in with the montage editing showing small snippets of different areas in the film. This is what is normally seen within every trailer where the editors rely on high volume music to patch together different snippets of the film, for example these three print screens. The first print screen shows Pukey and Gadget drinking and laughing together, followed with a quick cut taking us to a medium close up wide-angle shot of a male character aggressively throwing a sink out the window, contrasting the two clips together. Another quick cut is then used taking us to another medium close up shot of Shaun crying in a corner, again the clip is featured for a short amount however its long enough to grab the audiences attention and wanting them to know why Shaun is crying i.e. what he’s done or what has happened to him. Throughout most trailers, the order of the clips are very similar for example, your firstly introduced to the main characters, you understand about what the character is like, followed by some happy clips and once the trailer is around 1.30 it begins to get dark and intense followed by a climatic point to the end of the trailer and then the appearance on the title.

As the climatic point of the song appears, the screen goes black, contrasting with the speed of the montage editing of the different clips. The music sharply fades out, leaving it silent.

A fade transition is used to slowly feature another scene. A close up shot of Shaun’s mother is used, this time with no non-diegetic music in the background. She says “Shaun, are you ok?”. A close up reaction shot is then shown of Shaun, by using a close up shot it allows us to clearly see the characters facial expressions therefore reading their emotions. As we can see her it shows us that Shaun is upset or worried. He replies by nodding in the second print screen however the actioning indicates that he is lying. This makes the audience want to find out more of what’s happened therefore by including this is makes it more thrilling for the audience to watch. Also, by featuring this clip after a black out with the music cut out, it signifies the importance.

A slow fade transition takes us to a long shot of five of the character, with Shaun included. Before we were introduced to more characters i.e. Woody, Pukey, Milky and the female characters however they aren’t included in this dollying shot. The first print screen shows the five characters walking down the street, a slow motion transition is used along with non-diegetic music cut in, being very slow and classical to show the drama. In the second print screen, text begins to quickly fade over the top of the shot using the same graphics which was seen in the first shot of the trailer about the winning award. The third print screen shows two more text appearing shortly afterwards, they say;‘WINNER Special Jury Award - Rome Film Festival’‘Official Selection – Toronto Film Festival’‘Official Selection – Tribeca Film Festival’By including these it shows the audience how successful the film was, reassuring the audience that it is worth their time to watch. This also creates word of mouth of how successful the film is as it is giving quotes of their success from Film Festivals and the awards they have won.

A slow fade transition then takes us to a medium close up shot of Shaun. The clip again is in slow motion, linking in with how slow and classical the non-diegetic music is. A fade transition is used, showing the text graphics showing another award the film has won. This one is ‘WINNER Best New Comer – BI Film Awards 2006’. We can assume that the actor who plays Shaun won this award as it is featured on a slow motion clip of Shaun’s face. Again this highlights how successful the film was in perspective of critics.

The previous three slides featured three print screen’s on them. The first print screen showed a wide angled establishing shot of all the main characters hanging round in a graphitized alley way. This shot sums together the kind of characters they are i.e. the location of where they are hanging out. This type of location symbolizes the conventional ‘hubs’ which city teenagers hang around in. This location also would represent the type of characters which would hang around there i.e. thugs, gangs, chavs and so forth therefore using stereotypes however some characters are adults. A slow fade transition shows a quote said by Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily Time ‘Stunning and unforgettable, a work of art’. Firstly, we can see that the quote is from the New York Daily Time therefore showing that the film had gone global, eliminating that it is a British Independent film. Also, by including quotes from the public it allows the audience to see other peoples opinions on the film, encouraging them to go see it for themselves and see whether they agree or not. The next two print screen’s also include quotes therefore giving more evidence of their success. In the third print screen, similar to the first, the location is chosen carefully. Throughout the trailer, there have been several establishing shots of the location of Birmingham/England which links to the title ‘This is England’ as it is showing the different areas because the film is seen as being very patriotic in the sense the characters love their country. It also reinforces the lack of money their had in their budget to afford expensive locations therefore using streets, fields and trailer parks to film their scenes.

With the same classical non-diegetic music playing in the background. A slow fade in transition takes us to a close up shot of Shaun’s face (1st print screen). As the shot becomes more in focus, another fade transition it used to have the text appear next to Shaun’s face. As you can see, the colour scheme of the text represents the colours of the English flag, again linking in with the theme of England. The close up shot of Shaun looking through the lenses makes the audience feel that Shaun is looking directly at them, making it very intense and dramatic which could reflect what happens in the film. This clip is shown at the end of the trailer, similar to the majority of trailers. The reason for including the title of the film at the end of a trailer is so that it sums up the whole trailer along with making the audience remember the name of the film so that they wont forget it as it’s the last thing they saw.