Iron man 3

Trailer analysis

Genre

Action and sci-fi. Action is evident through the use of mise-en-scene with shots of a male in military uniform, explosions, miniguns attached to armour, pistols, missiles and countless other weapons. The slow motion clips of the aftermath of numerous attacks also present the action of the movie.

Sci-fi is less obvious and it is plausible that the reason for this is the large fan base. Some shots and parts of the soundtrack imply there is a small sci-fi element (however less than previous films and less than expected). The iron suit is pulled toward Tony Stark by an unknown force. The sudden changes of tone and the silence which is used for emphasis is common for modern sci-fi movies.

AppealThe soundtrack builds to increase suspense and the use of dialogue implies drama as only the main character can be heard providing a narrative. Nonetheless its main attraction is its history as having followed the Avengers assemble and two other successful movies prior. As it is a the third film of the series the trailer has been tailored for fans with much of the clips following on from previous storylines. There is a threat shown in most of the shots which suggests this could be the best film of the series as well as potentially the final film. The anticipation for the film is used to attract a new audience.

CharactersThe characters seem to have changed as they are clearly afraid and paranoid because of their pasts. Though Tony Stark the protagonist isolates himself in the film he clearly is reliant upon his relationship with Pepper. Her devotion to him is presented in the medium two shot on the previous slide as she is concerned. The diegetic dialogue ‘I hope I can protect the one thing I can’t live without further establishes the importance of their relationship.

NarrativeDue to the films status and because it is a trilogy the minimum was revealed about plot. This ensured that loyal fans who made effort to avoid ‘spoilers’ were still able to see the trailers. The narration at the beginning which is edited as a voice over using speech from scenes in the films, assures people there has been a development. The trailer suggests that the majority of the film is dramatic and fast paced.

Camera shotsHigh angle wide shots are used to emphasize the severity of the attacks and the fear which the heroes of the film feel. There are numerous wide shots and a point of view shot at the end of the trailer. The camera shots and the panning movement of the camera used for many of the clips shows the isolation of the characters and some are used to form a connection with the viewer, they become interested and if they care for the characters they will desire to watch the movie.

SoundViolins alone are used to portray the beginning of the action as it intensifies the danger seems closer. Non-diegetic pieces composed on computers suggest sci-fi. The non-diegetic dialogue-“I can’t sleep and when I do I have nightmares” “Some people call me a terrorist, I consider my self a teacher….. Lesson number 1; heroes there is no such thing.” purposes that the heroes of the movie aren’t typical nor ‘invinsible’.

SuccessI believe the trailer was successful in advertising the style of the movie, the genre and the characters. Despite having used more visual clips from the film rather than diegetic dialogue the drama and the importance of the film (as part of the marvel collection) is made clear.

Codes and conventionsSoundtrack with no lyrics to focus strongly on the shots. Medium close ups to reveal the personality and the emotions of characters. Text throughout the trailer to build anticipation as viewers await the title. Cuts to a black screen between shots at the beginning creating tension.

Why this oneThis trailer advertises the seriousness of this film in regard to previous avengers films. It also shows that the film in unique compared to other films because of the changes to the main characters. The narration by Tony Stark reveals that he is afraid and vulnerable which creates worry within the viewer. This trailer has been used to represent e the upgrade from old iron man to the new, explaining the developments to the story we don’t see.