The Sound Of My Voice Trailer

The Sound Of My Voice Trailer

Titles

• The titles are set on a red background. The connotation most appropriately linked to the trailer/film is ‘danger’ as the genre is thriller. ‘Passion’ could also be linked though as the storyline links closely to the idea of belief.
• The font is white, bold and simple and contrasts well against the background. This is important for titles as it mustn’t be an effort to read (an important convention of trailers in order for it to be effective promotion). The font is modern and not like classic horrors etc. therefore appealing to the younger target audience of perhaps between ages 15-30.
• What makes the titles different is how some letters occasionally glow like something supernatural suggesting a possible plot-point or theme.
• The titles appear on screen abruptly on screen with contrapuntal sound (non-diegetic soundtrack) of drumbeats. This is hard-hitting and punchy keeping the pace while sticking to the conventions of an effective trailer.
• Circles appear from the letters at certain times in the style of sound waves. This is directly linked to the title of the film, The Sound Of My Voice. This is a specific inspirational example as it is unique to the film yet a simple artistic choice.
• The whole shot seems to flash and move towards the camera. This is intruding on the audience and puts them on edge, appropriate for the tense genre.
• The effects are increased on the main title of the film as there is more focus on this as part of effective promotion. Ultimately the audience need to remember the title of the film and have that stuck in their memory if there’s a chance they are to see it.
• This style is continued in all the titles except the release date doesn’t have a red background but actually shows a shot of Maggie. This is to have more of an influence on the audience and makes the trailer effective as something like this is more memorable than a simple background. 
• Ability to watch the first 12 minutes of the film online is advertised making some of the film easily, quickly and cheaply accessible, which is important to audiences and consumers.
• Also good reviews are shown as a good promotional method to encourage audiences as hearing people’s opinions from a trusted source can sway influences effectively (but this will not completely sell the film on its own). This influence is similarly expressed through showing what film festivals the film was selected to play at showing its achievements. 

Camera Angles

• The first shot shows a man who appears to be narrating/storytelling. A close up shot of him intensifies the story and gives the audience discomfort in preparation for the rest of the trailer, specifically appropriate for the genre.
• Many enigmatic shots at the beginning surrounding the mystery of the woman leading the cult (Maggie) of which the man (Peter) speaks. There are close-ups of a hand on a bright light, perhaps a window; a close-up of a woman wearing a white veil (and going to remove it) and a close-up of her tattoo on her ankle. These all piece together clues to the character without giving away the plot to the story. This creates a tension and anticipation within the audience to find more information about this character and the rest of the story working effectively to promote a thriller. This is a convention of the genre and so are examples of the types of shots we might want to use. 

• During the sequence when Peter is showing the woman the equipment, there are over-the-shoulder shots which enforces their secretive and private actions. There are more over-the shoulder shots later in the trailer when they are discussing the cult in privacy in the car which works to the same effect. Another inspirational example as it’s an interesting angle that provides a different perspective.
• A montage of extreme close-ups show a them preparing to enter the cult i.e. showering etc. These shots are extreme close-ups to provide a different perspective on the everyday action as entering the cult is not an everyday action. I also think there a sexual edge to these shots as one shows the woman unclipping her bra and hands being tied as well as blindfold being put on. Because they are extreme close-ups, this controversial perspective of the everyday actions are applied as we cannot see what is going on in the surroundings. This works in the same way as the extreme close-ups of Maggie which don’t give away her identity and therefore these types of shots may feature in our coursework.
• The woman and Peter are placed in a car and rather than show the whole journey, there are establishing shots of roads to suggest travelling which save time and keep the trailers pace, conventional for a trailer.
• There are a few mid-shots which objects or people move into to reveal something, creating a shock effect. For example, a car door slides open to show the woman in a clinical gown wearing a blindfold etc; later on a man in the cult drives into the frame while looking partially towards the camera and Peter moves into the frame behind a car suggesting he slashed its tyres. This is appropriate for the genre as they can provide little shocks within the audience. Also picking out the target audience as whether they like these little shocks or not determines perhaps whether they’ll like the genre of the film.
• The close-up shot revealing Maggie works with the music to create tension (appropriate for the genre) as she doesn’t speak initially and so it is a very claustrophobic and intruding shot. 
• When a gun is revealed the shot shows a close-up through leaves which shows it’s hidden and perhaps secrets within the cult.
• However the next shots show the female journalist and a woman in the cult wrapping both their hands round the gun and a close-up of their faces in a two-shot suggesting trust and closeness. This gives clues to the plot but doesn’t tell the whole story which is conventional to a good trailer.

• A man in the cult talks to the journalists in the car when he is outside. The shots look in and out of the car depending on whose perspective it is which puts us in the tense position of the journalists but also being able to see their reactions from a point far enough away that we can’t help them. The car door then shuts in front of the camera closing the woman in the car and blocking her out of the situation. This puts the audience in the position of these characters and immerses them in the midst of the action which is effective promotion to encourage audiences to see the film but is also genre appropriate for a thriller.  

• Maggie shows Peter a girl when a close-up of the picture moves to an extreme close-up enforcing the idea that this little girl is a target (posing threat) especially as the picture is black and white.
• The wide shot of the cult embracing gives the idea of a big family (it is noted that the female journalist is at the edge of the frame, not involved). Peter and Maggie then hold hands suggesting a relationship of some kind within this family. This creates a sense of peril which is appropriate for the genre.
• When the idea of Peter liking Maggie arises, there is a low angle over-the-shoulder shot of him looking up at her suggesting admiration working to the same effect as the last point. This works well with the target audience as Maggie is a good-looking character and the target audience would be involve younger men and boys who may also have an admiration for her.
• Peter’s emotions are intensified by a close-up of his tears falling down his cheek.
• The last shot make good use of the ‘rule of third’s as Maggie walks away from the camera and release date appears in the middle of the frame. See ‘Titles’ for how it is effective promotion.

Editing

 

• Much like any trailer the editing pace increases throughout as the story develops and the plot thickens. This increases tension and until the trailer abruptly stops and leaving an adrenaline effect with the audience. This works parallel to the soundtrack. This type of editing is not only appropriate to the genre but is a convention of trailers of the majority of genres.
• There are standard jump cuts working parallel to the beats in the soundtrack. As well as being the conventional cut, they work well to keep tension and abruptly cut a shot so as not to reveal too much information also a convention of a trailer.
•  Some shots fade to white. This fits well with the colour scheme and theme of the film of purity, futuristic, angelic, majestic etc. Maggie is a fundamental character for representing this theme. This is an interesting transition which, if it fits with the theme of our coursework, would be brilliant to incorporate.
• Cutaways are used to condense and visualise the story. Rather than show the shots from the film that are close ups of Peter talking all the way through, for example, cutaway shots are used to represent or imply what he’s talking about, making his dialogue more of a narration. This is a convention of trailers to keep the pace and is a good example of the type of editing that we should/could use as it’s not as common as ‘fade to black’.
• As well as ‘fade to white’ transitions there is also ‘fade to black’. This is binary opposition and suggests the connotations that come with dark and light. As the trailer becomes more sinister and dark, so do the transitions suggesting something evil or bad about the people or situations the journalists get themselves into. Another interesting transition which could also be used depending on the shot used before e.g. in this case Maggie says she’s from the future.
• After the gun shot, there is a cut to black which provides a shock along with the diegetic sound of the gun firing.
• There is a particular effect at the end that makes the movement look quicker than it actually is bringing in a supernatural effect to the film causing an air of mystery and enigma. This works well as at this point short jump cuts of clips are shown the editing has increased its pace and so the tension is high creating shocks and confusion within the audience. This appeals to the target audience who would see a thriller film to be shocked, confused and amazed. The above points and its individuality mean an effect like this would be a brilliant editing technique to try.
• The editing slows at the end as the pace as built up to a point of adrenaline that the audience are very tense and so the last segment puts them particularly on edge because it’s quiet and slow. This leaves a lasting effect and is a good method for effective promotion. Conventionally this final slow pace is followed by a jump but this is not the case and so leaves an eerie atmosphere.

Sound

• Trailer begins with deep, ominous bass note as the production screen appears giving dark tone followed by a piano playing slowly to a soft, melancholy tune. Peter’s voice begins during a shot of him and continues as a narrative over other shots. This is an eerie yet equilibrium start to the trailer to encourage the audience into comfort before shocking them, appropriate for a thriller and is also a convention for a trailer.
• Heartbeat non-diegetic sound is introduced into soundtrack to reflect tension and terror and is particularly appropriate and conventional for the genre.  
• When Peter says ‘or whatever’, it brings the story back to reality and shows their cynicism of the story. This breaks the conventions of the genre and of trailers as this is not how characters usually react to a ‘scary story’. The fact he’s level-headed makes the audience trust him and so it later shocks them more in the rest of the trailer. This is effective promotion as it shows a twist and good plot without giving away any major points. 
•  ‘See this thing through all the way’ suggests danger and introduces disequilibrium and discomfort, appropriate for this genre.
• Enigma is also demonstrated through the dialogue of characters such as Maggie and other members of the cult being heard before the characters are shown. This is appropriate for the genre and again is to create discomfort.
• The chilling silence (extremely appropriate for the genre) when Maggie is revealed for the first time as up until that shot we hear her talking therefore the lack sound on this shot makes it very unnerving. This sense of unease created is a convention of the genre.
• There are sound effects after which sounds much like thunder or a car engine, which is a harsh loud sound which breaks the audiences concentration and provides more shocks as they are falsely comforted by the silence and Maggie’s voice.
• While the editing increases, the volume and the intensity of the soundtrack does also; this is conventional for a trailer. A steady, tribal drumbeat is introduced, which works well with the shots of men doing a sort of clapping handshake as if a ritual of some kind.
• A choir is also heard in the soundtrack which can be thought of as eerie as it sounds angelic and childlike also. This fits well with the shots of Maggie telling Peter to bring her a child.
• The loud and brash sound of Peter’s punch against a chest of drawers leads into a hypnotic tapping as part of the non-diegetic soundtrack fitting well with the idea they’re in some kind of cult. This also appeals to the younger target audience for a thriller as they want to be disturbed and chilled.
• The soundtrack then stops abruptly when Peter grabs Maggie’s hands which creates shock and tension during Maggie’s dialogue and when the soundtrack fades back in. This creates shock within the audience appealing to the target audience that want a thrill and to be scared. The tapping then continues.

Mise en Scene

• A theme of the trailer is white suggesting purity and a clinical feel generally when Maggie is in a scene. When the journalists were shown in a scene, the lighting and mise en scene were dark with the shadows and night-time being a focus. This and Maggie’s white theme are binary opposites and could even represent good and evil. This is a specific inspirational example that we could use in our teaser trailer to suggest something about the characters being shown that might we might not have enough time to expand on in a minute.

• The room where the cult are based is very tidy and minimalistic reflective the clinical feel and also a modern and revolutionary approach. There are also lamps on the floor which represent brightness, light, goodness and relaxation/calm. Maggie’s costume reflects this also as she’s dressed in simply a white sheet, which is also minimalistic. She wears his in the middle of the street looking around as if she is lost. The wearing of the sheet could also be seen as pure, angelic, sexual, virginal, or even poor. This is furthermore emphasised by her blonde hair with connotations of innocence and angelic beings. This is genre appropriate for the focus of the film being a ‘cult-like’ group of people looking for revolution.
• Maggie’s veil and tattoo create enigma as the veil doesn’t show her face (and suggests a virginal/angelic appearance) and her tattoo tells a lot about her personality (as she explains what it means).
• The rest of the group sit on their knees as if worshipping her.
• The mysterious tank-like object next to Maggie looks futuristic and is enigmatic. It could be guessed that Maggie is supportive of this machine but what it does is unknown.
• There are various props that are directly related or suggestive towards the theme of investigation: tape recorder and camera in the glasses and transmitter. These objects keep the storyline (investigative journalism) and characters (journalists) in focus during the trailer. These are also very secretive means of revealing information about the group which could represent what the journalists are hiding from Maggie and the rest of the group. The flashlight shows their way and uncovers findings (representing their overall mission) and Peter swallows the transmitter showing sacrifice for his work. This could disgust and shock the audience but appeal to the target audience who want to feel that way when watching a film.
• The montage of clips as they prepare to meet Maggie focuses on various objects and actions. All good have sexual connotations as a woman removes her bra to have a shower, after which she is tied up and blindfolded. This could also be seen as cleansing and ridding off sins (much like in Hitchcock’s Psycho shower scene).
• Shots of Maggie with wet hair are enigmatic as it makes the audience ask simple questions such as ‘where has she been?’, ‘what’s happened and why?’ etc. as she lives in a basement. This is effective promotion and appropriate for the genre as people will go to watch the film to find the answers to their questions.
• Maggie is seen wearing a hood and holding a lamp as a searchlight suggesting a hunt or hunting. This shows her in a darker light compared to in the white room perhaps representing how she may not be as good as she seems and may have some dark secrets.

• The shots in the trees show a barbed wire connoting the group are being trapped and are surrounding as if they are wild or being controlled perhaps reflecting their position as a group. The gun they hold clearly suggests danger but also control of such as the older woman teaches her properly with safety goggles on. Later on a knife is shown which also has a dangerous connotation but is used to slash tires so this weapon is used in attack rather than control. This appeals to the target audience as it promotes danger and violence which people look for in a thriller.
• Maggie asks Peter to bring her a little girl. This girl is shown wearing  a hat and a large black rucksack which makes her look rather different to what you make expect to see of a little girl subverting the conventions creating enigma. Enigma is also created through what she is playing with as it is a large black sculpture being built but the shot isn’t long enough for the audience to clearly see what it is. Black is a dark colour with evil connotations which is important to remember.  
• The last shot is set at sunset suggesting an end even though so many questions are still to be answered. This makes the trailer an effective means of promotion as it leaves the audience going to the actual film to answer their questions as they don’t want it to end until they know more information.