We see the Warner brother’s logo at the opening automatically giving us an understanding of the institutions of the film; we can see that from this already that this film will have a degree of blockbuster codes and conventions. When we see the DC comics logo we know that we will be watching a superhero film, but which superhero isn’t made clear. The blue tinge to the screen knows we will be watching a darker and colder version of this superhero, giving this an art house effect. The trailer starts with a crowd cheering which gives the impression of a sports crowd. Next we hear the Star - Spangled Banner (the American national anthem) so the audience would know that the context of the film will have an American theme to it. In the following image we see that it is a young boy that is singing the anthem which further implies the American context. After this the camera pans the crowd revealing that the crowd we heard cheering before was in fact sports fans who’s team colours are yellow. The colour yellow to connotate to them being cowardly, giving us an impression of how people will act throughout the film. In the following high shot of a man climbing out of a hole we see that the man is wearing a bomber jacket, which is an outdated piece of clothing that makes him stand out from everyone else. When we see his face clearer we see that his mouth is covered with a mouth piece coved in tubes that attaches around his entire face, giving the audience the expression that he is separating himself from everyone else, or that he is not human. Also because the man in the mask is hiding his face it could represent that he is covering the truth or possibly speaks lies.
In the following establishing shot the dark vignette around the screen could show the darkness is drawing closer. The dim lights on either sides of the door and inside the door itself is a polysemic image. Firstly the light could represent someone dying or secondly it could represent the good dying. The silver plate on the table could be an indication of high class; the plate is covered by a silver lid which could represent a true identity being hidden by an upper class persona. The large pieces of art on the wall are also another representation of higher class. The person with the cane that walks towards the plate could represent himself trying to uncover something that is hidden away from him. However how we don’t see him uncover the plate shows us that he might not be quite ready to yet. Next we hear someone say “you’re as precious to me as you were to your own mother and father” it is not made clear who is speaking to us yet, all we know is that it is a man’s voice, but the context of the language used could show that he is a father figure. This is then followed by a close up of an old man to further imply this idea. There is a high presence of the colour blue seen throughout the trailer; this could connotate to a sense of pain and sadness that will be seen in the clip therefore acting as a clue for the audience to the emotive element of the narrative.
Following from this there is a further establishing shot of the city, this gives the audience the sense of environment that the film is set it and also makes the audience feel like they are an outsider looking in. The different heights of the buildings could represent the different social classes of the city which could be representing a theme seen in the film. However, the buildings could just represent that a lot of the narrative in the film will be set up high. Also, it could be questioned if this shot is an establishing shot or a point of view shot. As a point of view shot it can represent that the protagonist in the film is an outsider in the city, and seeing the city through his eyes could be to make the audience sympathise with him, because most people at some time feel like an outsider. When we see the words “from Christopher Nolan” it gives the film a sense of institutions, the use of from shows us that he has a lot to do with the creation of the film. Following this we see another representation of social classes with a wide shot of a manor house.
The dialogue of “a war hero, this is peace time” hints that the genre of the film is action; it could also representation that this is a sequel to a film that has already been released. There is a sense of dramatic irony in the sentence because the audience knows that it is an action film so that this will not be “peace time”. Following from this we see a wide shot of the silhouette of a man, this could represent that he is someone who belongs in the dark, and could also give show that he has a dark personality. How he is centred in the middle of the screen and facing towards us, according to the theory of gaze, would represent that he is the main protagonist in the film. However, with him facing towards us as a silhouette is quite threatening and scary which could represent that he is someone to be feared. Following from this we see a women wearing cat ears which initially is seductive imagery, however, because the ears are black it could show that she will cause bad luck for someone. Following from this the women states “There’s a storm brewing Mr Wayne” this could represent the action that will unfold contradicting the earlier point stating that it was “peace time”, which could also represent a divide between opinions. How we hear her call the man “Mr Wayne” automatically tells us that the man she is talking to is also batman, identifying to the audience that they will be watching a batman film and that the protagonist of the film will be Mr Wayne/Batman. This also identifies that the target audience of the film will be comic book fans.
Following on from this we see a crowd of police following with a sound of an explosion, further implying the action genre. Next we see an identification of a main character with the repeated image of him. His body language and the mask covering his face that gives him an alienated appearance does represent codes and conventions of an action genre antagonist. The reflection of a woman dressed in black putting on pearls, the reflection joined with her facial expression could represent that she’s changed, giving the audience a clue to her characters story. With her dressed in black could show her as being seductive, however black could represent evil, both giving the audience information of her persona. The pearl necklace she places around her neck on further implies the idea of social classes. Following from this we see action adventure genre codes and conventions, such as men with guns and explosions, further identifying to the audience the genre of the film. The repeated image of the man who moves out of the way of the explosion could show the audience that he is a main character in the film; how he moves out of the way of the explosion easily could show the audience that he is a character that is used to dealing with action which could also imply information about his persona and character biography.
Next we see a low shot of objects that look like bodies being thrown off a balcony to a lower level; which could represent the reverse of roles, which is further enforced with the use of a low shot. The idea of the reverse of roles is further implied when we hear as women saying “how can you live so large and leave so little for the rest of us?” The rhetorical question could also be Christopher Nolan making the audience question their views of how they live and society, also implying an art house edge to the film, with a political statement included. Following from this we see convicts escaping from a hole in a prison wall with the guns, their body language and the guns are imagery that is usually associated with the police, which could enforce the idea of the reverse of roles. There is a strong use of conventions of a film trailer especially when we see flash images that establish the main characters of the film, with the flash images of close up of people’s faces, and also enforce the action adventure genre, with the flash images of fighting. Next we see more conventions of a film trailer with the continuity between convicts and football fans chanting; this could represent a theme in the film that there will be no sense of society and that everyone will be equal.
After this we see football players falling into the ground as it falls beneath them, which could be to represent high status people falling to the bottom of society and that there will be no escape from the antagonist. The idea that it is a follow up film is further implied with the words “epic conclusion” that is seen towards the end of the film. The idea that it is a batman film is confirmed with the appearance of Bruce Wayne in the bat suit, how we don’t properly see batman towards the end of the film could be used to identify the narrative structure of the film. The words “The Dark Knight Rises” identify the title of the film and also follow convention with it appearing at the end of the trailer. The trailer ends with building rising up to form the bat symbol, enforcing that it is a batman film that the audience will be watching. This also gives us a sense of institutions; with the image of the buildings rising also being seen in the film “Inception” it tells us that the film will be from the same institution Syncopy, giving the audience a sense of the sort of film they will be seeing.
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